Rotorcraft
News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.
Rotorcraft
Beta and Blade Prove eVTOL Viability with Test at KHPN
Beta Technologies, Blade team were aboard the first manned eVTOL flight in the New York metro area.
Rotorcraft
Karen Adding Bell 505 Helicopters to Its Fleet
Swiss charter, training, and MRO helicopter company Karen is adding a pair of new Bell 505s to its fleet.
Rotorcraft
Enstrom Helicopter Names New President
Industry veteran Todd Tetzlaff will become Enstrom Helicopter's president in April.
Maintenance and Modifications
MRO AeroBrigham Opens Dedicated Helicopter Facility
AeroBrigham opens dedicated helicopter MRO and paint facility in Decatur, Texas.
Maintenance and Modifications
AW189 Heating Duct Failure Prompts Redesign
Respiratory irritation and smoke follow AW189 heating duct failures.
Rotorcraft
Bristow Realigns Business, Senior Leadership
Bristow's government services and energy services businesses will each be led by a dedicated chief operating officer.
Fuel
French Military NH90 Helicopter Flown on 100% SAF
A French NH90 military helicopter has made its first flight running one engine on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel.
Avionics
Foresight MX HUMS STC'd for Sikorsky UH-60A
GPMS's Foresight MX health and usage monitoring system has received FAA supplemental type certificate approval for installation in Black Hawk helicopters.
Rotorcraft
Global Medical Response Opts for More Bell 407GXi Helos
Air ambulance provider Global Medical Response operates 220 Bell helicopters for various missions in North America.
Engines
GE Explores Rotorcraft Operations Center
GE center would provide remote engine diagnostics and analytics for rotorcraft customers.
Engines
Hill Says Turbine Engine for HX50 To Cost Under $100k
According to Hill Helicopters, the unit cost of the GT50 turbine engine for its HX50 helicopter will be less than $100,000.
Rotorcraft
Life Flight Network Adds Four Bell 407GXi Helicopters
Air ambulance provider Life Flight Network has expanded its Bell helicopter fleet to 29 with the recent addition of four Model 407GXis.
Engines
CEO Hill Says Turbine Engine for HX50 To Cost Under $100k
Hill Helicopters is taking on the ambitious task of developing its own turbine engine for the HX50 helicopter.
Rotorcraft
Bell Sets Sights on 2023 Certification for 525 Helo
Bell CEO Mitch Snyder notes that final type approval is in the FAA hands but the company's intent is to complete certification this year.
Regulations and Government
Helicopter Pilot Arrested for Drunk Driving on Way to Work
A helicopter air ambulance pilot on his way to work was arrested for drunk driving after passing a sheriff's deputy's car.
Rotorcraft
Hill Helicopters Tops 700 Orders
Hill plans to begin flight testing of its HX50 helicopter later this year.
Airports
Volatus To Build Vertiport Near Penn State University
Volatus plans to build an eVTOL vertiport at the Bellefonte Airport near Penn State University later this year.
Engines
FAA Approves New Hartzell Starters for Robinsons
Hartzell Engine Tec has received FAA PMA for its Sky Tec HT starters for Robinson R22 and R44 helicopters.
Rotorcraft
Pentagon Office Faults Progress on Rotorcraft Programs
DoD's Operational Test and Evaluation office raps Grey Wolf, Chinook, and King Stallion for multiple deficiencies.
Rotorcraft
King Stallion Helicopter Demonstrates Lifting Power
Repositioning and retrieving aircraft is one of the tasks that the CH-53K military helicopter will perform in its operational life.
Rotorcraft
Bell's Civil Helicopter Deliveries Surge in 2022
Despite a decline in deliveries of Bell military helicopters last year, the company delivered 176 civil helicopters in 2022, up from 156 the prior year.
Rotorcraft
Police Kill Man Lasing, Shooting at Helicopter
A 33-year-old Detroit man who opened fire on state police helicopter was fatally shot by officers on the ground.
Engines
Leonardo AW09 Switches To Safran Power
Leonardo will fly its latest AW09 single turbine engine prototype with Safran's Arriel 2K engine.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Helicopters Continues Market Leadership in 2022
Airbus Helicopters reported that it received 374 orders and made 344 deliveries last year.
Training and Workforce
How To Be a Safe Helicopter Pilot
There's more to being safe than simply not crashing, and here we learn how from helicopter experts.
Rotorcraft
Used Single-engine Helicopter Sales Fell in 2022
Sales for preowned, single-engine helicopters were down 12 percent in 2022 as supply dwindles.
Regulations and Government
CBAA Joins Canadian Advanced Air Mobility Task Group
The Canadian Business Aviation Association's participation in an industry-government advanced air mobility task group will help shape priorities for AAM.
Rotorcraft
Sikorsky Delivers 5,000th Black Hawk Helicopter
Sikorsky delivered its 5,000th Black Hawk Helicopter to the U.S. Army, which plans to fly the type for at least another 40 years.
Rotorcraft
Kaman Ending Production of K-Max Heavy-lift Helicopter
Kaman will discontinue its K-Max, saying production of the heavy-lift helicopter is not a "compelling" growth opportunity.
Accidents
Maker of Defective Rotor Pin Agrees to $10M Settlement
A defective rotor pin triggered the 2021 fatal crash of a Bell 212 in Canada resulting in a worldwide fleet grounding.
