Rotorcraft
News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.
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.
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.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Milestone Signs 11-ship Deal with Omni Helicopters
Milestone Aviation Group has signed an 11 aircraft deal with Brazilian operator Omni Helicopters covering Leonardo AW139 and Sikorsky S-92A helicopters.
Regulations and Government
EASA To Adopt Rules on Tire Pressure, Heli Ditching
EASA has issued an opinion expressing its intent to adopt new regulations on tire pressure minimums and helicopter ditching survivability.
Engines
Honeywell Engines Selected for Defiant X
Honeywell’s new HTS7500 turboshaft has been selected to power the Lockheed Martin Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant X.
Rotorcraft
Bell 505 Fleet Tops 100,000 Hours
Bell's turbine light single has been delivered into 59 countries and amassed 100,000 flight hours since the first deliveries.
Maintenance and Modifications
Dart Floats Approved for Airbus Five-blade H145s
Dart Aerospace has received FAA supplemental type certification for its emergency float system with integrated life rafts in water up to sea state 6.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Milestone Completes Aramco Helicopter Fleet Renewal
Lessor Milestone delivered 26 helicopters to Aramco as part of that company's fleet renewal program.
Rotorcraft
Bristow Spends Latest Quarter In Hover
Helicopter operator Bristow Group breaks even on lower revenues, higher expenses.
Rotorcraft
Blade CEO Bullish On New York
Blade CEO anticipates a better political atmosphere and growth potential for helicopter and eVTOL passenger service in the New York City area.
Rotorcraft
Hill Details Progress on HX50 Turbine Single
UK start-up helicopter company plans first deliveries in 2023.
Rotorcraft
Sikorsky Teases Advanced Air Mobility Plans
Sikorsky teased expectations of its plans for the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector last week at the Electric VTOL Symposium.
Rotorcraft
El Aero Services Becomes First HAI SMS Program User
HAI unveiled its program in October to provide small and cost-conscious operators assistance with implementing SMS.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Helicopters Posts Big Order Jump in 2021
Despite sales uptick, Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even warns that a pre-pandemic market recovery is still two to three years away.
Aircraft
Bell Upgrading USAF Osprey Tiltrotor Nacelles
Eyeing long-term maintainability of the USAF Osprey fleet, Bell is swapping out nacelles with ones that are more maintainable, robust.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Helicopters Delivers Last Dauphin
Airbus produced more than 1,100 Dauphin series helicopters over 40 years.
Airports
Skyports Buys London's Falcon Heliport for eVTOL Ops
Skyports has acquired Falcon Heliport, one of only two public heliports in London, and will develop it as a potential vertiport for eVTOLs.
Rotorcraft
Enstrom Helicopters Shutters, Files Bankruptcy
Enstrom delivered more than 1,300 helicopters during its 64 year history.
Avionics
Industry, FAA Scramble To Clean Up FCC 5G 'Mess'
"Flight cancellations and operational disruptions will be a reality," ALPA warns.
Regulations and Government
The Problem With 5G
While it appears the airlines and telcos have cut a deal on 5G C-band roll-out, biz and rotorcraft appear out in the cold.
Rotorcraft
French Police Takes 10 Airbus H160 Helicopters
The Gendarmerie Nationale has ordered 10 new Airbus H160 medium twin helicopters.
Rotorcraft
Bell 429 Fleet Tops 500,000 Hours
Bell's 429 light twin has a diverse roster of global customers.
Rotorcraft
Bizav Cautious, Rotor Critical on 5G Delay
Verizon and AT&T formally agree to delay 5G C-band roll-out to January 19.
Accidents
Bad Night At Black Rock
The 2017 crash of an Irish S-92 highlights the hazards of night-time SAR operations.
Rotorcraft
Covid Drives Spike in Bristow SAR Missions
Bristow says 66 percent of its search and rescue missions in the Gulf of Mexico were Covid-related.
Rotorcraft
Hill Helicopters Tops 342 Orders
Development of its new turbine single helicopter is "right on schedule," according to Hill Helicopters.
Maintenance and Modifications
RBI Hawker Adds AW139, AW109 Blade Repair Approvals
RBI Hawker's Brisbane facility received Part 145 maintenance organization approval from the Australian CASA in June.
Rotorcraft
Austria To Replace Alouette IIIs with Leonardo AW169s
Having announced the AW169's selection in 2020, Austria has now committed to the purchase with a government-to-government order from Italy.
Rotorcraft
Bavarian Police Order Eight Airbus H145s
Bavaria’s new five-bladed Airbus H145D3 helicopters will replace H135s operated by its police force.
