Rotorcraft
News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.
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
Leonardo Affirms Support for Convicted CEO
Leonardo said it would stand behind CEO Alessandro Profumo while he appeals fraud conviction.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Maintenance and Modifications
Meridian Helos Keeps Busy with Bell 206 Refurb Projects
Meridian Helicopters has delivered its 18th Bell 206 refurbished helicopter.
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.
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.
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
Russia Developing Fast Hybrid Helicopter with AI
The Russian concept helicopter driven by a hybrid power plant and artificial intelligence.
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
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.
Rotorcraft
Milestone Commits To Six Airbus H160s
Helicopter lessor Milestone Aviation is adding six Airbus H160 medium twin helicopters to its order book.
Rotorcraft
Bell 407GXi Gives Aeromed Operator SE/SPIFR Capability
Halo-Flight has begun operating a Bell 407GXi single engine, single pilot IFR (SPIFR).
Maintenance and Modifications
Bell Continues European Mx Network Build Out
Bell Textron names Intercopter in Taufkirchen, Germany, as an authorized maintenance center (AMC), its third AMC in Europe.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Delivers H145D3 to Norwegian Air Ambulance
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first five-blade H145 D3 to the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation.
Rotorcraft
Leonardo's Marco Viola Takes Over Leadership of Kopter
Kopter CEO Andreas Lowenstein has left the light helicopter manufacturer that Leonardo acquired in early 2020.
Rotorcraft
Omni Introduces Airbus H175 To Brazil
Omni Taxi Aereo will be the first operator for the Airbus H175 super-medium helicopter in Brazil.
Rotorcraft
U.S. To Deport UK Man Convicted of Aircraft Parts Fraud
Richard Paul Harper, the owner of helicopter sales and repair shop Apple International in Bristol, Tennessee, has been convicted of aircaft parts fraud.
Rotorcraft
Hill Unveils HX50 Helo Interior
HX50 helicopter interior designed to mirror that of a premium luxury automobile.
Rotorcraft
Bell 505 Fleet Hits 50,000 Flight Hours
The fleet of more than 260 in-service Bell 505 Jet Ranger X light single turbine helicopters has accumulated more than 50,000 flight hours.
Accidents
Bryant's Widow Names Helo Flight Broker in Suit
The operator of the fatal flight that killed Kobe Bryant, OC Helicopters, has been added to the defendant list.
