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 Flies Electric Anti-torque on 429
Bell has been test flying an electric anti-torque system on its 429 light twin since May.
Maintenance and Modifications
Safran Opens New $54M Campus In Tarnos
Safran Helicopter Engines opened its new $54 million, 355,000 square-foot industrial campus in the city of Tarnos in southwest France.
Rotorcraft
Russian Ansat Gets VIP Interior, China Approval
Russian Helicopters has received certification approval for its new “Aurus” executive cabin in its light twin Ansat.
Maintenance and Modifications
Engine STC Gives New Life to Old Hueys
Trinity Aviation Services has acquired the STC to install the 1,679-shp Pratt & Whitney PT6C-67D engine into the Bell UH-1H.
Maintenance and Modifications
Leonardo Breaks Ground On Brazil Service Center
Leonardo broke ground on a new, larger regional helicopter customer service center in Itapevi, Brazil.
Regulations and Government
Helo Crashes Trigger Probe of Honolulu FAA FSDO
The FAA’s Honolulu Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) is under fresh scrutiny following the filing of a two separate whistleblower complaints.
Rotorcraft
Bell Sees Bright Spots In Flat APAC Market
Bell is hosting an event for its parapublic customers on show Monday at its Singapore facility
Rotorcraft
Airbus Delivers 332 Helicopters in 2019
Airbus delivered 332 helicopters in 2019 and logged gross orders for 369 rotorcraft.
Avionics
New Garmin Flight Control System for Airbus AStars
Garmin has received FAA STC approval for the GFC 600H helicopter flight control system in the Airbus Helicopters AS350 B2/B3 single.
Rotorcraft
Leonardo Forms New Joint Venture in Brazil
Leonardo&Codemar S.A. will deliver urban security, new infrastructure, and helicopter-based services under a joint venture.
Maintenance and Modifications
SAFE Develops New Pitch Link Tool For Robinson Helos
S.A.F.E. Structure Designs has developed a unique pitch adjustment tool for all models of Robinson helicopters.
Aircraft
U.S. Navy Receives First Osprey Tiltorotor
The carrier onboard delivery version of the tiltrotor has greater internal fuel capacity than the Marine and Air Force versions.
Rotorcraft
Congressman Seeks To Mandate HTAWS
Long-time helicopter critic seeks to mandate HTAWS in the wake of Kobe Bryant crash.
Avionics
Honeywell Offers Synthetic Vision for AW139s
Leonardo is upgrading the avionics on new AW139 medium twin helicopters to the Honeywell Primus Epic 2.0 Phase 8.
Rotorcraft
Bell 412EPX Makes Asia Debut
Subaru and Bell continue to develop the Bell 412, in part driven by a Japanese military requirement for a new utility helicopter.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Protests Leonardo's U.S. Navy Training Helo Deal
Airbus claims Navy had "technical misunderstandings" in awarding Leonardo $680 million training helicopter deal.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Ups Ante in Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter Competition
Airbus has suggested Australia could still opt for a Tiger upgrade to cover its requirement.
Aircraft
Asia-Pacific Stakes Claim to Place in Urban Air Mobility Revolution
Several Asia-Pacific companies are making big investments in urban air mobility technology and the region's cities may be early adopters of eVTOL aircraft.
Accidents
Bryant's VFR Copter Pilot Was Deliberately Climbing Into IMC
Pilot of fatal California VFR S-76 crash was attempting a climbing turn through IMC.
Rotorcraft
Leonardo Buys Swiss Helicopter Manufacturer Kopter - AIN
Leonardo Buys Swiss Helicopter Manufacturer Kopter - AIN
Rotorcraft
Honeywell Outlook Calls For Meager Helo Delivery Bump
Honeywell’s forecast expects about 100 more helicopter deliveries over five years compared with its 2019 forecast.
Accidents
Fatal Helicopter Accident Rate Flat in 2019
The U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) reported that the number of total helicopter accidents in 2019 increased slightly.
Maintenance and Modifications
Bell Adds Genesys Autopilot as Factory Option on 505
Bell has selected the Genesys Aerosystems VFR HeliSAS Autopilot and Stability Augmentation System for the 505.
Rotorcraft
Russian Helicopters Selects Thales FlytX For VRT500
Russian Helicopters’ VR-Technologies has selected Thales’s FlytX touchscreen avionics for its new VRT500 coaxial rotor, single-engine helicopter.
Rotorcraft
More Charges in Hansen Helo Fraud Case
The federal government is turning up the heat on defendants in the Hansen Helicopters case in Guam.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Helicopters Touts Strong Heli-Expo
Airbus Helicopters posted orders for dozens of new helicopters at Heli-Expo 2020 .
Rotorcraft
Noise Critical Issue for eVTOL Acceptance
Uniform noise standards could speed eVTOL market.
Rotorcraft
Cobham Goes To the X-Stream for Helo Connectivity
Cobham's new SB-Helo X-Stream service promises fixed-wing level satcom connectivity for helicopters.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Bumps AGW for H135 Twins
Airbus Helicopters is increasing the alternate gross weight (AGW) available on new H135 light twins by 265 lbs.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Bucher Shows New Quick-change EMS Kit
Swiss EMS specialist Bucher touts new H135 HEMS AC67 flex for quick, multi-role cabin conversions.
