Rotorcraft
News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Dallas Pediatric Hospital Receives HAI Golden Hour Award
The Neonatal/Pediatric Transport Team at Children’s Health of Dallas is honored for helping to save the lives of several children.
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
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
Sikorsky Ponders Fate of S-76D
Production of Sikorsky's iconic S-76 twin could be licensed to a third party.
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.
Charter & Fractional
Luxaviation-Rolls Tie-up Signals Bizav’s Move into AAM
Luxaviation's partnership with Rolls-Royce is one of the strongest signals yet that business aviation will play a role in the advanced air mobility sector.
Rotorcraft
Helicopter Ambulance Crews Facing Pandemic Burnout
"Everyone in healthcare is just exhausted," said Cameron Curtis, CEO of the Association of Air Medical Services.
Rotorcraft
HAI Honors Jeffrey Donnell for Maintenance Excellence
Jeffrey Donnell has had a 45-year helicopter maintenance career that has encompassed multiple roles with operators and major mx organizations.
Rotorcraft
HAI Plans Full Return of Heli-Expo in Dallas
The March 7-10 Heli-Expo will include a full exhibitor floor, educational and safety program, and possibly helicopter commuter flights.
Rotorcraft
HAI Salutes USCG in Cape Cod for Safety Excellence
The U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod has not only increased safety in New England but has had "far-reaching effects" throughout the service.
Rotorcraft
Metro Embraces Camera, Training Technology
Metro Aviation works to improve operations through the use of supplemental technology including base weather cameras and Icarus IFR training devices.
Rotorcraft
Aero Asset Establishes Helicopter Acquisition Arm
Aero Asset Acquisitions partners with Indiana bank to buy and sell helicopters.
Rotorcraft
Milestone, Helitak Develop Firefighting Sikorsky S-92A
Milestone Aviation has partnered with Helitak to develop an easy install, aerial firefighting kit for the S-92A featuring a quick-fill 1,050-gallon tank.
Rotorcraft
Thailand to Get AH-6i Attack/Reconnaissance Helicopters
The Royal Thai Army has placed an order for the AH-6 helicopter with Boeing, while MD Helicopters has delivered MD 530Gs to neighboring Malaysia.
Engines
Leonardo Aims For Hybrid-powered AW09
In efforts to assess helicopter hybrid propulsion, Leonardo has selected its single engine AW09 on which to build its hybrid prototype.
Rotorcraft
Helicopter Shuttle/Tour Flights Land at Heli-Expo
Helicopter Association International (HAI) is bringing a new feature to its upcoming Heli-Expo show: charter and tour flights.
Rotorcraft
Covid Drives Record Tempo at Rega Air Ambulance
Swiss air ambulance provider Rega saw covid transports increase 49 percent in 2021.
Accidents
Weekend Helicopter Crashes Caught on Camera
One dead, four injured in California and Florida helicopter accidents.
Airports
East Hampton Closure and Conversion Delayed until May
East Hampton, New York city officials and FAA try to resolve issues related to making KTHO a private-use airport.
Regulations and Government
5G Interference Spurs Helo Operators To Seek Exemptions
Helicopter operators file petitions with the FAA seeking exemptions to radar altimeter requirements in wake of 5G interference.
Rotorcraft
Joby eVTOL Prototype Involved in Flight-test Accident
One of Joby Aviation’s two eVTOL prototypes had an accident during flight testing in California.
Rotorcraft
Liebherr Systems To Fly on HAL’s Light Utility Helicopter
The LUH is the latest in a line of HAL products to benefit from the systems provided by Liebherr-Aerospace.
Aircraft
ANA, Toyota Back Joby's eVTOL Rideshare Plans
Japanese airline ANA will work with Toyota and Joby Aviation to establish ridesharing flights in the latter company’s four-passenger eVTOLs in Japan.
