Latest from Mark Huber
Aircraft
Nextant Might Announce Third Airframe at NBAA 2015
Company has feasibility studies under way on “four or five” business aircraft and is “narrowing the process and getting closer” to making a decision.
Rotorcraft
Brazil’s Petrobras Flying into Headwinds
The company is embroiled in an international corruption scandal that could limit its future access to capital markets and retard exploration projects.
Fuel
Bristow Takes Long View of Oil Price Slide
The oil-and-gas company is proceeding with its commitments to buy and lease new helicopters.
Training and Workforce
Precision Flight Controls Developing Helicopter FTDs
Models include Robinson R22, R44 and R66 as well as the Bell 206 and 407.
GE To Provide HUMS for Avicopter AC313
The engine maker will supply the health and usage monitoring system.
Onboard Tapped for Bell 429 Cargo Hook
The light twin will get the Talon LC cargo hook system.
Rotorcraft
Port Canaveral Commissioners Support Helitour Operator
The company modified its flight routes to reduce noise for neighbors.
Rotorcraft
Telluride Helitrax Offers Ski/Board Package from Denver
Skiers/snowboarders will board the company’s Eurocopter AS350B3e for six runs at elevations from 10,000 to 14,000 feet.
Training and Workforce
Universal Graduates 260
The U.S. civilian flight school conducted 28,000 hours of flight training last year.
Rotorcraft
AgustaWestland Starts AW169 Production
Initial deliveries and certification of the new medium-twin helicopter are expected in the second quarter.
Training and Workforce
Boeing Develops EC135 Training for Australia
The $500 million deal covers helicopters, sims and a sea-going training vessel.
Rotorcraft
Bell 407 Airframe Assemblies To Be Built in India
The helicopter manufacturer seeks to expand its footprint on the subcontinent and elevate the Indian content on its aircraft. ###sub###
Rotorcraft
New Houston-area Heliport Opens
The facility is located near to The Woodlands Town Center in Oak Ridge North.
Rotorcraft
Helicopter Speed Record Breaker Dies
Trevor Egginton broke the speed record for conventional helicopters on a closed course on Aug. 11, 1986.
Rotorcraft
Management Changes at Bell
Bell Helicopter announced several management changes on December 1.
Avionics
CAE Delivers First Lakota FTD
This is the first UH-72A Lakota flight sim to be located at the U.S. Army’s primary helicopter flight training school at Fort Rucker, Ala.
Rotorcraft
Uber Expands into Helicopters
Typically, Uber aligns with an established charter operator and offers package ground-air deals involving its car service.
Accidents
NTSB Faults Pilot, ‘Punitive Culture’ in Alaska Trooper Crash
Pilot lacked instrument experience, was too highly motivated to continue the mission.
Aircraft
Unmanned K-Max Tested for Firefighting
The Indago can be used by firefighters to identify hot spots more precisely through heavy smoke and then transmit that data back to the remote operator.
Rotorcraft
Bell Helicopter Powers On 525 Relentless Flight-test Vehicle
Bell unveiled the more than 18,000-pound-mtow helicopter at Heli-Expo 2012.
Accidents
Second KC-518 Crashes
The all-carbon-fiber machine rolled over after a hard landing during flight-test on November 8 in Rodney, Auckland, New Zealand.
Rotorcraft
Enstrom Delivers First 480B-G
A New Hampshire pilot took delivery of the first of the G1000H-equipped models.
Rotorcraft
Dallas Airmotive Building New Rotorcraft Facility
A center of excellence and test center will be located on the same campus at DFW.
Rotorcraft
Bell Shows Continued Strength In Executive Market
A variety of interior design options are available for purchasers of executive versions of new Bell helicopters.
Rotorcraft
Army Moves Ahead with Airbus Trainer Plan
The Army intends to use as many as 200 Lakotas, the military variant of the EC145, for its training mission.
Rotorcraft
Evergreen’s Del Smith Dead at 84
What Smith began in Corvallis, Wash., with a single Hiller UH-12 helicopter in 1960 he rapidly built into a global colossus.
Rotorcraft
Former Bell Helicopter Chief James Atkins Passes Away
Atkins spent his entire career at Bell, beginning in 1940, and oversaw the growth of its commercial helicopter division.
Aircraft
Bombardier Launches Challenger 650
NetJets is launch customer for the newest version of the Bombardier Challenger 600 series.
