26-Jan-2011
NATO says a coalition helicopter has landed on its side after experiencing mechanical trouble during takeoff from a military base in eastern Afghanistan. No injuries. Report from Poland quotes that “the helicopter was spinning on its axis” and fell to the ground, sustaining heavy damage.... Read more
25-Jan-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Amarillo College officials are to be presented with a state grant from the Texas Workforce Commission of more than $160,000 to support a Bell training program. The ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday on the second floor of the College Union Building on their Washington Street Campus. Texas Workforce Commission’s Chairman Tom Pauken is... Read more
25-Jan-2011Source: SK Logistics
SK Logistics was recently awarded an exclusive use helicopter contract supporting DOD agencies at Eglin and Tyndall Air Force Bases. The contract was awarded in December 2010 and will be active for six months. Department of Defense agencies under this contract will be utilizing SK Logistics’ helicopter for prescribed burning, fire suppression and numerous other... Read more
25-Jan-2011Source: Hindustan Times
The helicopters that are being called back have to undergo overhauling, including the changing the UN colours. The Indian Air Force has 11 Mi-17s and eight Mi-35s in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Sudan, the IAF has deployed six M-17s.... Read more
25-Jan-2011Source: Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today announced the ahead-of-schedule delivery to the U.S. Navy of the company’s 2,000th Viperâ„¢ laser which provides the jamming energy for the company’s battle-proven infrared countermeasures (IRCM) applications. The Department of the Navy Large Aircraft IRCM (DoN LAIRCM) system currently employed on U.S. Marine Corps helicopters protects aircrews and aircraft from... Read more
25-Jan-2011Source: GKN Aerospace
Following a recent and detailed assessment of the business, Bell Helicopter has awarded GKN Aerospace in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, UK, the coveted ‘Premier Supplier’ rating. Bell Helicopter has only awarded this to approximately 10% of its suppliers and GKN Aerospace is the first ever UK-based supplier to receive the award. This accolade... Read more
25-Jan-2011Source: Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a contract to provide Specialized Test Equipment (STE) and related training support for the MH-60 Seahawk helicopter program at the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Readiness Center Southwest. Northrop Grumman’s Navigation Systems Division will provide the STE and training for U.S. Government technicians, subcontracting to Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT), Â prime... Read more
25-Jan-2011Source: US Air Force
The Iraq Army Aviation Command accepted delivery of four new Mi-171E helicopters at its headquarters in Taji, as two were delivered Jan. 16 followed two more Jan. 23. This latest delivery brings Iraq Army Aviation Command’s total inventory of Mi-171E helicopters to 14, as part of a foreign-military-sales purchase made by the Iraqi Ministry of... Read more
24-Jan-2011Source: Boeing
Boeing [NYSE: BA] and its Boeing Defence UK subsidiary today announced that the Boeing UK Rotorcraft Support team has begun flight testing the first Chinook Mk4 helicopter for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The first flight took place on Dec. 9 in Hampshire, England. “Project JULIUS, as the Mk4 program is known, will modernize the... Read more
24-Jan-2011Source: Eurocopter
Paris, January 24, 2011 Eurocopter generated an increased turnover in 2010 with the delivery of 527 helicopters. The year also was marked by achievements in innovation, new products, services and the company’s SHAPE transformation program – all of which position the group for a future upturn of the civil and military rotary-wing marketplace. The 2010... Read more
24-Jan-2011Source: KIRO
A lawyer for a Lynden man charged with temporarily blinding the crew of a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol helicopter during a mission last fall says he shined a spotlight at the helicopter out of curiosity.... Read more
24-Jan-2011Source: MLive.com
USCG plans to use the specially designed hangar at the Norton Shores airport through September. But the federal budgeting process holds the fate of funding for helicopter operations beyond that. This SAR facility has been on the federal chopping block in previous years... Read more
24-Jan-2011Source: Royal Navy
Two of the Airborne Surveillance and Control (ASaC) Squadrons based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose are currently tasked for operations in Afghanistan. Between deployments the crews undergo a thorough training programme, building on their maritime experience and adapting to new procedures and skills necessary for the hostile environment of Afghanistan. A vital part of... Read more
24-Jan-2011Source: BBC
Cdr Louis Wilson-Chalon, 44, from Yeovil, will now be in charge of 815 Squadron, based at RNAS Yeovilton. Mr Wilson-Chalon was inspired by his father who was a flight test engineer that helped to build the Lynx helicopter at Westland’s Yeovil factory more than 40 years ago.... Read more
24-Jan-2011
[We include this Sikorsky press release merely for completeness. HeliHub.com reported this story over seven weeks ago here] The Department of State has delivered three UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopters to the Government of Mexico’s Federal Police (FP). Designed and manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), the aircraft are the first... Read more
23-Jan-2011Source: Taipei Times
National Airborne Service Corps has abandoned its UH-1 upgrade project and will instead take on charge 15 of the 60 UH-60 Black Hawks currently being procured (see HeliHub.com story on that order)... Read more
21-Jan-2011Source: US Navy
The celebration of 100 years of naval aviation is set to kick off aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) North Island in San Diego, Feb. 10. The “Black Knights” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 4 – due to deployment commitments – will be honoring the milestone at sea while aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). “It’s... Read more
21-Jan-2011Source: Eurocopter
Stéphane Chéry will join Eurocopter to head the Group’s International Media Relations beginning on February 1, 2011. He replaces and will now report directly to Cécile Vion-Lanctuit, who was appointed Vice President of Corporate Communications in May 2010. Stéphane Chéry, 37, was until now a partner at Publicis Consultants. He joined the agency in May... Read more
21-Jan-2011Source: Sikorsky
Washington, D.C. – The Maritime Helicopter Support Company, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. [NYSE: UTX], has received a $1.4 billion firm fixed price contract from the U.S. Navy to continue providing performance-based logistics support for more than 490 in-service H-60 SEAHAWK® helicopters.... Read more
21-Jan-2011Source: Domain B
India’s indigenously developed attack helicopter, the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), will make a demonstration flight at the upcoming AeroIndia show here, to be held from 9-13 February.... Read more
21-Jan-2011Source: US Coast Guard
As harsh winter weather causes Alaskans to pack up their boats until spring, the Alaskan crab and groundfish fleets brave fierce storms and icy temperatures in search of the big catch. As the fishing fleet gets underway, they can take comfort in the knowledge that Coast Guard search and rescue teams will be protecting them... Read more
21-Jan-2011Source: World Bulletin
Turkey has demanded one more Sikorsky S-70B helicopter from the company as a fine for not delivering the helicopters on time, a Ministry of Defense official told Cihan news agency, speaking on the condition of anonymity.... Read more
21-Jan-2011Source: US Air Force
The Afghan air force reached a new milestone with the opening of the pilot training program recently here. The first Afghan pilots began their eight-week instruction course early in January with a four-day academic schedule before beginning flight instruction on the Mi-17 Hip H. “We are helping the Afghans develop a training program that’s going... Read more
20-Jan-2011Source: HAI
Now is an exciting time to consider a career in the international helicopter industry. Aviation companies seeking talented candidates will be attending the 9th Annual HELI-EXPO® Job Fair, to be held on March 6 from 1:30 – 5 p.m. at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. If you are interested in a career... Read more
20-Jan-2011Source: US DoD
CAE USA, Inc., Tampa, Fla., is being awarded a $43,543,031 firm-fixed-price contract to design, fabricate, install and test one MH-60R Tactical Operational Flight Trainer and one MH-60R/S Tactical Operational Flight Trainer. Work will be performed in Tampa, Fla. (42 percent); Lexington Park, Md. (35 percent); Salt Lake City, Utah (9 percent); Hauppauge, N.Y. (5 percent);... Read more
20-Jan-2011Source: CAE
CAE today announced it has been awarded a series of military contracts for the defence forces of more than 12 countries valued at more than C$140 million. Among the contracts are: the design and manufacture of a C-130J weapon systems trainer and other training devices for Lockheed Martin; a contract from Boeing Training Systems and... Read more
20-Jan-2011Source: Republic of Singapore Air Force
Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen officiated at the inauguration ceremony of the Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk naval helicopters into 123 Squadron at Sembawang Air Base this afternoon. The 123 Squadron is the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF’s) first naval helicopter squadron. The squadron will join the Helicopter Group under the... Read more
20-Jan-2011
One of the Air Force Fennec helicopters struck Thursday two electrical wires near Klovborg. The helicopter’s wire cutter entured that it carried on flying, but the pilot landed immediately as a precaution, following standard procedures. No persons were injured.... Read more
20-Jan-2011
Accident while landing in windy conditions. Five occupants OK... Read more
19-Jan-2011
GE completed its First Engine to Test phase for the GE38-1B in May 2010. This program focused on operability testing for stall margins, engine vibration, and FADEC functions. GE collected data on more than 600 parameters during the FETT phase. The GE38 features a more rugged compressor designed to icrease durability, while being resistant to... Read more
19-Jan-2011Source: US DoD
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a $7,618,512 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-09-C-0069) to exercise an option to provide AN/ARC-210(V) Electronic Radio and Ancillary equipment in support of the CH-53E program, to include 132 each:Â MT-4935 Mounting Bases; MT-7006 Amplifier Mounts; AM-7526 High Power Amplifiers; MX-11745 LNA Diplexer w/... Read more
19-Jan-2011Source: Hendrick Construction
Hendrick Construction won a $26 million contract to build a 111,000-square-foot aviation support facility for South Carolina National Guard helicopters. The project, which is on the west end of the existing South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center in Greenville, S.C., features two helicopter hangars and a central support area to facilitate flight operations. The 30-acre... Read more
19-Jan-2011
Crashed from hovering at 5m, helicopter ended up on its side. Three occupants, one of which was hospitalized... Read more
18-Jan-2011Source: NTM-A
The Afghan air force transported a Mi-17 helicopter to Afghanistan Rotary Logistics at the Kabul International Airport, Jan. 16, as part of the implementation of the AAF’s first local maintenance overhaul. Due to an inability to extensively refurbish aircraft within the confines of Afghanistan, the AAF has until now been forced to ship aircraft to... Read more
18-Jan-2011Source: ISAF
KABUL, Afghanistan (Jan. 18, 2011) — Coalition forces in western Kandahar province completed Operation Aero Hunter Jan. 13. The operation consisted of two phases. The first part was a patrol to flush insurgents out of a village. The second, to implement a series of snap vehicle checkpoints along Route 1 near Forward Operating Base Ramrod.... Read more
18-Jan-2011Source: UPI
Turkey’s Defense Procurement Agency has divided its aviation department into two divisions. This represents the first time the Turkey’s Defense Procurement Agency has established a divisional unit to deal exclusively with helicopter projects... Read more
18-Jan-2011Source: US DoD
The Boeing Company, Defense, Space & Security, Mesa, Ariz., was awarded a $190,239,373 firm-fixed-price contract Jan. 12, 2011. The award will provide for the remanufacture of 72 AH-64A aircraft into AH-64D aircraft along with one Longbow Crew Trainer. Work will be performed in Mesa, Ariz., with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2014. One... Read more
18-Jan-2011Source: AAC
American Aerospace Controls (AAC) announced that it has received the 2010 “Boeing Performance Excellence Awardâ€. The Boeing Company issues the award annually to recognize suppliers who have achieved superior performance. AAC maintained a Gold composite performance rating for the twelve month period of October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010. This year, Boeing recognized 558... Read more
18-Jan-2011Source: LaBarge
LaBarge, Inc., a provider of electronics manufacturing services (EMS), has been awarded a contract valued at $1.3 million from Kaman Aerospace Corporation to provide cockpit wiring harnesses for the S-70iâ„¢ BLACK HAWK military helicopter, the international variant of the BLACK HAWK helicopter. Kaman is a subcontractor to Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies... Read more
17-Jan-2011Source: Forecast International
The MTR390 is in production for its single application, the Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopter. Three nations have purchased the Tiger; Germany, France and Spain with a total of 206 aircraft on order. Eurocopter has been struggling to increase Tiger production and deliver helicopters to its customers. In 2009, seven aircraft were delivered which is half... Read more
17-Jan-2011Source: AgustaWestland
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that it has signed a contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) covering the second five year period of the 25-year Integrated Merlin Operational Support (IMOS) contract. The contract for the period 2011 to 2016 is valued at approximately £570 million. The IMOS contract provides a... Read more
17-Jan-2011Source: Sikorsky
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. today unveiled a state-of-the-art virtual reality center for the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter program, an innovative tool to help identify gaps in a three-dimensional digital environment prior to experimental assembly. Sikorsky Aircraft is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. Through this advanced design tool, the program expects to realize cost savings and... Read more
17-Jan-2011Source: AgustaWestland
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that the Bulgarian Border Police has taken delivery of two additional AW109 Power light twin-engine helicopters and one AW139 medium twin-engine helicopter. The handover was performed during an official ceremony held at Sofia Airport on January 15th in the presence of representatives from the Bulgarian Government, Border... Read more
17-Jan-2011Source: HeliHub.com
HeliHub.com is having increasing success with its “Gallery†feature, recording over 5,000 images and increasing at a rate of approximately 450 per month The Flickr gallery provides users of HeliHub.com the opportunity to upload their own photos, and the early success is demonstrating just how valuable this will become over time. HeliHub.com plans to utilise... Read more
17-Jan-2011Source: Hurriyet
Sikorsky would guarantee that Turkey would do repair and maintenance work worth $1 billion on S-70i Black Haw International helicopters belonging to third countries.... Read more
17-Jan-2011Source: AgustaWestland
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce the delivery of a second AW139 medium twin helicopter for the Italian Guardia di Finanza (Customs and Border Patrol Service). The aircraft was accepted by Gen. Michele Adinolfi, Guardia di Finanza Chief of Staff and Gen. Daniele Caprino, Interregional Commander for North-East Italy, during an official ceremony... Read more
17-Jan-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Britain’s Helicopter Museum at Weston-super-Mare is seeking volunteers to help them complete the restoration of Fairey Ultralight G-AOUJ. This two seat tip-jet helicopter with a gross weight of 817kg was developed just over fifty years ago, but cancelled after the UK military dropped their interest in it, and manufacturers Fairey found civil interest very muted... Read more
16-Jan-2011Source: Bell
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, has been awarded a 10-year, $640M (CAN) support services contract for the Canadian Forces CH146 Griffon fleet. This contract, known as the CH146 Optimized Weapon System Support (OWSS) contract includes aspects of management services, engineering and technical publications, aircraft maintenance services and spare and consumable parts. The... Read more
16-Jan-2011Source: Wired
Tomorrow’s Apache operators “will add command and control†over the Grey Eagles, said Tim Owings, the civilian deputy head of the Army’s drone-development program, on a conference call... Read more
16-Jan-2011Source: Aviation Week
A decade after first flight, the U.S. Marine Corps’ AH-1Z attack helicopter finally graduated from a turbulent operational evaluation and is being readied for its first shipboard deployment.... Read more
16-Jan-2011Source: US Army
Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the chief of staff of the Army, made his first visit to tour Corpus Christi Army Depot, and to thank the workforce. Casey wanted to get a first-hand look at the rotary wing production capabilities, review new facilities under construction and meet the employees. Casey packed in hundreds of handshakes... Read more
16-Jan-2011Source: News Channel 10
Bell Helicopter has added another hangar to their assembly and delivery center. A ribbon cutting was held Wednesday afternoon.... Read more
14-Jan-2011Source: Defense News
Hungary will upgrade at least two and possibly three Mi-17 helicopters with the aim of deploying them for two years to Afghanistan.... Read more
13-Jan-2011Source: Bloomberg
Five years after it was cleared for full-production, the V-22 tilt-rotor Osprey remains dogged by unreliable parts that reduce its availability for missions, according to the Pentagon’s top tester.... Read more
13-Jan-2011Source: Aero Vodochody
Aero Vodochody a.s. has once again been recognized for superior performance by achieving UTC Supplier Gold status for the second year in a row. AERO gained this award for complete S-76 helicopter production for American company Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, which is a part of United Technologies Corporation concern, from where the name of the award... Read more
13-Jan-2011Source: The New Age
More than R180m is being spent on upgrading the Rooivalk helicopter to make it “a modern, sophisticated combat support helicopter ready for use by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in any of its deploymentsâ€... Read more
13-Jan-2011
Helicopter noise in the region has been an ongoing issue for years. Arlington County Board member Mary Hynes says Arlington County registers three or four new calls a month about the noise. However, one man who lives in the Fairlington section of Arlington says he leaves the county two to three messages a day about... Read more
13-Jan-2011Source: Shake'd Technologies
Shake’d Technologies, Inc., a New York based firm engaged in the development, delivery and support of advanced rotary wing technologies has teamed with Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Eitan Ben Eliyahu to support its efforts and contract management to deliver a unique solution to actively reduce helicopter vibration for rotary wing users in both the defense and... Read more
13-Jan-2011Source: European Commission
The European Commission has formally endorsed negotiations with Italy concerning the amount of subsidies that Agusta Westland must reimburse the Italian government for two military projects that also found civilian applications. The company received state support for two military projects – the helicopter A139 and the tilt-rotor BA609 – which also benefited civil versions. The... Read more
13-Jan-2011Source: Australian Aerospace
13 January 2011: Queensand Flood Information 5.30am All Australian Aerospace Brisbane sites are open and operating as usual today for both Production and office-based staff. The immediate roads around Pandanus Ave and Brownlee St are clear of water. Please drive safely in South-East Queensland and do not drive through flood waters. Visit 131940.qld.gov.au for up-to-date... Read more
12-Jan-2011Source: Lockheed Martin
Washington, January 12th, 2011 — The U.S. Navy demonstrated its continued commitment to keeping its MH-60R Seahawk helicopter fleet at the forefront of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, awarding Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a variety of production and development contracts totaling $360 million. The end-of-year awards cover a spectrum of systems aboard the MH-60R, built by... Read more
12-Jan-2011Source: Eurocopter
Singapore, January 11, 2011 Eurocopter South East Asia (ESEA) today unveiled its new 8,200-square meter Singapore facility, which is a key element for the growth strategy of this Eurocopter regional affiliate in the dynamic South East Asia helicopter marketplace. Located in Singapore’s redeveloped Seletar Aerospace Park, this facility provides a 25 percent increase in office... Read more
11-Jan-2011Source: Danish military
[electronic translation of Danish press release] The transfer of 723 Squadron, a former Navy Helicopter Service, from Navy to Air Force on Friday marked with gatherings and speeches of the two defense commanders “I have been and remain a highly effective and valued instrument, not just for the Navy, not only for defense but for... Read more
11-Jan-2011Source: US DoD
Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $12,557,128 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N68335-10-G-0010) for the fabrication and delivery of 15 organizational and intermediate level peculiar support equipment end items for the MV/CV-22 aircraft, including supportability data. Work will be performed in Amarillo, Texas, and is... Read more
11-Jan-2011
Two people were injured when a Royal Thai Police helicopter made an emergency landing in a rice field... Read more
10-Jan-2011Source: Omniflight
As a way of showing gratitude to the men and women of the military who keep America safe, Omniflight Helicopters, Inc., a leading national provider of air medical services, is offering active duty military members and veterans free membership in the OmniAdvantage program nationwide. The free membership extends to the families (spouses and legal dependents) of the... Read more
10-Jan-2011Source: AgustaWestland
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that two of its employees have been awarded Afghanistan Campaign Medals during a recent ceremony held at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility. Captain Andy Lison RN, the UK MoD’s Merlin Project Team Leader, presented the medals to Mike Sheppard from the Field Service Department and Chris Ferguson from the... Read more
10-Jan-2011Source: US DoD
BAE Systems Controls, Inc., Johnson City, N.Y., is being awarded a $14,218,161 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of Interim Defensive Weapons System (IDWS) mission kits for the V-22 tiltrotor aircraft. The IDWS provides a mission-configurable, crew-served, night vision device compatible defensive weapon system. Work will be performed in Johnson City, N.Y., and is expected to... Read more
10-Jan-2011
Television stations cited the military as saying officials had reached the wreckage, but fog covered the area. It was a Bell UH-1 on a night training mission... Read more
7-Jan-2011Source: US DoD
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $13,548,330 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-10-C-0035) to exercise an option for system engineering and program management for the oversight of production efforts in support of H-1 helicopters upgrade program. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected... Read more
7-Jan-2011Source: Flightglobal
Israel Aerospace Industries and Hindustan Aeronautics are co-operating to enable the transition of the Indian-developed Dhruv advanced light helicopter into an unmanned maritime rotorcraft... Read more
7-Jan-2011Source: US Air Force
Two U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets,under the control of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, intercepted an unknown civilian helicopter entering North American airspace in the vicinity of Charleston, S.C.today at approximately 9:00 a.m. MST. The helicopter was not in communication with air traffic control. The fighter jets, from the 20th Fighter Wing at... Read more
7-Jan-2011Source: Polska Times
The Polish Air Force have taken delivery of the first three Mi-17s from an order for five, all of which they intend operating in Afghanistan. The three were delivered by airfreight to Wroclaw.... Read more
7-Jan-2011
EMS helicopter went town killing all four on board – named as pilot Capt. Khaled Al-Dakhil and First Lt. Mandeel Al-Subaihi, both Saudis, Egyptian doctor Amjad Al-Iraqi and Filipino nurse Rosella. Official source has said that it “crashed south of Riyadh Friday burst into flames due to the force of the impact with the groundâ€.... Read more
