Rotorcraft
News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.
Avionics
Maverick Is Launch Customer for Spidertracks FDM
Maverick Helicopters will be the launch customer for Spidertracks’ Insights virtual flight data recorder technology on its Spider X.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Helicopters Takes New Look at Urban Air Noise
Airbus research into helicopter noise is being used to evaluate potential eVTOL designs.
Engines
Hill Developing Own Helicopter Engine for HX50
Hill Helicopters revealed its 400-shp Hill GT50 light turbine engine designed specifically for the new Hill HX50 single.
Rotorcraft
Military Programs Drive Bell's Third Quarter Higher
Bell's commercial helicopter business was challenged by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rotorcraft
Trump's S-76B For Sale
N76DT, s/n 760351 is listed by Aero Asset with a price of “make offer,” but is believed to have a market value near $800,000.
Rotorcraft
Sikorsky to Supply Military Helicopters to Greece and U.S. Marines
Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky have landed $730 million of new work in one day through Navair contracts for 10 new “Romeo” and King Stallion helicopters.
Rotorcraft
CAAM Debuts with Bell as Launch Member
This week saw the official launch of the Canadian Advanced Air Mobility (CAAM) Coalition, with Bell Textron as a founding member of the group.
Rotorcraft
Russian Helicopters Launches Indonesian Test Program
Russian Helicopters has launched an operations pilot test program for its Mi-8/171 twin in Indonesia on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan.
Rotorcraft
First Airbus H145s for Ecuador
Following an unhappy experience with the Dhruv, the FAE is receiving H145s equipped for military, search and rescue, and disaster relief operations.
Rotorcraft
Vanderbilt LifeFlight Is Air Medical Program of Year
Tennessee’s Vanderbilt LifeFlight has been named the air medical program of the year by the Association of Air Medical Services.
Rotorcraft
Bell Delivers Three 407GXis To Polish National Police
The delivery marks the fifth Bell sent to Poland this year.
Rotorcraft
Air Methods Settles California Overtime Claims for $78M
Air Methods settled a seven-year class action suit brought by its California flight crews.
Maintenance and Modifications
Alabama MRO Adds Paint, Media Blast Facility
A new facility builds upon Ace Aeronautics' capabilities for the maintenance and modification of military and general aviation aircraft.
Accidents
Inquiry Clears Crew in Fatal 2013 Super Puma Crash
Accident triggered by "perfect storm of circumstances."
Rotorcraft
Ron Bower, Who Circumnavigated the Globe in Helos, Dies
Ron Bower, who died on October 12, set speed records circumnavigation the earth both eastbound and westbound in helicopters.
Rotorcraft
Leonardo Affirms Support for Convicted CEO
Leonardo said it would stand behind CEO Alessandro Profumo while he appeals fraud conviction.
Avionics
Max-Viz EVS STC'd for Airbus AS350 Helicopters
Astronics’s Max-Viz 1200 and 1400 enhanced vision systems have received FAA and Transport Canada approval for installation in the Airbus AS350.
Rotorcraft
AW139 Enlisted To Support Giant Red Sea Project
The Helicopter Company will provide a Leonardo AW139 helicopter and crew to support construction of the Kingdom's massive Red Sea project.
Aircraft
General Atomics Buying Ruag's German MRO
Ruag International's sale of operations at Oberpfaffenhofen to General Atomics Europe includes its military helicopter MRO and Dornier 228 production.
Maintenance and Modifications
Airbus Helicopters Signs Air Methods to HCare Support
Air ambulance provider Air Methods has signed a $24 million, five-year HCare Smart support contract with Airbus Helicopters, Inc.
Rotorcraft
Miami-Dade Fire Gets First Leonardo AW139
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) has taken delivery of the first of four AW139s ordered last year.
Rotorcraft
France Orders NH90 Helicopters For Special Forces
The final ten NH90 TTHs helicopters on order for the French army will be delivered to a new standard optimized for special forces support.
Airports
London Heli Shuttle Driving Traffic at Biggin Hill
London Biggin Hill Airport is seeing more traffic during the Covid-19 pandemic with the help of the London Heli Shuttle.
Maintenance and Modifications
Meridian Helos Keeps Busy with Bell 206 Refurb Projects
Meridian Helicopters has delivered its 18th Bell 206 refurbished helicopter.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
More Insurance Pain Forecast for Rotor Industry
Helicopter insurance premiums are rising in a "hard market" that could last another two years.
Rotorcraft
Bristow's UK SAR Contract Extended
Bristow’s contract to provide search and rescue (SAR) services in the UK has been extended through 2026.
Rotorcraft
Orders Race In for Airbus ACH130 Aston Martin Edition
Customers in Latin America, North America, and Asia-Pacific have signed firm contracts for the Aston Martin edition of the Airbus Helicopters H130.
Rotorcraft
Russia Developing Fast Hybrid Helicopter with AI
The Russian concept helicopter driven by a hybrid power plant and artificial intelligence.
Rotorcraft
Aero Asset: Medium Helo Inventory Explodes
Nearly $1 billion worth of used rotorcraft remain on the market with a large increase in the inventory of medium twins.
ATC
Leonardo, ENAV Pair on Helicopter PBN
Leonardo and ENAV partner on developing more PBN options for helicopter operations.
