Rotorcraft

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Rotorcraft

Sikorsky Details Progress On Army Programs

Sikorsky Raider and Defiant prototype rotorcraft programs mark milestones.

Rotorcraft

Super Puma Operator Lands Navy Contract

Texas-based Air Center Helicopters has landed a vertical replenishment contract with the U.S. Navy to provide services.

Rotorcraft

Leonardo Adds To March Bookings

Leonardo booked orders for 23 helicopters worth $281 million in March.

Maintenance and Modifications

Volare Aviation Opens Helicopter Maintenance Facility at Oxford

The opening of a dedicated helicopter maintenance, management, and refurbishment facility will help Volare Aviation keep up with demand growth, it said.

Avionics

Bell 212 Gets Archangel Upgrade

Central American Aviation Services has completed the first Bell 212 upgrade with the Archangel air data attitude/heading reference system.

Rotorcraft

Sikorsky Plays For The Rebound

Sikorsky's civil helicopter future is pegged to increased utility for its S-92A heavy twin.

Finance, Taxes, Insurance

MD Helicopters Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

MD Helicopters receiving $60 million in debtor financing, will continue operating, while assets sold.

Avionics

StandardAero & Thales Offer StableLight Autopilot for Airbus AS350/H125 Helicopters

Rotorcraft

Marenco Seeks Financing for New Helicopter

Marenco still needs to attract investors for its prospective M12 single/hybrid and M22 twin-turbine helicopters project.

Engines

Columbia, UAG Team To Support S-61 Helicopters

Columbia Helicopters and United Aero Group have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperatively support the Sikorsky S-61.

Rotorcraft

Airbus's Optionally-Piloted Helicopter Goes to Sea

The VSR700 demonstrator has undertaken the first at-sea trials of its autonomous take-off and landing capabilities as part of a French navy/DGA program.

Aircraft

Eve's Post-merger Capital Expected To Near $600M

Eve Urban Air Mobility now expects to raise nearly $600 million from its pending merger with Zanite Acquisition Corp. and subsequent IPO.

Regulations and Government

EASA Slams the Door on Russian Aerospace

EASA has stripped Russian aircraft, MROs, and airlines of type and operating certificates.

Maintenance and Modifications

Dart Developing H145 Fire Attack System

FAA certification of Dart's fire attack system for the H145 expected later this year.

Rotorcraft

China Orders Six More Leonardo AW189s

Leonardo will deliver six AW189s to China’s Rescue and Salvage Bureau of Ministry of Transport

Maintenance and Modifications

PHI Opens MRO Services to Broader Helicopter Market

The MRO change is part of an effort by global helicopter provider PHI to diversify its business.

Rotorcraft

Heli-Expo Returns To Nearly Full Strength

The 2022 Heli-Expo drew 91 percent of attendees and 90 percent of exhibitors that participated in the 2020 event.

Rotorcraft

Vita Inclinata Offers Solution to Stabilize Helicopter Hoist Litter Baskets

Regulations and Government

Leonardo Sells Two AW139s to U.S. Department of Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration has ordered two AW139s.

Rotorcraft

United Rotorcraft Increases U.S. MRO Footprint

United Rotorcraft added facilities in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, and Mesa, Arizona.

Rotorcraft

Dart Aerospace To Be Acquired by TransDigm Group

TransDigm, a maker of engineered aircraft components for the commercial and military aviation markets, expects to close the deal in the second quarter.

Rotorcraft

Rega To Replace H145 Fleet With New Variant

The five-blade variant of the Airbus H145 is expected to improve mission capabilities for Rega as well as safety of operations.

Avionics

StandardAero, Thales Offer StableLight Demos

StableLight, a four-axis autopilot for retrofit on AS350 helicopters, is being demonstrated at Heli-Expo with demo flights available at the convention.