Rotorcraft
News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.
Avionics
Sikorsky Looks To Future with Matrix
Sikorsky sees its Matrix autonomy system as a game-changer for high-risk civil missions.
Rotorcraft
South Korean Investor and Honeywell Back Volocopter
South Korea’s WP Investments, along with Honeywell and previous investor Atlantis, are the main backers for a $170 million funding round for Volocopter.
Rotorcraft
Getting the 'Top Drop' on Fires
An upgrade from Rogerson Kratos subsidiary Top Drop enhances the firefighting capability of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.
Maintenance and Modifications
Foresight MX Gains Canadian STC Approval for H125
Canada gives nod to Foresight MX for installation in AStars.
Regulations and Government
Helicopter OEMs Suspend Russian Activities
Ukraine sanctions freeze helicopter OEMs sales, support activities in Russia
Maintenance and Modifications
Blade Repair Firms Join United Aero Group
Brightwater UAG acquiring Advanced Composite Structures and Rotor Tech International.
Maintenance and Modifications
StandardAero Upgrading Sheriff's Helo for Hot/high Ops
StandardAero's upgrades will allow the Pinal County Sheriff Department to operate its Bell UH-1H in hot and high environments with greater lift capability.
Airports
FAA Seeks Comments on eVTOL Vertiport Designs
The FAA’s Office of Airports is requesting comments on a draft engineering brief for vertiport and vertistop design standards to accommodate eVTOLs.
Rotorcraft
JetNet To Showcase Enhanced Analytics for Helo Data
JetNet has added capabilities to its Helicopter Services and Fleet Analyzer data platforms.
Rotorcraft
Patchwork of Helo Regs in Europe Hampering Industry
Industry leaders see need for standardizing regulations and preparing them for the future eVTOL markets.
Rotorcraft
AGS Plans Expansive Growth Globally
Exhibiting for the first time at Heli-Expo, Brazil-based AGS plans to add bases and personnel.
Rotorcraft
Blade Posts Rapid Growth
Blade Air Mobility posted strong revenue growth in 2021 and looks to a future of advanced air mobility with eVTOLs.
Rotorcraft
PHI Intl. Lands Contract with Aussie Gas Producer
Helicopter operator PHI International will support offshore energy transport in NW Australia with three Sikorsky S-92s.
Rotorcraft
Bell Seeking Icing Approval for 525 for Market Entry
As Bell nears certification of its 525 super-medium twin, the company is working toward approval for flight in icing conditions in parallel.
Rotorcraft
Georgina Hunter-Jones Selected for HAI Comms Award
Georgina Hunter-Jones, who founded "Helicopter Life," has covered the helicopter industry for more than 35 years.
Rotorcraft
Hirschberg: All Aviation Will Benefit from eVTOL Tech
Vertical Flight Society executive director Mike Hirschberg says eVTOLs will "change the world."
Rotorcraft
HAI Bestows Pilot of Year Award to USCG's Travis Christy
U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Commander Travis Christy, who flies a Sikorsky MH-60 Seahawk, is the recipient of HAI’s 2022 Pilot of the Year Award.
Rotorcraft
European Helicopter Market Bounces Back
Emergency medical services, search and rescue, and offshore wind operations helped keep the European helicopter market humming through the pandemic.
Rotorcraft
Erickson Progresses with Next Gen Water Cannon
Heavy-lift helicopter operator and manufacturer Erickson has released details on its new water cannon which has been under development since 2018.
Regulations and Government
NBAA Marks First Anniversary of AAM Roundtable
The advanced air mobility sector has seen significant progress on several important milestones since NBAA formed an AAM Roundtable a year ago.
Rotorcraft
MD Honored with Humanitarian Service for Navajo Missions
MD Helicopters, which promptly stepped up to the plate when the Navajo Nation suffered from Covid, is the recipient of the HAI Humanitarian Service award.
Rotorcraft
CHP Helo Equipped with Recco SAR Detector
The Airborne SAR detector can locate lost/injured persons who are wearing clothing or other items fitted with Recco reflectors.
Charter & Fractional
NetJets Agrees To Buy and Operate 150 Lilium eVTOLs
Fractional aircraft provider NetJets plans to add 150 Lilium eVTOLs to its fleet for potential operations in the U.S. and Europe.
Maintenance and Modifications
Dart Products, Services Expand with Paravion Acquisition
Paravion's MRO and completions operation, Century Helicopters, included in acquisition by Dart Aerospace.
Regulations and Government
UK, U.S. Regulators Collaborate on eVTOL Certification
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will work closely with the FAA on eVTOL type certifications.
Rotorcraft
57-year Pilot Dwayne Williams Lands HAI Lifetime Award
Dwayne Williams, a helicopter pilot with more than 16,000 hours of accident-free flying, is the 2022 winner of HAI's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Rotorcraft
Amstat: Preowned Helicopter Sales Outpace 2019, 2020
Single-engine turbine helicopter transactions saw the biggest and most consistent increases in 2021, while multi-engine pricing improved more, Amstat says.
Rotorcraft
Michigan Police Officer Earns HAI Law Enforcement Award
Sgt. Matt Rogers, a member of the Michigan State Police Aviation Unit, is the recipient of this year’s HAI Salute to Excellence Law Enforcement Award.
Rotorcraft
Fifth Leonardo AW609 Tiltrotor Joins Flight-test Program
The first production AW609, AC5, will fly soon and then join the ongoing flight-test program in Philadelphia.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Helicopters Launches Tiger MkIII Update Program
The Tiger MkIII program will update a batch of 60 attack helicopters for the French and Spanish armies, with Germany able to join later if it so chooses.
