Precise Flight, Inc. has announced the Bell Training Academy is conducting a fleetwide installation of Precise Flight’s Pulselite® System. The Pulselite® System is an FAA certified lightweight electrical system controller that alternately pulses the landing and auxiliary lights of a helicopter, thereby increasing visibility and reflecting the speed and directional movement of the aircraft. The… Read more »
JETNET LLC, a leading provider of aviation market information, will be demonstrating its recently announced JETNET for Salesforce® on Salesforce AppExchange at this year’s NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference at Booth #339 from March 10-13 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. JETNET is empowering customers of JETNET and Salesforce services to access… Read more »
Spidertracks, a leading provider of satellite-based real-time flight tracking, fleet management, and aviation communication solutions, is pleased to partner with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters (BHH), as the official launch customer for their Spider X. Spidertracks announced the release of their most recent hardware – Spider X at Heli-Expo 2020 in Anaheim, California this past January, promising… Read more »
Nino Negri Winery, known for raising the little known region of Valtellina to the world’s stage by securing a 94 point Wine Spectator rating for its 5 Stelle Sfursat di Valtellina DOCG, today announced it will partner with BLADE, the largest urban air mobility brand in the United States offering app-based booking of seats or… Read more »
Nova Systems Norway, a subsidiary of Nova Systems UK has been awarded a 2-year framework contract worth €15m by the Norwegian Armed Forces to support the NH90 maritime helicopter programme. This contract award has seen a massive expansion for Nova Norway – ‘doubling the size of its Norwegian operation overnight’. The NH90 is a medium-sized,… Read more »
Under the mutual cooperation with the government of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan Airlines (JAL) conducted a trial transporting freight for approximately 46km within the local islands in Nagasaki with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) helicopter. On February 19, in conjunction with JAL Cargo`s transport service, fresh fish from the city of Shinkamigoto in Nagasaki was successfully transported on… Read more »
There’s no denying that air travel has changed the way the world works, but our ability to fly pretty much wherever and whenever we like comes at an environmental cost, with aviation accounting for around 2 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions today. The sector is taking action though; in the UK, for example, the aviation… Read more »
Helicopter Association International (HAI) is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Matthew S. Zuccaro, the immediate past president and CEO of the association. Plans for services are still being determined and will be shared as soon as they are available. “Matt was one of a kind in our industry,” says current HAI President and… Read more »
Airbus Helicopters has appointed Thomas Hundt Executive Vice-President Finance and Member of the Executive Committee of Airbus Helicopters, effective 1 March 2020. Previously, he served as Senior Vice-President of Performance Management and Costing for Airbus Helicopters and Managing Director for Airbus Helicopters Germany. He succeeds Linda Honold, who wiII retire after more than three decades… Read more »
At the Helicopter Investor conference in London yesterday, Russ Torbet – the Director of UK SAR at Bristow Helicopters – gave an interesting presentation on how their long-term UK SAR contract was working in practice, and provided an insight of what lies ahead. The contract was launched in a ceremony on 26th February 2015, and… Read more »
Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUP WSS) renewed a $2.3 billion H-60 Seahawk Performance Based Logistics (PBL) contract with Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission System (LMRMS) located in Owego, N.Y., Feb. 1. The H-60 Seahawk PBL renewal is NAVSUP WSS’ fourth PBL contract with LMRMS since 2004, and runs from Feb. 2020 to… Read more »
Safran Helicopter Engines has celebrated the opening of CAP 2020, its new industrial campus in Tarnos, southwest France. Present were Florence Parly, French Minister of the Armed Forces, Geneviève Darrieussecq, Secretary of State to the Minister of the Armed Forces, Ross McInnes, Safran Chairman, Philippe Petitcolin, Safran CEO and Franck Saudo, President of Safran Helicopter… Read more »
Leonardo announced that its regional helicopter customer service capabilities in Brazil are being expanded with the building of a new facility in Itapevi, 30 km from São Paulo. The groundbreaking centre was celebrated officially in presence of local and Italian authorities and industrial representatives. Construction of the new facility, run by Leonardo do Brasil over… Read more »
Airbus Helicopters logged gross orders for 369 helicopters in 2019 (310 net orders), combined with its support and services revenue, worth more than € 7 billion. The company delivered 332 rotorcraft, including the landmark 1000th Super Puma, thus maintaining its lead in the civil & parapublic market with a 54% market share in terms of… Read more »
Leonardo, the Italian-headquartered aerospace and security multinational, through its subsidiary Leonardo International, which was set up to support the Company’s operations around the world, and Codemar, Companhia de Desenvolvimento de Maricá, have announced the creation of a joint venture named Leonardo&Codemar S.A., with 49% share of Codemar and 51% of Leonardo, established under Brazilian law…. Read more »
The WAI Board of Directors is pleased to announce Allison McKay will join Women in Aviation International as CEO on February 18, 2020, and is responsible for the future strategic vision of the 14,500-member strong organization while overseeing the board of directors, professional staff, and daily operations. She previously served as vice president of the… Read more »
Kopter Group received today from FOCA the certificate granting the Production Organization Approval (POA). This certificate confirms Kopter as a duly recognized Production Organization. It is attesting that Kopter has in place qualified personnel, the necessary methods, processes and procedures, as well as a reliable quality system. It is a major milestone for Kopter making… Read more »
The new Penzance Helicopters service to the Isles of Scilly, is set to launch on schedule from March 17th 2020. This is despite a delay to the arrival of the new AW139 helicopter, caused by current Chinese export restrictions linked to Coronavirus control measures. Following manufacture in Italy, the aircraft had been on a short… Read more »
In the frame of its maintenance improvement programme for the H175 super medium helicopters, Airbus Helicopters proposes a new solution for measuring the “rod end play” on aircraft with removal of the dampers and pitch rods, which significantly reduces the maintenance workload. The solution consists of two new Ground Support Equipment (GSE) for the “rod… Read more »
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), will build six production VH-92A® Presidential Helicopters under a contract from the U.S Navy. These helicopters are part of the 23 aircraft program of record for the U.S. Marine Corps. Under the terms of the contract, known as Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot II, Sikorsky will begin… Read more »
Figures released by GAMA this week paint a very poor picture for Robinson Helicopter Co, with unit production down 38% in 2019 compared to the previous year. Turnover fell from $167.3M to $110.1M, a drop of 34%. Production of the R22, R44 and R66 counted 19, 123 and 54 units respectively in 2019, each figure… Read more »
As part of the Helicopter Flight Training Systems (HFTS) GmbH team, Rheinmetall is modernizing flight simulators for the German Army Aviation Corps’ NH90 helicopters. A contract to this effect was signed at the end of December 2019. For Rheinmetall, the order is worth a figure in the lower double-digit euro million range. Awarded to HFTS,… Read more »
German Urban Air Mobility pioneer Volocopter and Southeast Asia’s largest everyday super app Grab announced that they will conduct a joint feasibility study on urban air mobility as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the prospect of urban air mobility solutions in the region’s megacities. The feasibility study will look into the… Read more »
The CareFlight Air & Mobile program is expanding to include a fourth base of operations in Versailles, in northeast Darke County. The helicopter, to be housed at the Darke County Airport, will serve as CareFlight’s northwest base in the region and will begin responding to emergency calls from that site as early as late February…. Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Correction – Record only – Guimbal Cabri G2 (G-CHWJ), Cotswold Airport, 7 May 2019
Air Methods, the leading air medical service provider, today announced that it has agreed to an in-network contract with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) to provide its members with Air Methods’ critical care in the air services at in-network rates. Air Methods will be in-network for the following BCBSTX plans: Blue Essentials… Read more »
The U.S. Army recently awarded LONGBOW Limited Liability Company (LBL), a joint venture of Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), a five-year sustainment indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for up to $235.8 million to provide post production support services for the AH-64 Apache helicopter AN/APG-78 LONGBOW Fire Control Radar (FCR) to… Read more »
From 2 March, when poor weather or maintenance prevents Devon’s emergency aircraft from flying, two new Critical Care Cars mean our critical care teams can still provide specialist life-saving care by road. In the Autumn 2018 Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £10 million in capital funding for air ambulance services. Devon Air Ambulance… Read more »
Genesys Aerosystems announced today that they had received Supplemental Type Certification for the popular VFR HeliSAS Autopilot and Stability Augmentation System on the Bell 505. The VFR HeliSAS for the Bell 505 is an extremely lightweight and affordable stability augmentation and autopilot, and the only solution currently certified in light to medium helicopters. Features include… Read more »
Gama Aviation Plc, the global business aviation services company, is pleased to announce an augmented Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) modification available through its global design team for the Airbus H135 / 145 and additional EASA CS-27 / 29 rotorcraft (subject to survey and contract) The solution provides a ED-155 or ED-112A (H145) compliant Cockpit Audio… Read more »
On February 1, 2020, the fourth helicopter used in the helicopter rescue in South Tyrol entered service. In addition to Pelikan 1, Pelikan 2 and Aiut Alpin Dolomites, the additional aircraft with callsign “Pelikan 3” will be based in Lasa in Val Venosta to strengthen the EMS coverin the western part of the South Tyrol… Read more »
In the frame of its product improvement programme for the medium helicopters (Dauphin family), Airbus Helicopters proposes a modification of the Main Rotor Actuator from Goodrich in order to avoid intermittent seizing alerts, while improving its reliability. This intermittent problem has been highlighted by analytic reports showing a significant ratio of removals due to seizing alerts of the distributor,… Read more »
Summit Aviation, a Greenwich AeroGroup company, announced that it has hired John Gonsalves as its Director of Sales and Marketing. His responsibilities will include developing new business relationships, strengthening existing relationships and overseeing the growth of the company’s fixed-wing, rotor-wing and government/military services for the company’s Delaware location. Mr. Gonsalves is a seasoned sales executive… Read more »
Rolls-Royce has signed four new customers to its premier TotalCareTM engine servicing program. The addition of Collier Mosquito Control District, Life Flight Network, Red River Ranch, and Centaurium Aviation brings the total number of TotalCare helicopter customers to twenty-one. The Rolls-Royce M250 TotalCare program offers operators an aftermarket support solution to suit their operational, maintenance, and… Read more »
Through the agreement, global aviation business, HeliSpeed, will provide Cobham with pilots from its HeliTrax database of over 1,200 highly-trained helicopter pilots, offering dedicated support to the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard. Cobham Aviation Services is a leading provider of operational readiness, special mission training and operational delivery solutions to military and government agencies worldwide. In… Read more »
FlightSafety International announces that Brad Thress has joined the company as President and CEO. He assumes this responsibility from David Davenport who has left FlightSafety. “I am honored to join FlightSafety International and look forward to leading this exceptional company,” said Brad Thress. “FlightSafety is known for enhancing aviation safety around the world by providing… Read more »
Whirly-Girls International, a non-profit, educational, and charitable organization dedicated to advancing women in the helicopter aviation industry, has announced the recipients of the 2020 Whirly-Girls Scholarship Awards. The scholarships were awarded January 26, 2020 at the Whirly-Girls Annual Awards Banquet during HAI HELI-EXPO in Anaheim, California. Thanks to the support of aviation leaders, 23 scholarships were bestowed upon deserving… Read more »
Airbus Helicopters have recently delivered a new H175 helicopter for operations based on a superyacht. Given the size of an H175, there are very few superyachts capable of hosting it, and HeliHub.com research points to it operating from MY Flying Fox, which was completed by the Lurssen shipyard in March 2019 (image below), and is… Read more »
Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced the order of the first Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopters into Nepal with Simrik Air. The aircraft will be operated by Simrik Air and will be used primarily for private and corporate charters. “Simrik Air’s purchase of the first two Bell 505s in Nepal is… Read more »
Leidos (NYSE:LDOS), a FORTUNE® 500 science and technology leader, today announced a partnership agreement with Rusada to become a systems integrator for ENVISION, Rusada’s Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and Flight Operations software. ENVISION is used by aircraft operators, MRO providers and manufacturers to efficiently manage their maintenance and airworthiness activities. The web-based software… Read more »
Gama Aviation is pleased to provide an update on its £20m order for three Airbus H145 helicopters, as reported on 24th December 2018. The Company has completed this purchase and taken title to all three helicopters. Preparations for the deployment of the helicopters from 1st June 2020 in support of a long-term contract are proceeding to plan…. Read more »
Thanks to the support of the community, businesses and friends of Devon, in 2019 Devon’s Air Ambulances were able to assist 985 patients. Flying hours were also extended to 19 hours a day from its Exeter airbase, meaning emergency assistance was available up to 2am. The charity-funded service’s priorities have always been to put their… Read more »
Kaman Air Vehicles, a division of Kaman Corporation (NYSE:KAMN), announced today that it has entered into a strategic distribution agreement with Trust International Group (“Trust International”) for the K-MAX® medium-to-heavy lift helicopter. This reseller agreement provides Trust International with exclusive rights to market the K-MAX® aircraft and its spare parts in the United Arab Emirates… Read more »
British based Babcock International Group has put out a Trading Update this week which paints a very mixed situation for its Aviation division. From the full statement below we note implementing improvement and restructuring programmes £85 million write down on assets and leases in our oil and gas business Good trading performance in UK and international… Read more »
STARS is one step closer to renewing its fleet of helicopters, thanks to a $500,000 gift from the County of Grande Prairie. The generous commitment, which was announced Saturday at the 10th Annual GPPA Hangar Dance in Support of STARS at the TARA Centre, has been made toward a new H145 helicopter to serve County… Read more »
Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), today announced that Bell 212, 412, 427 and 429 helicopter customers now benefit from a single point of contact to learn about and enroll in aircraft and engine maintenance plans. When enrolling an aircraft into Bell’s Customer Advantage Plan (CAP), customers will also have the… Read more »
The Navy has received the first CMV-22B Osprey built by Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, and Boeing [NYSE: BA]. The latest variant brings proven tiltrotor capabilities designed specifically for carrier fleet operations. “The CMV-22 Osprey brings expanded capabilities not only to the Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) mission but to the high-end… Read more »
In June of 2019, investigative staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation received information from a whistleblower alleging misconduct by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) managers at the Flight Standards District Office in Honolulu, Hawai’i. This initial whistleblower, an FAA employee, alleged that FAA managers too frequently overrode the recommendations of inspectors,… Read more »
The Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation has made its first route award under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN-RCS) to a helicopter operator. Heritage Aviation will now operate a service between Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun with routes to Gauchar and Chinyalisaur. HeliHub.com understands that the company will be operating their Agusta AW109E Power on this route… Read more »
Pawan Hans have announced that Sanjeev Razdan has been appointed as the chairman and managing director (CMD). Razdan is at present general manager at the operator, the largest in India, and has been appointed as the CMD for a five-year tenure. Pawan Hans is owned by the Indian Government, 49% by the state-owned Oil & Natural Gas Corporation… Read more »
Our GFC 600H helicopter flight control system has achieved FAA Supplemental Type Certification in the AS350 B2/B3. This attitude-based flight control system boasts a number of helicopter-tailored safety features, including attitude hold, Garmin Helicopter Electronic Stability and Protection, dedicated return-to-level mode, hover assist, as well as overspeed and low speed protection. The GFC 600H requires the Garmin… Read more »
Airbus Helicopters has signed an order for six H135 military training helicopters from the Royal Thai Air Force, as part of its pilot training enhancement programme. The very first military training helicopters ever ordered by the Royal Thai Air Force, these new twin-engine H135s will be utilised for an array of training missions, including ab-initio flight training. They will complement… Read more »
HeloAir is excited to introduce Rodger Crawley as our new Chief Pilot. Rodger has been with HeloAir since June 2003 when he first joined us as the Sky13 News pilot in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Since that time, his skills and leadership have allowed him to become one of our most versatile and valued pilots… Read more »
Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced a signed memorandum of understanding today with Sumitomo Corporation and Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., to explore Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) and to foster the required infrastructure and regulatory environment. This collaboration will inform the development of an on-demand air mobility ecosystem utilizing Bell’s air mobility solutions including… Read more »
Airbus Helicopters’ new collaborative platform, AirbusWorld, was officially unveiled at Heli-Expo exhibition 2020 and is online since the 10th of February. AirbusWorld replaces Keycopter, and offers a simplified and streamlined navigation between services through menus and shortcuts accessible from any page. The interface has been completely re-designed according to operators’ feedback to optimize the user experience. The platform… Read more »
At HeliTech 2017 in London, Helikopter Air Transport (HeliAir) presented a world first “Cocoon” – a self-supporting interior trim for the aviation world. “There has also been great interest in our development at other aviation trade fairs in Europe and the United States,” reports Marco Trefanitz, Managing Director of HeliAir. “First of all, we would like to… Read more »
Bristow Group Inc. today announced extensions to two contracts with ConocoPhillips to support its air transportation crew change and shuttle/search and rescue (SAR) services for the Greater Ekofisk Area in the North Sea. Bristow has been ConocoPhillips’s aviation partner for more than 20 years. The current two contracts started September 1, 2014 and the extension… Read more »
Astronautics Corporation of America will provide its Badger Pro+ integrated flight display system for SUBARU Corporation’s new SUBARU BELL 412EPX, the latest version of the 412 series. SUBARU, in partnership with Bell, is developing the SUBARU BELL 412EPX which is utilized for UH-X as a replacement for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s UH-1J fleet. Astronautics’… Read more »
Astronautics Corporation of America’s AFI4700 RoadRunner Electronic Flight Instrument (EFI) has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) validation from the India Directorate General of Civil Aviation for A109E helicopters. “The FAA STC validation from India is another significant step in Astronautics helping helicopter operators around the world to realize the cost, ease,… Read more »
The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) is to supply four H160s to the French Navy for search and rescue missions through a partnership between Airbus Helicopters, Babcock, and Safran Helicopter Engines. The French Navy will start operating these helicopters in 2022 for a period of ten years. This interim fleet of H160s will enable the… Read more »
Honeywell (NYSE: HON) is providing Leonardo’s helicopter division with a significant cockpit upgrade — Honeywell’s innovative Primus Epic 2.0 — for its AW139 helicopters. Primus Epic 2.0 will deliver innovative and intuitive features that provide better maps, improved situational awareness at night and in marginal weather, and easier access through wireless connectivity, improving safety and… Read more »
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company announced today at Helicopter Association International’s Heli-Expo 2020 that it has named United Aero Group LLC (UAG) of Shelton, CT, as a Domestic Distributor of its products supporting the S-61 fleet of aircraft. This appointment emphasizes Sikorsky’s commitment to providing sustained support for their customers operating the S-61… Read more »
AT Systems announced it will begin taking pre-order reservations for its patented in-aircraft IIMC/UIMC training system starting March 1, 2020. After receiving overwhelming interest at Heli-Expo, AT Systems is excited to offer the revolutionary training system to the civilian market starting in October 2020. Full production is scheduled to begin mid-year. The innovative patented ATS… Read more »
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the selection of Timothy R. Obitts as its President and CEO. He succeeds Gary Dempsey, who assumed the role of NATA’s President after six years of service on the Association’s Board of Directors, including a term as Chairman of the Board. “It… Read more »
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has received the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) for its Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) paving the way for its productionisation. Mr R Madhavan, CMD, HAL received the IOC document from Mr G Sateesh Reddy, Secretary, Department of Defence R & D and Chairman, DRDO at the ‘Bandhan’ programme held at ongoing… Read more »
Washington, D.C. – In the wake of the tragedy that claimed the life of Laker legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and 7 others, Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) is introducing the Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act, which will require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to strengthen federal safety standards for helicopters…. Read more »
Further to our confirmation earlier that Leonardo had pulled out, Bell have also confirmed to HeliHub.com that they have decided not to exhibit. Given that no Textron Group company now appears as an Exhibitor on the event website, we assume that includes Beechcraft and Cessna too. This is a response to the Coronavirus situation. Eugene… Read more »
A simple statement from Leonardo “It is with regret that Leonardo has determined that it will not be in attendance at Singapore Airshow 2020. The decision was reached after Singapore’s Ministry of Health elevated its response to the coronavirus outbreak to code orange. As a precautionary measure for our employees’ health the Company will not be participating at… Read more »
We spent a long time thinking about the fleet change and decided to replace the EC120 in Grenchen and the R66 in Bern-Belp with two Bell 505s. Our aim is to adapt the fleet in such a way that technical progress and economic efficiency, but all the requirements of our customers and flight students, are… Read more »
Erickson Incorporated, a worldwide leading operator, maintainer, and manufacturer of utility aircraft, and Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, and premier manufacturer and developer of rotorcraft and autonomy solutions have signed a development agreement aimed at tackling the future of firefighting in the 21st century. Erickson will work to develop the next generation of pilot optional… Read more »
Omni Táxi Aéreo (OTA) is supporting Karoon in its drilling campaign in block Z38, in Peru. This will be OTA’s first international operation, transporting passengers from the city of Tallara to the Marina 1 well, in the Tumbes basin, approximately 110 km from the base of operations. Two S76C ++ aircraft were moved from Rio… Read more »
Amber Smith, combat helicopter pilot and author of Danger Close: My Epic Journey as a Combat Helicopter Pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan has been confirmed as a speaker for the 31st Annual Women in Aviation International Conference, augmenting an incredible roster of speakers. Amber joins Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Barbara Barrett; Stephanie Chung,… Read more »
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited Redhill Aerodrome on 4th February 2020 to meet the Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex (AAKSS) team and view the new technology and training facilities that will allow the AW169 aircraft to operate in weather conditions where it is currently not possible and the crew to deliver more inflight… Read more »
Source:
Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex, 10-Feb-20
STARS is another step nearer to renewing its helicopter fleet, thanks to a $1 million gift from Capital Power. Brian Vaasjo, president and CEO of Capital Power, made the announcement today in the STARS air ambulance base at the Edmonton International Airport. In June 2018, STARS unveiled a multi-year plan to replace its fleet of… Read more »
Airbus Helicopters and the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) are pursuing a new set of studies to further the militarisation of the H160 and to define its associated support ecosystem in the frame of the Joint Light Helicopter program (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger: HIL). This contract launches pre-development activities for the military version of the H160, also called the Guépard by the French armed forces,… Read more »
