Rotorcraft
News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.
Accidents
Helo Accidents Fall During Pandemic
Reduced helicopter flight activity translated into fewer accidents during the first six months of 2020
Maintenance and Modifications
StandardAero Completes Helo MRO Consolidation Early
The consolidation integrated three StandardAero helicopter maintenance facilities into one.
Rotorcraft
Bell Delivers First ENG Helo to China
Bell has delivered the first dedicted ENG helicopter for service in China.
Aircraft
U.S. Approves Hawkeyes for France and Ospreys for Indonesia
The latest round of U.S. State Department approvals of Foreign Military Sales includes a prospective deal to supply MV-22 Osprey tiltrotors to Indonesia.
Aircraft
Leonardo Lands First Commercial IFR AW119Kx Order
Leonardo announced the first commercial and EMS order for its IFR-certified AW119Kx single-engine helicopter.
Accidents
NTSB: Los Angeles Newscopter Hit Drone
A-Star sustained minor damage after "an inflight collision with a hard object of polycarbonate construction."
Rotorcraft
Helicopter Laserer Gets Federal Prison
A California man who lasered a sheriff’s helicopter in 2017 has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison.
Rotorcraft
Congressmen Continue Push for Safer Helo Fuel Tanks
Two Colorado congressman are continuing push for mandatory crash resistant fuel systems (CRFS) in all helicopter air ambulances.
Regulations and Government
Counterfeit Kamov Helicopter Ring Busted
Moldovan police raided a factory in Cruileni allegedly making unauthorized copies of Russian Kamov-26 coaxial rotor utility helicopters.
Rotorcraft
Airbus H160 Gets EASA Nod
Airbus Helicopters’ medium twin H160 received EASA type certification approval on July 1.
Rotorcraft
Horizon Academy's Bell 505 Fleet Tops 1,000 Hours
UAE's Horizon International Flight Academy achieved the milestone with the 12 Bell 505 light singles it's received since January.
Rotorcraft
CH-53K King Stallion Goes to Sea
The next-generation heavy-lifter for the Marine Corps has successfully undertaken its first sea trials.
Rotorcraft
Aaron Brings Helicopter Upset Training to Southern Utah
Chuck Aaron's helicopter upset and instrument training coming to Southern Utah University.
Rotorcraft
Morocco Signs Up For Latest Apache Attack Helicopters
The addition of AH-64 gunships to the Moroccan inventory is part of an ongoing effort to strengthen and modernize the kingdom’s military forces.
Maintenance and Modifications
UK Man Pleads Guilty To Aircraft Parts Fraud
Richard Paul Harper admitted in a plea agreement to switching the fuselages and data plate of a damaged helo and trying to resell it.
Rotorcraft
Bell Expanding Virtual Training Offerings
Bell is expanding its virtual training offerings during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rotorcraft
Kopter Resumes Flight Testing of SH09 Helicopter
Leonardo subsidiary Kopter said flight testing of the third SH09 light helicopter prototype restarted in Pozzallo, Italy, after a Covid-incuded pause.
Maintenance and Modifications
EASA Approves Five-blade Airbus H145
Customer deliveries of the new Airbus Helicopters H145 D3 will begin later this summer.
Rotorcraft
HAI Members Pledge 'Covid Clean'
The Helicopter Association International's "Covid Clean" program seeks to reassure rotorcraft customers.
Regulations and Government
Hawaii Pols Seek End to Part 135 Exemptions
Sens Schatz, Hirono introduce legislation to mandate 135 for air tour, skydiving ops.
Rotorcraft
Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant Busts 200 Knots
The compound Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 Defiant helicopter broke the 200-knot speed barrier earlier this month.
Maintenance and Modifications
Precise Flight Expands Bird Strike System STC
Precise Flight's Pulselite bird strike prevention system STC has been expanded to include Bell 429 and 505 helicopters.
Rotorcraft
Leonardo Trekker Sales Top 70
Leonardo has sold over 70 of its AW109 Trekker skid gear light twins, including to a helicopter EMS services in Normandy, France.
Engines
Leonardo AW189K Gets EASA Nod
Leonardo has received EASA certification for the super-medium twin AW189K, a variant developed with a pair of Safran Aneto 1K engines.
Rotorcraft
Hill Dems Call For Helos To Have TAWS, Flight Recorders
A bill to mandate HTAWS and flight recorders for large helicopters was introduced by House and Senate Democrats.
Rotorcraft
Bristow and Era Complete Helicopter Operations Merger
New Bristow CEO Chris Bradshaw says industry consolidation "long overdue."
Rotorcraft
Unmanned Civil K-Max Helicopter To Deliver in 2021
Kaman Aerospace has already received commitments for its first five unmanned K-1200 K-Max helicopter kits for civil operators.
Charter & Fractional
Charter App Ascent Expands Helo Service to Thailand
Ascent has partnered with Thai helicopter operators SRS Aviation and Advance Aviation to offer on demand helicopter charter in several locations.
Rotorcraft
France Funding Hybrid Airbus H125 Helicopter
Airbus Helicopters is poised to receive French government financial support to develop a hybrid powerplant for its H125 single.
