Air BP, the international aviation fuel products and service supplier, has completed the roll out of its innovative Airfield Automation digital technology across São Paulo state, Brazil. It is estimated that around 150 of Air BP’s airport and operator customers will benefit from the new technology which aims to enhance safety, reliability and compliance in airport fuelling operations. This… Read more »
Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced the delivery of the first of 12 Bell 505 helicopters to Horizon International Flight Academy per an agreement signed in November at the Dubai Air Show. The 505 was configured for flight training, fully equipped with an integrated glass cockpit that enables pilots in training… Read more »
The influx of established aerospace, automotive and technology companies into the urban air mobility (UAM) market, backed by technological advancements and government initiatives, is expected to drive the air taxi market. Air taxi operations are forecast to commence in 2022 in the Middle East and grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 45.9%… Read more »
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company (NYSE: LMT), announced today the donation of its S-76® airframe to the American Helicopter Museum and Education Center. The airframe was delivered this week by employees from the Sikorsky Coatesville, Pa. facility, where it received a make-over into its original VIP customer configuration in preparation for its forever home. The… Read more »
Safran Helicopter Engines has received EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) Type Certification for its Aneto-1K engine, as fitted to the Leonardo AW189K. Intended for super-medium and heavy helicopters, the Aneto family produces between 2,500 and 3,000 shp. The 1K is rated at 2,500 shp and its first flight in the AW189K took place in March… Read more »
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited Maidstone Hospital on Wednesday (11 December 2019) to officially open its new helipad. The HELP Appeal, which is the only charity in the country dedicated to funding hospital helipads, donated £300,000 to Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust to build the all-weather pad at the rear of the… Read more »
The president and CEO of Chinook Helicopters in Abbotsford has been named one of the top 100 most powerful women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network. See Full Story.
M International’s subsidiary company Southwest Fuel Systems (SWF) is pleased to announce its approval to provide full-service maintenance, repair, overhaul and exchange (MRO) services for original Triumph manufactured Hydromechanical Units (HMU) certified for use on the Rolls-Royce M250-C40/C47 series of gas turbine engines. Ralph Bishop, President of Southwest Fuels stated, “As a Triumph Authorized Engine… Read more »
Permali Gloucester Limited has been contracted by Leonardo Helicopters to supply a comprehensive ballistic protection solution for the Royal Navy’s new Commando Merlin Mk4 helicopters. The requirement, valued at over £2 million, will create and sustain skilled composite manufacturing jobs at Permali’s factory in Gloucester, U.K. The Commando Merlin is an advanced battlefield helicopter… Read more »
The Coflyt team is incredibly excited to launch their new app on the Apple and Google Play stores. Coflyt is intelligent aircraft software that will provide pilots peace of mind by combining required inspections, maintenance tracking, scheduling, and billing into a simple app to provide convenience to aircraft owners and pilots. With the launch of… Read more »
RYAN AEROSPACE (Australia) used the first day of I/ITSEC to launch its latest helicopter simulator product, the HELIMOD Mark III PLUS+ I/ITSEC (Interservice / Industry Simulation and Education Conference) is the world’s largest military simulation and training event held annually in Orlando, Florida, USA. This new helicopter simulator product is similar to the existing RYAN… Read more »
MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) announces a strategic teaming agreement with Elbit Systems Ltd (ESL) to deliver next-generation weapons and mission management capabilities to its MD 530G Block II (BII) Scout Attack Helicopter. The proven, pilot-centric Integrated Weapons System (IWS) is comprised of a Helmet Display and Tracking System (HDTS), Weapons Management System (WMS) and Mission… Read more »
AMSTAT, for 37 years the leading provider of business aircraft market, fleet and operator information, has released a new customizable dashboard for both Premier and Connect users. The updated dashboard is widget-based, allowing users to pick and choose the information they want to see. Familiar information such as the For Sale Summary and Fleet Quickview… Read more »
A helicopter ambulance service has closed its bases in Paragould and Morrilton, an official with the Arkansas Department of Health said Thursday. See Full Story.
Horizon, the Middle East’s largest independent helicopter flight training academy supporting commercial and military operators, has signed a purchase agreement with Entrol for a Bell 505 FTD level 2 simulator, valued at AED5.5 million. The signing took place on the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow 2019. Meeting the latest training technology needs, the simulator is… Read more »
RST was contracted by NAHEMA for the development and production of a MRH90 Maintenance Training Rig (MTR) for the Rotary Aircraft Maintenance School (RAMS) in Australia. NAHEMA in Aix-en-Provence, France is the responsible management agency for the NH90 program representing and acting as such on behalf of currently 11 nations from all over the world…. Read more »
University Hospitals of North Midlands Major Trauma Centre is the first in the UK to benefit from a weather station which provides certainty and real time information for emergency helicopter pilots about weather conditions, ensuring that its patients are seen quicker and with more efficiency. The weather station, called “Skyview”, which has been donated by… Read more »
The Vertical Flight Society, the leading advocate for the advancement of helicopters, rotorcraft and other vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (VTOL), announces details for its unique conference, Transformative Vertical Flight 2020, being held in San Jose, Calif., Jan. 21-23, 2020. Some 60 technical paper authors plus 75 invited speakers will present the gamut of technologies,… Read more »
StandardAero and Thales announced a signed teaming agreement formalizing a mutual commitment for developing and certifying an advanced autopilot system for the light helicopter market. The system will initially be certified for installation on the popular Airbus Helicopters AS350 platform. Based on extensive autopilot experience, Thales has incorporated the features and safety design architecture usually… Read more »
Kopter continues to expand the performance and flight envelope of the SH09 Prototype 3 (P3), while simultaneously increasing flight test activities in the flight test center located at Pozzallo, Sicily. P3 has now completed a full year of flight tests covering a wide range of adaptations and improvements all focused on delivering performance and enhancing… Read more »
Aston Martin Lagonda and Airbus Corporate Helicopters today revealed a new partnership that brings together the best of automotive and aeronautical design. For the past 12 months designers from both brands have worked together on the aesthetic styling of the first product from this collaboration, which is set to be revealed early in Q1 2020…. Read more »
Transcend Air Corporation announced today that it’s partnering with renowned VIP aircraft interior design firm Huslig Collective in the building of the new luxury edition of its VTOL aircraft, the Vy 400R. The Vy 400R is the luxe version of the Vy 400 vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The base Vy 400 will be used… Read more »
The following guidelines and recommended practices for a helicopter preflight inspection, a final walk around, and a post-flight inspection were developed by the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (www.USHST.org) for the pilot community and all instructors. These are a dozen actions you cannot forget. No distractions are allowed during your pre-flight inspection. Ensure that the rotor… Read more »
Cmdr. Kelly Harrison was relieved by Cmdr. Benjamin Foster during a Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26 “Chargers” change of command ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk Dec. 5. Retired Captain Gabriel E. Soltero (USN), a former H-60 Seahawk pilot who flew over 4,000 hours that include 40 combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom,… Read more »
Construction of the new Helisim Training & Simulation Center in the United States is on track. The centre, located at Airbus Helicopters’ U.S. headquarters in Grand Prairie, Texas, will be equipped with latest generation simulators, aimed at accompanying operators’ trainees in the country. Thales, the simulator manufacturer, has already completed production of a new H145… Read more »
Airbus Helicopters Canada is proud to be named one of Hamilton Niagara’s top 100 employers for 2020 by Canada’s Top Employers Project. The honour recognizes industry-leading organizations for their work in employee attraction, attainment and growth. Airbus is the leading manufacturer of helicopters used throughout Canada in roles such as law enforcement, air medical, oil… Read more »
AnalySwift, LLC, a provider of efficient high-fidelity modeling software for composites, announced today that Carleton University is participating in its recently launched Academic Partner Program (APP), and the university is using its VABS simulation software for simulating new helicopter rotor blades. The work is part of the Rotorcraft Laboratory at Carleton University, a research group… Read more »
The world’s first ISO approved drone standards have been announced by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO)[1] following a 12-month period of consultation with drone professionals, academics, businesses and the general public. The final publication of these new international safety and quality Standards for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are set to have a massive impact… Read more »
Source:
The International Organisation for Standardisation, 09-Dec-19
WILTSHIRE Air Ambulance has enhanced the blood products it can give to critically injured or unwell people by carrying plasma. The charity is now carrying two units of plasma onboard and this will be used with two units of O negative blood (packed red blood cells). Wiltshire Air Ambulance has been carrying packed… Read more »
The White House Historical Association’s Official 2019 White House Christmas Ornament honors Dwight D. Eisenhower, the thirty-fourth president of the United States. This ornament symbolizes President Eisenhower’s commitment to innovation. Eisenhower was the first president to fly in a helicopter while in office in July 1957, and thereafter the helicopter became a feature of White… Read more »
Just in time for cold and flu season, the FAA has released a list of over-the-counter medications broken into two categories: go and no go. See Full Story.
Daniel Sitnam, President and CEO of Richmond B.C.-based Helijet International Inc. has been presented with the Helicopter Association of Canada (HAC) 2019 Agar-Stringer Award for his lifetime contribution to the Canadian helicopter industry. HAC President Fred Jones presented the award to Sitnam at the 2019 HAC convention in Vancouver, noting, “This award is well-deserved. Danny… Read more »
The arrow is pointing in the right direction – – downward. Over the past two decades, the U.S. helicopter fatal accident rate has been cut in half, from 1.27 fatal accidents per 100,000 flights to 0.63. U.S. Helicopter Fatal Accident Rate (5 Year Moving Average, 2001-2019) However, the industry has hit a plateau during 2018… Read more »
At Dubai Airshow, VR-Technologies (part of Russian Helicopters Holding Company) and Pratt & Whitney signed a contract for fitting the cutting-edge light VRT500 helicopter with gas-turbine PW207V engines. PW207V is the advanced modification of PW200 family engines with the capacity of up to 700 hp designed for light-class rotorcraft. All in all, over 5 thousand… Read more »
The “Eightballers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 conducted a change of command ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Dec. 2, 2019. Cmdr. Brian Jamison, from Honolulu, relieved Cmdr. Justin “Average” Issler, from Prospect, Ohio, as the 56th commanding officer of the “Eightballers.” Capt. Steve “JarJar” Jaureguizar, commander, Carrier Air… Read more »
Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) debuted a virtual reality version of its portable V-22 trainer today at I/ITSEC, the world’s largest modeling, simulation and training event. Aircraft Functional V-22 Trainer-Virtual Reality is a fully immersive system that provides hyper-realistic training across all experience levels, including early-career aviation maintenance students and those engaged in continuing education. “The… Read more »
Daedalean and Honeywell, Inc. have signed an agreement on joint testing and technological partnership in developing solutions for autonomous takeoff, landing and GPS-independent navigation and collision avoidance for GA aircraft and electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOL). Additionally, Honeywell Ventures has joined the Swiss startup’s pool of investors, the amount and conditions undisclosed. In… Read more »
The first two of twenty H145M military helicopters have been delivered to the Hungarian Defence Forces. The H145Ms of the Hungarian fleet are equipped with a fast roping system, high-performance camera, dual cargo hook, hoist, disaster management kit, ballistic protection as well as an electronic countermeasures system to support the most demanding operational requirements. They… Read more »
FlightBridgeED and Life Link III are proud to announce they are teaming up on the development of a new Research Academy to promote evidence-based research within the air medical industry. With both organizations sharing a strong commitment to promoting research and clinical excellence, this partnership will focus on bringing industry-leading organizations together with a shared… Read more »
In the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, Section 317 prohibits helicopters manufactured after April 5, 2020, from flying in U.S. airspace unless certified with a crash resistant fuel system. The online toolkit (link below) explains which helicopters will require a crash resistant fuel system according to their certification and manufacturing dates and also offers extensive… Read more »
Leonardo announced that Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) signed a contract for four AW139 intermediate twin engine helicopters. The aircraft will be used to perform a range of missions—primarily fire suppression, emergency medical services (EMS) and search and rescue (SAR)—and will have special equipment including a cargo hook, rescue hoist and Bambi bucket. The first helicopter… Read more »
Airbus Helicopters and OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement / Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation) have signed a tri-lateral Global Support Contract aimed at boosting the availability rate of the Tigers in service in the French, German, and Spanish Armies. With this long-term support agreement, Tiger readiness and supportability will be secured for… Read more »
Boston MedFlight is the first ambulance service in the state to carry life-saving blood products in their helicopters and other vehicles that will help up to 180 patients a year. See Full Story.
Back in the 1960s, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) began using helicopters to patrol its transmission infrastructure spanning California, Utah and Nevada. Federally mandated climbing restrictions were the driving force behind a new program at LADWP — human external cargo (HEC). See Full Story.
Lockheed Martin has appointed Mr. Steve Froelich as the vicepresident of Rotary and Mission Systems operations for Australia and New Zealand, andProgramme Executive for AIR6500. He will be responsible for business performance andorganisational transformation, and will join the local leadership team to build a foundation forfuture growth in the region. A critical component of the… Read more »
As part of its digital journey, Airbus Helicopters is offering to customers a 24/7 online Technical Request service through its Keycopter customer portal. To better answer customers’ expectations with more than 2,500 new requests made each month, Airbus Helicopters is now proposing new features to improve this service: • Customers can now use the copy/paste… Read more »
MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) is proud to announce receipt of the fourth Delivery Order issued against its 5-year, $1.4 billion light scout attack helicopter IDIQ contract. The Firm Fixed-Price award is for up to 12 armed MD 530F Cayuse Warrior helicopters for the Afghan Air Force (AAF), currently the largest MD 530F Cayuse Warrior operator globally…. Read more »
Helijet International is pleased to announce the appointment of David McNamar as the company’s Director of Maintenance. An aviation professional with more than 30 years’ experience in the field of rotary-wing aviation maintenance, McNamar will be responsible for all facets and standards of Helijet’s Approved Maintenance Organization. The Director of Maintenance has the responsibility for… Read more »
The Royal Australian Navy EC-135 helicopters of 723 Squadron recently logged 10,000 flying hours during normal operations in support of the New South Wales bushfires. This significant milestone proved the aircraft’s rotary wing aircrew’s training capabilities and reliability in highly demanding operations. The first EC-135 helicopters joined 723 Squadron in 2016 and have since completed… Read more »
Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, has today announced the launch of SwiftBroadband Helo (SB-Helo) X-Stream, a new system for X-Stream services specifically developed for rotary aircraft. The tailor-made solution is designed to achieve advanced streaming performance on intermediate and high-gain antennas, alleviating the connectivity constraints traditionally caused by rotary blades. SB-Helo… Read more »
Babcock Offshore has confirmed a new three-year contract to provide the expanding UK-based Oil and Gas company Serica Energy with offshore helicopter crew transport services. The contract was awarded after a competitive tender and will see Babcock transport Serica Energy passengers to and from the company’s Bruce complex in the North Sea, 340 km north… Read more »
Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) has received planning permission from Epping Forest District Council for new premises at North Weald which will secure the future of the North Weald operation of the Charity. EHAAT will make use of a one-off grant of £1.5 million from the Government to help pay for the new Airbase,… Read more »
HeliOffshore announced the appointment of David Stepanek to HeliOffshore’s board of directors. David Stepanek is President, PHI Americas, and responsible for the overall performance and direction of PHI’s U.S. and international operations in the Western Hemisphere. After four years’ service in the US Marine Corps as a heavy lift helicopter avionics technician, David moved to… Read more »
HeliOperations is delighted to have been awarded the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management accreditation by the British Standards Institution, the national standards body of the United Kingdom. With more than a million organizations certified globally, ISO 9001 is the most widely-recognized Quality Management standard in the World. This accreditation demonstrates HeliOps commitment to excellence under an… Read more »
Erickson Incorporated, a worldwide leading operator, maintainer, and manufacturer of utility aircraft, announces the delivery of the K7 S-64 Air Crane® helicopter to the Korean Forest Service (KFS). On Friday, November 22nd, the K7 aircraft was loaded onto the Antonov An-124 out of Medford Oregon, Erickson’s manufacturing facility. The S-64 is well-known in Korea with… Read more »
MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) announced the delivery of the final five (5) new MD 530F Cayuse Warrior helicopters ordered for the Afghan Air Force via the company’s $1.4 billion, 5-year IDIQ contract. Part of a 30-aircraft order issued in September 2017, the final five aircraft shipped out of Mesa-Gateway Airport, Mesa, Arizona, via 747 and… Read more »
Union representatives were locked in talks with CHC Helicopters until late in the evening after a second pay offer was voted down by around 80% of the workforce. Read the full story here
The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) announced that Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER® S-100 is now fully integrated with French Navy Mistral class amphibious helicopter carrier Dixmude. For the first time in Europe, a rotary wing Unmanned Air System (UAS) is fully operational and connected to the defence system of an amphibious helicopter carrier. The Naval Group carried… Read more »
The International Helicopter Safety Foundation (www.IHSF.aero) is initiating its sixth annual survey of civil helicopter operators located in key regions around the world in order to gain a broader understanding of where safety initiatives are being implemented. A link to the survey form can be found on the IHSF web site: http://ihst.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2593 The IHSF’s worldwide… Read more »
Associated Aircraft Group (AAG), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), has renewed its WYVERN Wingman certification for the 22nd year in a row. WYVERN Ltd. is a globally-recognized leader in aviation safety risk management. The Wingman Standard is an audit set forth to rigorously vet air charter operators and… Read more »
Airbus Helicopters and its partner Heli-Union have signed a global support contract for the Cougar and Caracal helicopters in service in the French Army and Air Force. This agreement signed with the DMAé, the defence agency in charge of improving the availability of military aircraft in France, is the first contract that Airbus Helicopters has… Read more »
Leonardo is attending the inaugural DSEI Japan 2019 and will be highlighting its electronics and helicopters products in-country at stand A680 on 18- 20 November in Makuhari Messe. At the nation’s first tri-service defence exhibition & conference, the Company is looking to grow its presence in Japan, where Leonardo’s helicopters have been in operation since… Read more »
Airlift has taken the delivery of its first H145 helicopter, becoming the first operator of this model in Greece. The twin-engine helicopter will be mainly dedicated to VIP transfers, but thanks to the high versatility of its cabin configuration, the aircraft will also be used for emergency medical transport and fire-fighting. Established in 1999, Airlift was… Read more »
San Diego plans to spend $21 million over the next five years replacing the Police Department’s aging fleet of four helicopters, which were all bought by the city in 2004 and 2005. See Full Story.
Thora Capital, LLC (“Thora”), a Chicago-based alternative asset manager dedicated to aviation finance, announced the final closing for its first fund, Thora Capital Fund I, LP (the “Fund”). The Fund’s limited partners include family offices, high net worth individuals, RIAs, and the leading independent provider of maintenance support and financial services to the aviation industry…. Read more »
Erickson Incorporated, a worldwide leading operator, maintainer, and manufacturer of utility aircraft, was recognized by Manufacturing Technology Insights as a Top 10 Defense Manufacturing Provider for 2019. “We are an aircraft OEM that has much of the same capabilities of the larger OEMs such as Lockheed and Boeing when it comes to defense manufacturing and… Read more »
John Deere and Volocopter are presenting the first large drone adapted for agricultural use at AGRITECHNICA. A demonstrator model of the VoloDrone equipped with a John Deere crop protection sprayer, which is ready for its first field flight, can be seen in the Future Technology Zone in Hall 13. Featuring a potential payload of 200kg,… Read more »
DCS Corporation has been awarded a 5-year, $93.4 million prime task order to support the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance & Special Operations Forces Directorate’s Helicopter Program Office (HPO) under the Air Force’s EPASS program. DCS will provide a broad range of acquisition, engineering, scientific, research, and administrative support for… Read more »
A tablet, an intermittent cellphone hotspot and an active military aircraft hangar – just another day for Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22 and the U.S. Navy’s dedicated outreach program. During a Nov. 20 video conference call with Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City, Mo., four members from the “Sea Knights” of HSC-22 sat around… Read more »
Leonardo announced that Petroleum Air Services of Egypt will add a sixth AW139 intermediate twin helicopter to its fleet by year end. The aircraft will be used to perform offshore transport operations in Egypt. Leading operator Petroleum Air Services has been deploying AW139 helicopters in support of the Oil&Gas industry in the country since 2009…. Read more »
Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), has appointed Helicopter Services Company (HSC) in Moscow, Russia as a designated maintenance facility (DMF) for Kazan Ansat PW207K civil helicopter engine customers. HSC will support customers in Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. HSC will offer engine maintenance training, line… Read more »
Air Methods, the leading air medical service, announces that it has launched nationwide the “No Membership Required” initiative to allow patients to focus on recovery and not have to navigate the insurance and billing process alone. With this initiative, and based on the success of Air Methods’ Patient Advocacy program, its in-network growth strategy, and… Read more »
Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA), the largest commercial helicopter operator in MENA and Leonardo announced today, during an official ceremony at the Dubai Air Show, the signing of contracts for 5 helicopters including three intermediate AW139s and two light-intermediate AW169s. The aircrafts are scheduled for delivery in 2020. The agreement, which represents ADA’s first order for… Read more »
Airbus will highlight its wide range of defence, space, and helicopter products and services at the Defence & Security Expo (DSE) 2019 exhibition. The biennial show takes place at the Impact Exhibition Centre in Bangkok on 18-21 November 2019. Visitors to the Airbus exhibition stand (#R11) can get information about the company’s comprehensive range of… Read more »
Summit Aviation, a Greenwich AeroGroup Company, announced that it has received the HIRE Vets Platinum Medallion Award from the U.S. Department of Labor for 2019 for its efforts to recruit, employ and retain the nation’s veterans. The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans (HIRE Vets) Award is the only veteran hiring award… Read more »
