Boeing awarded $36M Apache blade contract
Source: US DoD, 30-Apr-13
The Boeing Co., Mesa, Ariz., was awarded a $36,599,871 modification (No. 0013), to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (W58RGZ-10-G-0006), to procure composite main rotor blades and associated support equipment for the Apache Block III configuration. Fiscal 2012 procurement contract funds are being obligated on this award. The Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the [...]
Bell awarded $14M rotor blade contract
Source: US DoD, 26-Apr-13
Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $14,361,600 contract for main rotor blades. The award is a firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract. Location of performance is Texas, with a Dec. 31, 2015 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 through fiscal 2015 Navy funds. Defense [...]
Boeing awarded $18M contract for Advanced Chinook Rotor Blade
Source: US DoD, 22-Mar-13
The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Penn., was awarded a $17,900,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This is a modification for the design and engineering services in support of the CH-47 Advanced Chinook Rotor Blade. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, with an estimated completion date of March 18, 2017. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. [...]
Van Horn to develop composite tail blades for Bell 212/412
Source: Bell, 07-Mar-13
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc (NYSE: TXT) company, announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Van Horn Aviation to develop a composite tail rotor blade for the Bell 212 and Bell 412 product lines. Van Horn Aviation has agreed to design, certify and manufacture the rotor blades with Bell Helicopter Engineering participating [...]
DLR tests effect of blowing air out of rotor blades
Source: DLR, 12-Feb-13
Researchers at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) in Göttingen have discovered a way to make helicopters more manoeuvrable. In a globally unique wind tunnel experiment, they have been blowing air through holes in the rotor blades to actively influence airflow. As though someone is wielding a sledgehammer The rotor [...]
Sikorsky granted patent for “Main rotor blade with integral cuff”
Source: HeliHub.com, 20-Jan-13
Sikorsky have been granted patent number 8,353,673 for “A main rotor blade assembly includes a main spar with an integral cuff. The main spar is directly to a rotor hub assembly through the integral cuff”. Two particular sections of interest from the official US Patent & Trademark Office website posting are listed below Background of [...]
Shake’d Technologies promotes new track-and-balance option
Source: Shake'd Technologies, 01-Jan-13
One of the largest “big ticket” items faced by the helicopter maintenance industry today is the issue of rotor track and balance (RT&B). If there were a way to make the process of rotor track and balance more efficient it would be a huge boost to the helicopter operator, saving both time and money. While [...]
X2 rotor blade technology to be recognised in Innovation Hall of Fame
Source: Clark School, 29-Oct-12
The innovator behind the rotor blade technology used on the fastest helicopter produced will be inducted into the A. James Clark School of Engineering’s Innovation Hall of Fame at the University of Maryland, College Park, on Thursday, November 8, 2012, at 4:30 p.m. Ashish Bagai, a Clark School aerospace engineering alumnus, is an aerodynamicist. He was principal engineer at Sikorsky Aircraft [...]
Sikorsky awarded $42M contract for rotor blade upgrade/overhaul work
Source: US DoD, 07-Oct-12
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., was awarded a $42,019,356 firm-fixed-price contract. The award will provide for the upgrade and overhaul services of the main rotor blade. Work will be performed in Shelton, Conn., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 28, 2015. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with one bid received. The U.S. [...]
Boeing awarded $6M for Chinook blade overhaul
Source: US DoD, 20-Jul-12
The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Penn., was awarded a $6,832,402 firm-fixed-price contract. The award will provide for the overhaul services in support of the Chinook aft and forward rotary blades. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2014. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. The [...]
EASA approves Van Horn composite blades for B206
Source: Van Horn Aviation, 08-May-12
Rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) recently received a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for VHA’s 206B/L series composite tail rotor blade. “Operators on five continents are already experiencing the benefits of flying VHA tail rotor blades, including reduced pedal forces and greater tail rotor authority at high [...]
NEW! MD540F – an MD530F with six composite blades, glass panel and more
Source: MD Helicopters, 09-Apr-12
MD Helicopters Inc. (MDHI) released details recently of its new armed scout helicopter – the MD 540F, the newest addition to MD’s fleet of single engine turbine helicopters. The 540F is an upgrade to the popular MD 530F; boasting a 6-bladed, fully articulated rotor blade system made up entirely of composite material, in addition to [...]
Composite Technology opens bi-directional whirl tower for rotor blade balancing
Source: Sikorsky, 17-Feb-12
Composite Technology Inc. (CTI), a Sikorsky Aerospace Services company based at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, today opened one of the world’s most powerful structures to dynamically balance helicopter main rotor blades. Designed by Sikorsky to test main rotor blades that rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise, the bi-directional whirl tower will enable helicopter operators and [...]
Composite Technology adds S76 and S92 capability in Singapore
Source: Composite Technology, 14-Feb-12
Composite Technology, Inc. (CTI), a Sikorsky Aerospace Services company, today announced new capabilities to support Sikorsky’s S-76® and S-92® helicopter rotor blade repair and maintenance through its venture in Singapore: Composite Technology International Pte. Ltd (CTIS). CTIS is a venture among CTI, Eurocopter South East Asia and Singapore Technologies Aerospace Engineering. The facility will offer [...]
Innovation – significant reduction in rotor blade tip noise
Source: Helios, 13-Feb-12
HELIOS Hubschraubertransport GmbH presents the patented new SilentEcoWing – System to producers and experts at Heli Expo 2012 in Dallas, Texas. The project was inspired by nature: A bird gliding almost soundlessly. „We reflected how to minimize the noise generated at the rotor blade tips“, said Mr. Walter Enthammer, the General Manager. The result of [...]
Kaman supports K-Max while expanding manufacturing and rotor blade work
Source: Kaman, 09-Feb-12
The Kaman Helicopters Division of Kaman Aerospace Corporation, a subsidiary of Kaman Corporation (NASDAQ-GS: KAMN), continues to develop new chapters in its storied history with the unmanned K-MAX®; successes and opportunities in subcontract manufacturing; and rotor blade development and production. Kaman will showcase its products and services in Booth 5222, Hall C, at the Helicopter [...]
Humpback whale secret may help helicopters fly faster
Source: DLR, 01-Feb-12
Modern helicopters could be significantly faster and more manoeuvrable – if aerodynamics did not impose limitations on them. Researchers at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) in Göttingen have now discovered and flight-tested a way to increase manoeuvrability using an idea they got from observing humpback whales. Unwanted turbulence Helicopters [...]
Scott’s Bell 47 develops composite main blades for model 47 fleet
Source: Scott’s Bell 47, 26-Jan-12
Scott’s – Bell 47, Inc. (SB47) today announced that they have contracted with IAC Ltd. to develop new composite main rotor blades for the model 47 fleet. IAC is an internationally recognized main and tail rotor blade repair & overhaul service provider in Fort Worth, Texas with FAA certifications to inspect & repair all major [...]
VABS 3.6 reduces realistic composite blade modeling to seconds
Source: AnalySwift, 22-Jan-12
AnalySwift, LLC, a leading provider of efficient high-fidelity modeling software for aerospace and energy composites and other advanced materials, announced today the release of VABS 3.6. This is the latest version of VABS, which is the tool of choice for efficient and accurate modeling of composite slender structures such as wind turbine blades, helicopter rotor blades, high [...]
Scott’s drops prices on Bell 47 blades
Source: Scott’s – Bell 47, 23-Aug-11
Scott’s – Bell 47, Inc. (SB47), OEM for the Model 47 helicopter, today announced a reduction of their Main Rotor Blade spares pricing to $45,000 per blade, -13 & -21, and $45,500 for the -23. This reduction is driven by the customer survey responses received over the past 6 months and is afforded by their [...]
BLR Aerospace delivers 200th UH-1 FastFin® tail rotor enhancement
Source: BLR Aerospace, 06-Jun-11
BLR Aerospace, the well-known developer of innovative performance modifications for helicopters and business aircraft, recently delivered its 200th FastFin® Tail Rotor Enhancement and Stability System for a Bell UH-1H helicopter. More than one-third of the certificated UH-1 fleet has been modified with FastFin, making it one of the company’s top-selling products, according to Dave Marone, [...]
Van Horn Aviation expands with move this summer to new facility
Source: HeliHub.com, 24-May-11
Van Horn Aviation, the manufacturer of helicopter rotor blades, is expanding its presence in Tempe (Arizona) with the purchase of a new facility four times the size of its existing location. The move from a leased unit near Rural and Broadway roads is to a 23,000 sq.ft unit it is purchasing near Elliott Road and [...]
Van Horn starts flight testing MD500 main blades
Source: Van Horn Aviation, 13-Apr-11
Rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) successfully completed a series of ground and flight tests of its composite MD 500 main rotor blades during a four-hour test session at the MD Helicopters Inc. (MDHI) facility in Mesa, Arizona aboard a MD 530F® test aircraft. According to VHA president James R. Van Horn, the April [...]
Federal Program Integrators awrded $7M contract for Rotor Blade Facility
Source: US DoD, 12-Apr-11
Federal Program Integrators, LLC, was awarded a $7,187,408 firm-fixed-price contract March 31, 2011. The award will provide for the production equipment, enabling the Rotor Blade Facility to work more efficiently. Work will be performed in Indian Island, Maine; San Antonio, Texas; and Corpus Christi, Texas; with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2012. One [...]
Bell awarded $12M eight year blade contract
Source: US DoD, 01-Apr-11
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract against a basic ordering agreement with a maximum $12,059,100 for blade assemblies. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Navy. The date of performance completion is June 30, 2019. The Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity [...]
MD Helicopters and Van Horn Aviation debut composite rotor blades
Source: MD Helicopters, 15-Mar-11
MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI), a leading manufacturer of commercial and military helicopters, and Van Horn Aviation, L.L.C. (Van Horn) are demonstrating co-developed composite main rotor blades for the MD 530F® aircraft in Booths 1618 (MDHI) and 1521 at Heli-Expo 2011, held March 5th – 8th at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The [...]
Bell to distribute Van Horn B206 composite tail blades
Source: Bell, 07-Mar-11
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Van Horn Aviation LLC for the 206 composite tail rotor blade supplemental type certificate (STC) No. SR02249LA. This STC allows for installation of the Van Horn composite tail rotor blade onto the Bell 206B and 206L series aircraft. [...]
Van Horn Aviation expands to accommodate main rotor blade manufacture
Source: Van Horn Aviation, 12-Feb-11
Composite rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) recently signed an offer to purchase on a 23,000+ sq. ft. facility in Tempe, Ariz., significantly expanding the company’s available manufacturing space compared to its current location. According to VHA president James R. Van Horn, the expansion is required to accommodate current and future rotor blade programs. [...]
Van Horn Aviation expands dealer network into Canada
Source: Van Horn Aviation, 09-Dec-10
TEMPE, Ariz., December 8, 2010 – Composite tail rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) recently added two Canadian companies as authorized dealers for its composite tail rotor blades. AOG Heli Services (www.aogheliservices.com) based at Norman Rogers Airport in Kingston, Ontario, and Avialta Helicopter Maintenance Ltd. (www.avialta.com) based at Villeneuve Airport in Edmonton, Alberta, have [...]
New rotor blade processing facility to be built at NAS Corpus Christi
Source: US DoD, 12-Aug-10
Ewing Construction Co. Inc.*, Corpus Christi, Texas, is being awarded a $10,325,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of rotor blade processing facility at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. The work performed provides for labor, materials and equipment for design and construction of an addition to existing Building 49. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, and [...]
FAA extend Van Horn B206 composite tail blade STC to OH-58s
Source: Van Horn Aviation, 09-Jun-10
OH-58 helicopter operators now have an aftermarket choice for tail rotor blades. The FAA recently issued an amended Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the Van Horn Aviation (VHA) 206B/L series composite tail rotor blade to include OH-58A+ and OH-58C models after reviewing flight and engineering data submitted by the company. “The City of Pasadena (California) [...]
Transport Canada issues STC for Van Horn composite B206 tail blades
Source: Van Horn Aviation, 27-May-10
Rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) recently received a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from Transport Canada for VHA’s 206B/L series composite tail rotor blade. Transport Canada issued its STC after reviewing the documents associated with FAA STC SR0229LA issued in February for the same product. “We’ve had several Canadian 206 operators interested in flying [...]
Aerojet awarded rotor blade components contract for Apache Block III
Source: Aerojet, 11-May-10
Aerojet, a GenCorp (NYSE: GY) company, announced today that it has been selected by The Boeing Company to supply heavy alloy weights for Boeing’s revolutionary Composite Main Rotor Blade (CMRB) in support of the AH-64D Apache Block III (AB3) program. Under the initial contract, Aerojet will deliver completed rotor weights to support Boeing’s production of [...]
Kaman cuts composite blade development time by approx 80% with FiberSIM® Software
Source: Vistagy, 28-Feb-10
VISTAGY, Inc., a leading provider of industry-specific engineering software and services, today announced that Kaman Helicopters, a division of Kaman Aerospace Corporation (NASDAQ-GS: KAMN) has entered into an agreement to license FiberSIM® composites engineering software. The software will be used to streamline the design-to-manufacturing process for large composite helicopter blades by providing early visibility into [...]
Van Horn Aviation Receives STC, PMA for Aftermarket 206 Tail Rotor Blade
Source: Vertical, 30-Sep-09
The all-new VHA composite tail rotor blade incorporates several performance and maintenance-related enhancements, including a 40% reduction in noise, 15% reduction in centrifugal force, and a 5,000-hour retirement life, which is double the life of the OEM blade.
