Rotorcraft
News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.
Rotorcraft
DOT Watchdog Gives FAA Fresh 'Doors Off' Upbraiding
DOT IG critical of FAA current supervision of "doors off" helitour flights.
Rotorcraft
Air Methods Takes Aim at Helicopter EMS Membership Programs
The nation’s largest helicopter air ambulance company has launched a full-frontal assault on competitors who sell annual “memberships.”
Rotorcraft
Heli-Union Signs Up for Airbus H160s
Héli-Union is purchasing two new multi-mission Airbus H160 medium twins.
Avionics
H135 Gets New Max Weight, Single-pilot IFR Upgrades
Airbus's H135 light twin gets a 265-pound boost in mtow, along with a new single-pilot IFR cockpit.
Rotorcraft
Bell V-280 Flies with Sling Loads
The Bell V-280 tiltrotor was recently flown with a new tactical common datalink (TCDL) and completed external sling load sorties.
Maintenance and Modifications
Safran Signs China Utility To Engine Support Program
Safran Helicopter Engines has signed a Support-By-Hour contract with State Grid General Aviation Company of China.
Rotorcraft
FAA's Dickson Warns 'Disruptions' Could Affect Safety
FAA administrator Steve Dickson describes risks resulting from changes caused by the pandemic.
Rotorcraft
HAI, FAA Call for Voluntary Rotorcraft Safety Retrofits
HAI president and FAA administrator call for retrofit of crash resistant fuel systems, seats, and structures in legacy helicopters.
Rotorcraft
Manila Inducts Black Hawks, Considers Second Batch
The Philippines Air Force has begun operating the Black Hawk, having received its first batch of six in November.
Rotorcraft
Bell Acquires Fuel Cell Maker
Bell Textron has acquired Rhode Island-based Response Technologies, a manufacturer of fuel cells and polymers.
Environment
Airbus May Be Considering Hydrogen-powered Helicopter
Airbus's ZeroE project could be adapted to its helicopter business, executive says during Wichita Aero Club webinar.
Rotorcraft
Hill Helicopters To Offer HX50 as Kit
Hill Helicopters said its five-seat HX50 turbine single will initially be offered as an amateur-built aircraft in 2023 for $662,000.
Rotorcraft
Leonardo Delivering 17 More AW139s to Italian Air Force
Leonardo has delivered the first of 17 multirole HH-139B twin-engine helicopters to the Italian Air Force.
Rotorcraft
New Survitec Emergency Breathing System Offers More Air
Survitec's new Emergency Breathing System (EBS) offers offshore helicopter passengers and crew more air.
Rotorcraft
Airbus VSR700 Makes ATOLs from Moving Deck
Airbus's optionally piloted vehicle recently made fully autonomous takeoff and landing approaches to and from a moving deck simulator.
Rotorcraft
Bell Moves Commercial Business into New Center
Formerly the American Airlines building, Bell's Commercial Business Center will house about 600 employees.
Regulations and Government
Air Methods Settles Suit Over Crumbling Pitot Tubes
Air ambulance provider Air Methods will pay $825,000 to settle Justice Department suit alleging it flew a helicopter with crumbling pitot tubes.
Rotorcraft
Five-bladed Airbus H145 Gets FAA TC
Airbus’s new five-bladed H145 helicopter has received FAA type certification (TC) with the first U.S. delivery slated to occur early next year.
Avionics
Thales, StandardAero Fly AStar with 4-Axis Autopilot
Thales and StandardAero anticipate FAA STC approval of the four-axis AStar autopilot by mid-2021.
Rotorcraft
Brazil's Federal Police Orders Six Leonardo AW119Kxs
Brazil’s Polícia Rodoviária Federal (PRF) has ordered six AW119Kx turbine single-engine helicopters.
Rotorcraft
HAI Commits To In-person Heli-Expo 2021
The Helicopter Association International said it will hold its annual Heli-Expo trade show next March in New Orleans.
Rotorcraft
Germany Orders NH90 Sea Tiger Helicopters
The shipborne Sea Tiger helicopter will defend the German navy’s frigates against both submarine and surface attack.
Rotorcraft
Milestone Notes Firsts in S-92 Delivery to Caverton
The S-92 delivery marks the sixth helicopter Caverton is leasing from Milestone Aviation Group.
Avionics
Genesys Displays Approved for AStar Upgrades
The FAA has certified the Genesys Aerosystems IDU-680 and IDU-450 EFIS displays for AStar helicopters.
Rotorcraft
Blade India Launches Mumbai-Pune Service
Blade India using Bell 407 and Airbus H130 aircraft to slash travel times.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Marks Firsts with H145 Sale to ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil acquires two copies of the Airbus H145 for a liquefied natural gas project in the Asia-Pacific region.
Accidents
NTSB: Spatial Disorientation Triggered Aeromed Fatal
Helicopter spun near the runway and impacted terrain at night, in fog.
Rotorcraft
Russian Helicopters Delivers First Ansat to Europe
Russian Helicopters has made its first European delivery of an Ansat light twin.
Rotorcraft
Brazil Heli Show Joins Forces with Yachts Event
Heli Show, Brazil’s first in-person aviation fair this year, was held through Saturday as part of the São Paulo Boat Show.
Rotorcraft
Bell Teams with Germany's RAS for 505 Sales
Bell has appointed Rheinland Air Service (RAS) as the first authorized German dealer for the Bell 505 turbine light single.
