Rotorcraft
News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.
Accidents
NTSB Issues Preliminary On Hawaii Air-tour Crash
Rapidly changing localized weather and pilot fatigue are two possible contributors to the fatal crash of an air tour helicopter in Hawaii.
Rotorcraft
In Farewell, Zuccaro Calls Helo Industry One of Survivors, One in Transition
As he bid farewell as president and CEO of HAI, Matt Zuccaro touted what he sees as a bright future ahead for vertical lift.
Rotorcraft
Under Attack, Hawaii Air Tour Industry Forms Task Force
Hawaii air tour stakeholders have formed a task force to deal with the fallout from recent accidents there.
Rotorcraft
Leonardo Wins U.S. Navy Helo Trainer Deal
Leonardo selected to provide up to 130 training helicopters to U.S. Navy in a deal potentially worth $650 million.
Aircraft
Russia’s Aerospace Sector May Be Headed For Consolidation
Folding Russian Helicopters into the OAK structure to form one single entity is a possibility.
Rotorcraft
Mayhew Assumes New Role as USHST Co-Chair
Helicopter training industry veteran Nick Mayhew is the new industry co-chairman of the United States Helicopter Safety Team (USHST).
Rotorcraft
Aussie Wallabies Feed On Copter Carrot Bombing
Australia air-dropping carrots to feed starving wildlife.
Rotorcraft
UK Rotor Ranter Fined $2,000
UK helicopter pilot fined $2,080 by the Civil Aviation Authority for on-air exchange with air traffic controller.
Charter & Fractional
Blade India Starts Helo Air-taxi Service in Mumbai
New York-based Blade Urban Air Mobility and majority partner Delhi-based Hunch Ventures recently started preliminary helicopter service in India.
Rotorcraft
HAI Names Senior FAA Safety Exec Viola as CEO
Viola, who becomes the next HAI CEO on January 16, helped launch the USHST and was a former special ops MH-6 and MH-47 pilot.
Rotorcraft
Bell AerOS Shows How Urban Air Mobility Flies
Bell is demonstrating how a smart city of the future could incorporate urban air mobility vehicles running under autonomous control.
Rotorcraft
Erickson Flying Six Air Cranes on Australian Fires
Erickson is flying six of its S-64 Air Cranes on Australia's record-setting wild fires.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Airbus Teams with Aston Martin on Special-edition ACH130
Airbus Corporate Helicopters revealed its ACH130 Aston Martin Edition at Courchevel in the French alpine skiing region.
Rotorcraft
Erickson Delivers Sixth Air Crane to Korea
The twin-engine heavy lift helicopter is used for firefighting by the Korean Forest Service.
Accidents
Hawaii Tour Helo Wreckage Found—Seven Dead
The wreckage of a missing Safari Helicopters Airbus AS350 B2 has been found on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
Rotorcraft
Leonardo Flies Fourth Flight-test AW609
The company is working with the FAA on certification, but it has not yet released a timeline for that.
Accidents
Tour Helo Missing in Hawaii
The Coast Guard is searching for a missing Airbus AS350 B2 with seven aboard after it failed to return to its base on Kauai.
Accidents
Helo EMS Pilot Crash Lands After Apparent Heart Attack
The pilot of an EMS helicopter died after suffering an apparent heart attack while landing in Alabama.
Charter & Fractional
Long Island FBO Offers NYC Transfer Packages
Farmingdale, N.Y.-based FBO Republic Jet Center has partnered with a charter provider to offer exclusive NYC flight/transfer package options.
Rotorcraft
HAI Salute to Excellence Humanitarian Service Award: LA County Fire
The HAI Salute to Excellence Humanitarian Service Award was awarded to the LA County Fire Department.
Aircraft
Kazakhstan Becoming a Regional Aircraft Industry/Service Hub
Partnerships with companies in Russia, Israel, Turkey, and Europe are helping to strengthen Kazakhstan’s growing defense industry.
Rotorcraft
U.S. Air Force Welcomes the Grey Wolf
Boeing and Leonardo are supplying the MH-139A under a rapid acquisition program to replace aging Bell UH-1N Twin Hueys.
Rotorcraft
Enstrom Marks 60 Years
Since incorporation in 1959, Enstrom Helicopter has delivered more than 1,300 helicopters to customers in 50 countries.
Rotorcraft
Congress Could Trigger Closure of 80% of U.S. Air Med Bases
"Patient protection" legislation could decimate U.S. air medical industry.
Rotorcraft
Study: 430,000 Urban Air Taxis By 2040
A new Frost & Sullivan study predicts urban air taxis will begin operations in 2022 and grow to a worldwide fleet of 430,000 by 2040.
Rotorcraft
Special Forces Training Center Opens in Croatia
Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia have opened a center to train helicopter crews tasked with supporting special forces.
Rotorcraft
Bell Delivers First of 12 Jet Ranger X Helos to Horizon
The UAE's Horizon International Flight Academy took delivery of the first of 12 Bell 505s this week.
Engines
EASA Approves Safran Aneto on Leonardo AW189
EASA has granted type certificate approval for installation of the Safran Aneto 1K engine in the Leonardo AW189 super-medium twin helicopter.
Avionics
Thales, StandardAero Team on Light Helo Autopilot
StandardAero and Thales signed an agreement to jointly develop and certify an advanced autopilot system for several light helicopters, including the AS350.
Aircraft
First Modified MV-22 Osprey Delivered
Bell and Boeing are upgrading older Marine Corps Ospreys to increase commonality across the fleet.
