Rotorcraft
News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.
Rotorcraft
Training Time: 'Flying the AW609'
A few flights in the engineering sim suggest the tiltrotor will be a smooth transition for both fixed-wing and rotary pilots.
Maintenance and Modifications
Airbus Signs DRF for H145 Upgrades
DRF Luftrettung will retrofit its Airbus H145 helo fleet with new five-blade upgrade.
Rotorcraft
Safran, Uber Collaborate On eVTOL Cabin
Safran and Uber have fashioned an eVTOL cabin mockup they hope will set the standard for the industry.
Rotorcraft
Helicopter Lessor LCI in New $100 Million Deal
LCI has partnered with Flexam to place five helicopters on long-term leases
Rotorcraft
USAF Slashes Helo Training Time With Virtual Reality
The first USAF helicopter pilot class using virtual reality graduated six weeks early.
Maintenance and Modifications
Bell Names Fifth Authorized MRO in China
China State Grid General Aviation will provide authorized maintenance on the Bell 429 medium-twin helicopter.
Rotorcraft
Mil To Absorb Kamov Following High-speed Rotorcraft Win
The selection of Mil’s design to form the basis of a new high-speed combat helicopter was the catalyst for a merger of the two rotary-wing design bureaus.
Aircraft
ADEX 2019: KAI Unveils KF-X Mockup, New Surion Variants
South Korea’s fifth-generation fighter program recently completed a major milestone with the passing of its critical design review.
Rotorcraft
Sikorsky Enters Raider X in Army FARA Derby
Sikorsky is proposing the "Raider X" compound helicopter for the Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Used Helicopter Market Improving
Aero Asset's Q3 market report shows a modest uptick in sales activity including in heavies.
Accidents
NTSB To Hold Hearing on Doors-off Crash
NTSB docket raises numerous safety questions in 2018 doors-off fatal New York City helitour crash.
Rotorcraft
Safran Arrius Engine Tops 10 Million Flight Hours
Safran says its Arrius family of helicopter engines has topped 10M flight hours since introduced in 1996.
Rotorcraft
Safran-AECC WZ16 Helo Engine Certified in China
The Safran-AECC WZ16 helicopter engine is the first jointly-developed aero engine to be entirely certified in China.
Rotorcraft
Porsche and Boeing Team On Urban Air Mobility
Porsche and Boeing are developing a concept eVTOL and will jointly explore the "premium" UAM space.
Rotorcraft
Bell Brings Nexus eVTOL to NBAA-BACE
Bell will display a mockup of its Nexus eVTOL urban air mobility vehicle at this year's NBAA-BACE
Rotorcraft
Bell-Boeing V-22 Tiltrotor Fleet Tops 500,000 Hours
The U.S. military's fleet of 375 Bell-Boeing V-22 tiltrotors has flown more than half a million hours.
Rotorcraft
Fourth Bell 525 in Flight Test, Aircraft On Production Line
Bell anticipates FAA certification approval for its new 525 super-medium twin helicopter next year.
Rotorcraft
Kopter Flight Tests New MGB for SH09
Kopter said the new main gear box it has developed for its SH09 turbine single helicopter will improve performance
Rotorcraft
Marines AH-1Z Gets Boost from F-35B Pairing
The AH-1Z Viper is being used in combination with F-35Bs on attack missions, a teaming that will be enhanced by a forthcoming datalink upgrade
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Bristow Emerging From Bankruptcy with $535M
Helicopter services company Bristow Group said it plans to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization by month's end.
Maintenance and Modifications
Foresight HUMS Provides Better Helo Gear Fault Analysis
GPMS says its Foresight health usage and monitoring system that provides for better gear fault analysis on helicopters
Rotorcraft
UAVOS Fits Unmanned R22 for Aerial Application
UAVOS has converted a Robinson R-22 to fly unmanned and spray pesticides
Rotorcraft
Unmanned Camcopter Completes SAR Sea-based Trials
A Schiebel S-100 UAV has completed shipboard SAR trials with the Norwegian Coast Guard
Rotorcraft
Bell Unveils Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) Design
Bell's Model 360 "Invictus" with feature "proven technologies" the company says
Maintenance and Modifications
Dart Boosts Firefighting Product Line with Simplex Buy
Rotorcraft mission specific equipment manufacturer Dart Aerospace can now boost is catalog with the addition of Oregon-based Simplex Aerospace.
Rotorcraft
Russia To Resume Buying "Indigenized" Ansat
Moscow has demanded that the helicopters destined for its armed forces have no Western equipment, including the powerplant
Rotorcraft
U.S. Congress Approves Thai AH-6i FMS
Thailand has been approved to receive the light attack helicopter, which is sought to provide special forces support.
Rotorcraft
KAI Flies Unmanned Light Helicopter
Korea's NI-600VT is based on the Rotorway A600 with a KAI-developed autonomous systems.
