Rotorcraft

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Latest

EASA Clears Super Pumas for Service Return

Several conditions apply before the helicopters can be returned to service.

Rotorcraft

October 7, 2016

Safety Team IDs Top Fatal Helicopter Accident Causes

The USHST is using its analysis to develop recommendations for mitigating fatal crashes.

Rotorcraft

October 7, 2016

Sikorsky S-92 Begins Alaska SAR Mission

The worldwide fleet of 275 Sikorsky S-92s surpassed one million flight hours earlier this year.

Rotorcraft

October 3, 2016

UBS: Pre-owned Helicopter Inventory Dips a Bit in August

There were 1,364 pre-owned helicopters available for sale at the end of August, which equates to 6 percent of the installed base.

Rotorcraft

September 19, 2016

More Articles

Claims Court Sides with Leonardo in Army Row

The case could set a legal precedent on armed forces' buying decisions.

Rotorcraft

September 15, 2016

Russian Helicopters Backlog Grows, Income Shrinks

The company is more aggressively pursuing additional markets.

Rotorcraft

September 14, 2016

Avic Starts Flight Trials of AC312e Helicopter

New derivative features Safran Helicopter Engine Arriel 2E engines (1,000 shp each) and Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics.

Rotorcraft

September 13, 2016

S-76 Rotates into Burning Man

One helicopter operator gave attendees a new way to arrive in Black Rock in style.

Rotorcraft

September 13, 2016

Seeing Turbulence, Air Methods Might Trim Bell Buy

The company recently hinted that it is in the process of curtailing its massive buy of 200 Bell 407GXPs.

Rotorcraft

September 13, 2016

Texas Researchers Study Coaxial Inflow

Such a system could provide significant gains in a helicopter's lift-to-drag ratio.

Rotorcraft

September 13, 2016

Dallas Cowboys Score with New Airbus H145 Helicopter

Team owner Jerry Jones's new medium twin helo is painted in team livery, including the Cowboys’ signature blue star on the top of the vertical stabilizer.

Rotorcraft

September 12, 2016

Lord Corporation Provides New Anti-Vibration System for CH-47s

The improved systems offers significant weight saving as well as a smoother ride

Rotorcraft

September 8, 2016

Safran Delivers First U.S.-built Arrius 2R to Bell

The 2R was certified in December 2015 and is slated to power the Bell 505 JetRanger X light single.

Engines

September 8, 2016

Safety Alert Addresses Bell 206/407 Transmission

There have been two accidents involving Bell 206s where a malfunction of the main transmission freewheel system led to a failure of the main rotor mast.

Maintenance and Modifications

September 6, 2016

U.S. Helicopter Accident Rate Improves

Overall, accident rate for civil helicopters declined in the U.S. for the first six months of 2016, to 3.28 per 100,000 flight hours

Accidents

September 2, 2016

Final MD 530Fs of Follow-On Contract Arrive in Afghanistan

MD Helicopters over the last two years has produced 24 armed MD 530F helicopters for the Afghan Air Force, in addition to earlier trainers.

Rotorcraft

August 30, 2016

New Orders Show Latin American Rotorcraft Market Still Alive, Says Bell

This week at LABACE, Bell Helicopter is displaying a VIP-configured 429, a 407GXP and a mockup of the new 505.

Rotorcraft

August 29, 2016

First H175 Delivered in the Americas

H175 will be used by Mexico's Transportes Aéreos Pegaso for oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico

Rotorcraft

August 29, 2016

Moody's Downgrades Credit Rating for Helo Operator Erickson

Credit rating agency Moody's downgraded Erickson's $355 million bond debt two full notches to Caa3, assigning it a very high credit risk.

Rotorcraft

August 29, 2016

FAA Warms To Easier SE-IFR Helo Certification

Industry views this as key to increasing the number of IFR operations and improving safety.

Regulations and Government

August 25, 2016