Following the fatal crash of an Airbus Helicopters H225 in Norway on Friday, the EASA has issued an emergency AD for the EC225LP/H225, requiring inspections of three suspension bars (lift struts) located around the main rotor assembly before any further flight. The chip detectors of the main gearbox, as well as the oil filter, also must be checked for absence of metallic particles.

According to the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), detection and identification of such particles could have prevented the 2009 fatal accident of an AS332L2 Super Puma, when the main rotor separated in flight. The third step of the mandated inspection for the EC225LP/H225 is for those equipped with the M’Arms vibration health monitoring system to download data and check for any threshold exceedance.

The Norwegian Accident Investigation Board (AIBN) yesterday ruled out “human error on board.” Airbus Helicopters said the cause should therefore be looked for in design, production or maintenance. After preliminary examination of the vertical shaft that drives oil pumps, the airframer believes the cause is different from the issue that caused two serious incidents in 2012—a problem since solved.

Following a vote by shareholders last Friday, AgustaWestland parent Finmeccanica will now officially be known as Leonardo. The move follows several months of an interim identity that began late last year when AgustaWestland was temporarily rebranded as Finmeccanica Helicopters. The helicopter division will now be known as Leonardo Helicopters, but its aircraft will retain their AW model designations.

The name acknowledges 15th and 16th Century Italian artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, widely credited with devising the first concept for the helicopter. The change will become official next January—for the remainder of the year, the company will operate as Leonardo-Finmeccanica.

AgustaWestland has been using the name Leonardo for its online customer portal for some time. Late last year, Finmeccanica CEO Mauro Moretti hinted at a new name for the company that would be “recognizable, simple [and] very Italian.” In announcing the name change, Moretti said Finmeccanica was looking for something to “reflect the history of our evolution in space and security,” adding that the company's slogan would also change to “genius at your service.”

The third AW609 civil tiltrotor, AC3, completed its first restrained ground run yesterday at the Leonardo-Finmeccanica facilities in Cascina Costa, Italy, with all engines and systems operating. The aircraft will join the FAA flight-test program at the company's Philadelphia plant this summer.

Testing plans for AC3 include icing trials scheduled for this coming winter. The ground run of the third prototype followed the resumption of test activities with the first prototype, AC1, on April 15.

The flight-test program had been on hold following the fatal crash of AC2 on October 30 in Italy, outside Santhia in Vercelli province. That accident killed company test pilots Pietro Venanzi and Herb Moran. While the cause of the crash is still officially undisclosed, Leonardo officials indicated in February that they were confident of its cause and that it would have minimal effect on the flight-test and aircraft-certification program. At that time they said they planned to finish the test program with three aircraft.

The fourth prototype, AC4, is undergoing assembly in Philadelphia and destined to enter the test fleet next year. The OEM expects to earn certification of the AW609 in 2018 and will start deliveries immediately thereafter.

Global offshore, gas and petroleum helicopter services company CHC and its Heli-One maintenance subsidiary filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization this morning in the Northern District of Texas. The move comes days after the fatal crash of a company Airbus Helicopters EC225 that killed 13 in Norway on April 29 and weeks after CHC said it could not make a payment of $46 million in interest on $1 billion worth of bonds. The payment is due later this month.

Over the past year CHC has seen its stock price tumble from a high of $57 per share to just 11 cents, all but erasing the market value of the company. The New York Stock Exchange delisted the company in February.

In its bankruptcy court filing, CHC listed debts of $2.19 billion against assets of $2.17 billion as of January 31. Since then the company's financial position has further deteriorated.

CHC operates 231 helicopters, 157 of them leased. It also has $500 million worth of outstanding orders and options for new helicopters. The company released a statement today saying that it “expects day-to-day operations to continue without interruption” and has “sufficient liquidity” to “maintain its continuing business operations” as it proceeds through bankruptcy.

Airbus Helicopters has handed over the first two H145M lightweight multirole helicopters to the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), at its Donauworth site. The RTN was the second customer for the militarized H145, following the German army, which has now received three of the 15 that it ordered for special forces duties. 

This first pair for the RTN will remain in Germany for the time being, moving to the company’s training center in Manching for pilot instruction. All five should be delivered to Thailand by September. The Royal Thai Army is acquiring another 12 similar helicopters: six H145s (formerly EC135T2s) direct from Airbus Helicopters and six UH-72A Lakotas built in the U.S. and acquired via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales process.  

Airbus Helicopters claims that the H145M offers “true multirole capability and low operating costs.” It is powered by two Turbomeca Arriel 2E engines which make it “the quietest helicopter in its class,” according to the company. The examples for the RTN have internal long-range fuel tanks, weather radar, an HF radio system and multi-purpose pylons. Standard features include the Helionix digital avionics suite that includes a four-axis autopilot that was developed in-house.  

Robinson Helicopter’s new R44 Cadet trainer received FAA certification on Friday. The Cadet has the same airframe, rotor system and Lycoming O-540-F1B5 as the R44 Raven I, but the Cadet’s rear seats are removed, maximum takeoff weight is lowered to 2,200 pounds and the engine is derated to 210 hp for takeoff and 185 hp continuous.

Robinson began taking orders in February for the Cadet, which at $339,000 costs $40,000 less than the R44 Raven I. A float-equipped Cadet is available for $367,000. Among the options on the Cadet are air-conditioning—thus far available only on the Raven II—stability augmentation system, autopilot and VFR and IFR training avionics packages.

According to Robinson, “The lower weight and derated power provide greater performance margins at high altitudes and extend the time between overhaul to 2,400 hours from 2,200 hours, reducing operating costs.” Lead times for Cadet orders are currently estimated at 10 to 12 weeks, the company said.

Airbus is developing a crash-resistant fuel system modification for certain models of its helicopters, and the NTSB is recommending that the FAA and EASA require its installation. The manufacturer is developing the retrofit kit for AS350B2s, B3s and B3es and EC130B4s already in operation. The Safety Board issued the recommendation because it is concerned that the FAA’s and EASA’s approval for retrofit “would not be prioritized since it is outside the scope of airworthiness.”

The NTSB also wants the FAA to issue a special airworthiness information bulletin (SAIB) informing all owners and operators of AS350B3es and similarly designed variants of the availability of a crash-resistant fuel system retrofit kit and urging that it be installed as soon as practicable.

The recommendations stem from two accidents last year involving helicopters operated by Air Methods in which the Safety Board concluded that while impact forces were survivable for the occupants, fatalities and serious injuries occurred because of post-crash fires that resulted from an impact-related breach in the fuel tanks.

Bell Helicopter officially opened a delivery center and two-bay paint facility at its location in Prague, Czech Republic today. This adds to the facility’s maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities, making it the company’s regional customization, delivery and aftermarket service center in Europe. The paint booth has been designed to accommodate all Bell civil helicopters, ranging from legacy products to those currently in development, among them the 525 Relentless super-medium twin. “By integrating the latest requirements for safety of operations, ease of maintenance, energy sustainability, environmental and ergonomics, we have been able to vastly improve the paint process,” the company said.

“Europe is a key market for us to continue to grow and develop our balanced business,” noted Bell Helicopter president and CEO Mitch Snyder. The company’s Prague facility is part of an expanding network of support and service facilities throughout Europe. Bell also has a supply center in Amsterdam, owns blade repair shop Rotor Blades in Warminster, England, and counts 16 customer service facilities in Europe and Russia.

The helicopter manufacturer announced last year that it will be partnering with sister company TRU Simulation for the first Bell Helicopter regional training center in Valencia, Spain. This facility is expected to open later this year.

In the starkest illustration of the rapidly declining fortunes of the global OGP (offshore gas and petroleum) helicopter industry to date, CHC unveiled a bankruptcy reorganization plan that would see it turn back 90 of its 230 helicopters in the next 60 days and another 65 by next year, leaving the company with just 75 helicopters. Helicopters to be returned within the next 60 days to lessors include Airbus EC155 (1), AS332s (18), H225s (20); Finmeccanica AW139s (19); and Sikorsky S-76s (16) and S-92s (16).  Of the 230 helicopters in CHC’s fleet, 153 are leased. Part of a restructuring strategy to cut costs and rationalize the fleet in favor of newer-technology helicopters, the move will leave CHC a demonstrably smaller company.

CHC and its Heli-One maintenance subsidiary filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy May 5 in the Northern District of Texas. The highly anticipated move came days after the fatal crash of a company Airbus EC225 that killed 13 in Norway on April 29–potentially grounding 21 CHCEC225s in the UK and Norway in the wake of the crash investigation–and weeks after CHC said it could not make a $46 million payment due on $1 billion worth of 9.25-percent high-interest 2020 bonds scheduled for May 15. Defaulting on that payment would have violated several of the company’s other loan covenants and created a cascade of financial difficulties that analysts and credit rating agencies viewed as insurmountable.

Over the past year CHC has seen its stock share price tumble from a high of $57 to a low of 11 cents, all but erasing the market value of the company. In February the New York Stock Exchange delisted it for failure to maintain a consistent market capitalization of at least $15 million. It was a long slide since First Reserve purchased CHC for $3.6 billion in 2008. In bankruptcy court papers CHC listed debts of $2.19 billion against assets of $2.17 billion as of January 31.

Since then the company’s financial position has further deteriorated. At the beginning of the year, CHC had orders and options for nearly $500 million worth of new helicopters. The company released a statement concurrent with the bankruptcy filing saying that it “expects day-to-day operations to continue without interruption” and it has “sufficient liquidity” to “maintain its continuing business operations” as it proceeds through bankruptcy.

Finances at Other Operators

CHC’s competitors, too, are being financially battered. PHI released results for the quarter ending March 31 showing a revenue slide of $40.2 million, to $164 million, compared with $204.2 million from the year-ago period; $32 million of the decline was directly attributable to lower oil and gas revenues “related primarily to decreased aircraft flight revenues for all model types resulting predominantly from fewer aircraft on contract and decreased flight hours,” the company said. The reversal of fortune took PHI from a net quarterly profit of $10.4 million from the year-ago period to a net loss of $8.9 million. Breaking out oil and gas from the company’s aeromedical and technical services reveals an even starker picture. PHI said the “segment loss was $5.0 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, compared to segment profit of $18.9 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2015. The decrease in segment profit was due to the above-described decreased revenues, which were only partially offset by decreased expenses attributable to decreased flight hours.” PHI said it is responding to the downturn in energy revenues with “difficult but necessary” initiatives designed to “preserve our organization, our assets and our financial health.”

Bristow Group, the world’s largest helicopter OGP operator, announced on April 18 that it is “flattening” its management structure in response to the continuing market downturn, removing several top executives, eliminating their positions and consolidating their responsibilities. The move follows Bristow’s previously announced 2015 $150 million cost-cutting campaign, which involved large across-the-board layoffs and a new $200 million term loan to improve its liquidity. The company also slashed its quarterly dividend to 7 cents per share from 34 cents. At press time, Bristow’s most recent quarter, December 2015, showed a revenue decline from oil and gas of $81.2 million, or 21.2 percent, from the same year-ago period.

Indicating that he expects things to get worse before they improve, and perhaps as a precursor to quarterly results scheduled to be released in late May, Bristow CEO Jonathan Baliff said, “The current downturn in our industry is likely to further impact our clients’ capital spending in Fiscal Year 2017. As a result, to improve our safety performance, maintain our leadership position and sustain our long-term success, we have actively taken the additional and necessary steps to strengthen the business during these challenging times. These changes flatten our corporate leadership team structure, provide me with closer oversight of the operations and help us drive further revenue enhancements and cost reductions that are required.”

Era Group posted a loss of $3.8 million for the quarter ended March 31 on operating revenues of $62.6 million compared with $67.4 million for the same year-ago period. The company attributed the revenue drop to fewer helicopters on contract, lower average rates and the 2015 sale of the company FBO in Alaska. However, the company cautioned that its significant excess capacity could have a large impact on its capital commitments. This is more bad news for the OEMs. In May the company reported that “we continue to experience excess capacity in our medium and heavy helicopters, and we expect this excess capacity to persist for the next several quarters.” Era said, “We may sell certain helicopters opportunistically consistent with our stated strategy.”

Era added that it had capital commitments of $156.1 million as of March 31 this year, of which $40.1 million is payable this year, with the balance payable through 2018. “We may terminate $129.4 million of our total commitments (inclusive of deposits paid on options not yet exercised) without further liability other than aggregate liquidated damages of $3.2 million. The noncancellable portion of our commitments payable this year is $13.4 million. Included in these capital commitments are agreements to purchase seven AW189s, two S-92s and five AW169s. Deliveries of the AW189s and S-92s are scheduled to begin this year and continue through 2018. Delivery dates for the AW169s have yet to be determined. In addition, we had outstanding options to purchase up to ten more AW189s and two more S-92s. If these options are exercised, the helicopters would be scheduled for delivery beginning next year through 2018.”

The reorganization of Finmeccanica into seven divisions is done, but the rebranding of Italy’s major aerospace company as Leonardo is still a work in progress. Full-year results for 2015 suggest that the company derives more than half of its total €13 billion ($14.8 billion) revenue from defense. It has operations in 15 countries and claims to have sold products or systems to nearly 150 nations. 

According to a senior group official, the aircraft division may yet retain the Aermacchi and Alenia brand names for key products: the SF-260/M345/M346 training aircraft and the C-27 airlifter. This division also includes the company’s share of the AMX, Tornado and Typhoon combat jet programs. It has also produced the Sky-X and Sky-Y UAS demonstrators, and is part of the pan-European Neuron UCAV demonstrator industrial team. The company’s 50-50 joint venture with Airbus for regional transport aircraft, ATR, is also part of the aircraft division. Together with the aerostructures division, which builds sections of the 767/777/787 for Boeing and the A320/A321/A380 for Airbus, Leonardo’s aeronautics activities provided 24 percent of the total group turnover in 2015.

The helicopter division is retaining the AW designations for most of its key products, such as the AW101/139/159/169/189 and the 609 tiltrotor. It also produces the Super Lynx 300 and has a share of the pan-European NH90. This division also includes the Polish subsidiary PZL-Swidnik, and the U.S. production line in Philadelphia, as well as the former Agusta facilities in Vergiate and Tessera, and the Westland factory in Yeovil, UK. It accounted for 34 percent of group revenue last year, and has the highest order backlog, at €11.8 billion ($13.5 billion).

The airborne and space systems division is the most diverse, and the second-largest by turnover. It includes the former Selex ES activities such as airborne radars, electro-optics, electronic warfare and lasers. The avionics portfolio includes flight controls, autopilots, displays and comms/navigation systems. More than half of the division’s activities are UK-based, employing more than 7,000 people. This division provides significant content to F-35, Gripen and Typhoon combat aircraft, and Apache and Chinook helicopters, as well as to platforms produced by the group, including the M346, AW101 and AW159. The Falco UAS also belongs here, as does the partnership with Piaggio on the unmanned P1HH version of the Avanti. The Mirach target drones that have been sold in 40 countries are another product of this division. Space products include specialized payloads, powerplants and robotics for such systems as the Galileo navigation satellites and the Cosmo-SkyMed surveillance system.

The other three divisions are involved almost exclusivelyin ground-based and marine activities. Land and Naval Defense Electronics includes air defense and shipborne radars, and C4I systems. Defense Systems includes the subsidiary previously named OTO-Melara and produces weapons including artillery, ammunition and torpedos. Security and Information Systems provides IT and communications networks, including ATC management.

Although it is the 100 percent owner of DRS Technologies, a diversified U.S.-based supplier of defense and intelligence products and services, the DRS name may have to be retained, the senior group official said. In addition to the ATR joint venture, Leonardo also has two joint ventures with Thales for space activities, and has a 25 percent shareholding in European missile house MBDA.

Although aspiring to global status, Leonardo remains essentially Italian, as recognized by the new brand name. More than 60 percent of the workforce is in Italy, and 50 percent of the shareholding is unequivocally Italian; 30 percent is held by the government and 20 percent by retail investors in that country. Institutional investors hold the other 50 percent.

Russian Helicopters confirmed that a next-generation naval helicopter is being developed with funding from the Russian Ministry of Defense. During a press briefing that preceded the eighth annual HeliRussia exposition taking place this week, the company also discussed modifications to the existing line of Kamov naval helicopters.

“We have long been lobbying for development of a next-generation rotorcraft for the navy. Today, the R&D effort is ongoing. Kamov has completed the outline design. The project awaits decisions by the defense ministry,” said Andrei Shibitov, deputy general manager for manufacturing and innovations at Russian Helicopters. He declined to confirm previous reports that a first flight could occur in 2018.

Shibitov also played down previous reports that new naval rotorcraft will be based on the Kamov Ka-226 or the Ka-60. “This is a principally new platform with indigenous engines,” he said. But the design will not be made public until the defense ministry permits it, he added.

The Ka-60 medium-lift helicopter first flew in 1998, as a potential replacement for the Mil Mi-2 series. Prototypes were subsequently displayed on various occasions. But although the Ka-60’s two NPO Saturn 1,300-hp RD-600V turboshafts gained certification in December 2003, no production orders were forthcoming. The Ka-60 then provided the basis for a civilian version (designated Ka-62), which was displayed in mockup form from 2012. After repeated delays it made its first flight on April 26, 2016. The Ka-62 would be powered by a pair of Turbomeca Ardiden 3G engines each developing 1,680 hp.

At the press briefing, Andrei Boginsky, deputy minister for industry and trade, said that the French engine is economical and could be license-produced in Russia. But he also suggested that a foreign engine is not acceptable for “certain customers,” presumably meaning the Russian military. Boginsky said that the RD-600V still provides an alternative, if it can be “reworked for higher performance and suitability to both military and civilian customers.” A higher-power version of the Russian engine that produces 1,500 hp is being developed.

Shibitov mentioned the major ongoing modification and refit program for the Ka-27/28/29/31 series being performed at the Russian Helicopters KUMAPE plant in Kumertau. The Russian Navy’s Ka-27 is being modernized as the Ka-27M involving replacement of the radar and antisubmarine warfare suite, enabling use of the Kh-35 antiship missile and modern torpedoes. The Navy conducted Ka-27M operational trials in 2012-2013, and approved the new radar. The modernized helicopter is expected to serve for another 10 to 15 years.

The Ka-28 and Ka-31 are export versions, and the Ka-29 is a land-attack version for support of the marines. The Ka-31 is in service with the Indian and Chinese navies. An improved radar has been fitted to the Ka-31, for longer-range detection range of sea-skimming cruise missiles, resulting in the Ka-31R version. Kamov has also produced a few Ka-31SV versions, for over-land applications such as the location of artillery fire. To date, no firm orders for either new version of the Ka-31 have been announced.

The only CAA-certified heliport in London has been renamed the NetJets London Heliport under a partnership announced today with NetJets Europe. Under the deal, the heliport will also feature “extensive branding” for both NetJets and its sister company Executive Jet Management Europe within the terminal and around the landing site.

According to the fractional provider, the heliport is a “key piece of infrastructure” for those flying privately in the UK and is a “prime link” between the city and surrounding airports that NetJets Europe serves. In fact, the number of interlining flights from the heliport with onward private jet flights—at airports such as London Stansted, Biggin Hill, Farnborough, Luton and Oxford—increased by about 20 percent last year, NetJets said. The heliport also recently celebrated its 500,000th movement over the course of its 59-year history.

Meanwhile, NetJets Europe said that this year has begun with a “strong period of growth.” The operator has recorded a 4.9-percent year-over-year increase in flights in the first quarter, with an accompanying 8.2-percent jump in passengers flown. Flights departing from the London area also rose 5.9 percent in the quarter while arrivals during the same period climbed by 6.5 percent.

After four months of employing an extra crewmember to meet EASA rules, the French helicopter EMS (HEMS) industry continues to question the relevance of the addition. The so-called “technical crew member” (TCM) is supposed to help the pilot spot obstacles and traffic, but his or her presence raises costs and cuts useful load. Nonetheless, some operators view the requirement as an opportunity for future operational improvements.

Until January 1, HEMS companies in France were covered by a 2014 exemption to the EASA rule requiring two crewmembers in EMS helicopters. Therefore, a crew now consists of one pilot and one TCM (in the front seats), as well as a medical team (one physician and one nurse) in the cabin. The TCM’s weight–factored in at 180 pounds–either reduces endurance by 20 minutes or limits the number of accompanying people or medical personnel the helicopter can carry.

A TCM so far only helps the pilot see obstacles in the takeoff and landing phases, select a landing area and ensure “see and avoid” in cruise flight, according to Christophe Mauron, sales director of Babcock Mission Critical Services in France (formerly known as Inaer France). However, he suggested that in the future the TCM might perform more tasks–flight planning, radio communications and navigation–to the extent allowed by the EASA.

Most operators and physicians are challenging the alleged safety benefit of the newly enforced rule. French doctors using HEMS have their own lobbying association, AFHSH. “We were already doing ‘see and avoid,’ and the presence of a TCM opens a rift between the technical and medical teams, when the pilot cuts off the intercom to focus on teaching the TCM,” former AFHSH president Nicolas Letellier told AIN. In France, the operator hires the pilot and the TCM, while the medical crew is employed by a hospital. Most TCMs have no aviation background, according to Letellier.

He is concerned that the slimmer useful load of the smaller helicopters popular in French HEMS (the EC135 is the most common) might translate into issues, especially in summer, when temperatures also affect payload. For example, the helicopter might no longer accommodate the mother of an injured child. Even a heavy patient, one weighing more than 275 pounds, could become an issue. “What about the responsibility of the doctor who might have to choose between the patient and the TCM?” Letellier asked.

In terms of endurance, the difficulty is compounded by scarce fuel availability in some areas. At Paris’s heliport, no fuel is available on Sundays after 5 p.m., Letellier said.

Larger rotorcraft such as the Airbus H145 might be more suited to absorbing the weight of the TCM, but they carry significantly higher acquisition and operational costs. Belgium-based NHV, which has contracts with some hospitals in the North of France, operates MD Helicopters MD902s. “It is an old type but it is roomy and powerful; NHV tells us everything is fine with the TCM,” Letellier noted.

The helicopter operators’ lobbying association, the UFH, is also challenging the hoped-for safety benefit of the move. “How could this improve safety, since we, the French HEMS industry, have not recorded an accident for 17 years?” an official asked. Although he acknowledged that a skilled and experienced TCM could cut the pilot’s workload, he asserted that the TCM could also elevate workload by requiring that the pilot monitor him, a spokesman said.

So what about having a three-member crew that includes a paramedic able to assist the pilot? “Hospitals in France are not organized for the physician and nurse to be supplied by the operator,” the UFH spokesman answered, pointing out that the European Union says France’s problems with HEMS crews stem from the country’s own organization.

But Babcock’s Mauron holds a more positive view on the change under way. His company employs 80 TCMs, the same as the number of pilots on its payroll. “Two pairs of eyes working together enable better risk control,” Mauron believes.

Acknowledging the challenges of access and profitability, Babcock is seeking solutions. The company might ask the EASA to reduce weather minimums, thus enhancing helicopter mission availability. “We are talking to our customers to find a way for the TCM to assist the medical crew,” Mauron added.

Finally, he said the recent enlargement of the area covered by a tender has made more refueling points available, to the point that one operator he talked with does not see endurance as a problem.

At the national scale, the annual extra cost of employing TCMs is estimated at €6 million ($6.8 million), which is passed on to hospitals.

Bell Helicopter is describing the Bell 525 Relentless as a “Super Puma replacement” and adopting a strategy to use the fly-by-wire (FBW) control system as a selling point.

In the past the company has categorized the helicopter as a super-medium twin, putting it in the same category as the Airbus Helicopters H175. However, the company is distancing itself from that categorization, said Patrick Moulay, v-p of global sales and marketing. Rather, the company wants the 525 to be compared to the heavier Sikorsky S-92 and Airbus H225. Bell previously marketed the helicopter as a 16-seater for oil-and-gas operations. Now, the company says, “The Relentless will be able to carry 18 passengers in oil-and-gas configuration and we are looking at 19,” he said during a meeting organized by the French association of aerospace journalists on May 17 in Paris. The company claims the aircraft’s payload-range performance is superior to that of a Leonardo AW189.

The company claims the acquisition cost is less than that of an S-92 and the operating costs will be 30 percent lower than those for a heavy helicopter.

Asked about the depressed oil-and-gas market, Moulay suggested operators should see the Bell 525 as a solution that will help them cope with operator and oil company pressure for better safety and lower costs, he said.

He did not comment, however, on whether some customers have postponed planned deliveries. Bell says it holds letters of intent for 80 copies of the 525. Some of them come from oil-and-gas operators PHI and Abu Dhabi Aviation.

Rather than promoting FBW as a technology feature per se, Moulay now wants to emphasize what the system will bring to customers, namely flight envelope protection, automation and failure management. “The market has not fully understood the merits of FBW, which has irritated me,” he said. Bell’s salespeople have been asked to improve this perception.

Another technical attribute is the integrated vehicle health management (IVHM) system. “This is Hums, pushed to the next level,” Moulay said. Thanks to the IVHM system, the 525 can self-diagnose in flight. It can send a report to the maintenance team on the ground. “I am looking for a smart way to require all operators to share data,” Moulay said. This would help the airframer improve its product and the entire fleet would benefit, he suggested.

Moulay hinted that 525 technology will be used in Bell’s future civil products. AIN understands this includes FBW.

The latest flight-tests have pushed speed beyond 200 knots. Cat A takeoff performance has been a major goal. The program is said to be on time for FAA certification and first delivery next year.

Bell Helicopter announced today that it is moving production of its new 505 Jet Ranger X light single from the dedicated, purpose-built, and  low-cost production facility it opened for the aircraft just last year in Lafayette, La., to Bell's long-established commercial plant in Mirabel, Quebec. The 505 flight-test program is currently based at Mirabel and the aircraft is scheduled to receive its initial type certification from Transport Canada.

A Bell spokeswoman told AIN that shifting production to Mirabel is expected to cut the time lag between type and production certification, as the entire process will now be coordinated with Transport Canada. Bell still anticipates receiving both type and production certificates for the 505 this year.

“Our Lafayette facility was a new operation and therefore required a more extensive review by the FAA to receive its production certification,” the spokeswoman said. “We anticipate that adding the 505 to our existing production certification in Mirabel will be less complex. Once we have completed the certification process, we can begin production and deliveries from Mirabel. The decision to move the 505 assembly and delivery center from Lafayette was driven by market conditions and the imperative to maintain our expertise and skills in Mirabel.”

The Mirabel plant, which assembles the Bell 206L4, 407, 412, and 429, has been under stress in the face of declining commercial deliveries industry-wide. The plant has endured multiple rounds of layoffs since 2014, the most recent coming in February when 200 employees were discharged, shrinking its workforce to 1,000—a nearly 50-percent reduction from just a few years ago.

Bell does not expect that moving 505 production to Mirabel will increase production costs or the helicopter's price. “We've learned a lot in both Mirabel and Lafayette about production efficiencies, and all of that learning will go into the new 505 line. It will also be set up as a 'factory in a factory,' as we have a number of advances we have in place in Lafayette that will move to Mirabel,” said the spokeswoman.

In 2014, former Bell CEO John Garrison told AIN that keeping the 505’s price point near $1 million was critical to the program's success. “The price elasticity is very clear,” he said at the time.

Announced in 2013, the 82,300-sq-ft dedicated Lafayette assembly plant was seen as a key to keeping 505 manufacturing costs low. The $26.3 million plant was built with generous support from various state and local government entities and expected to create 115 direct new jobs.

Last October, London Heliport recorded its 500,000th movement since the riverside facility was established in Battersea. It opened for business in 1959, and was originally owned by helicopter manufacturer Westland. At the end of March this year, the heliport reported 10,500 movements for the previous 12 months, its highest annual activity since 2008. Increases in both business and private use were recorded, and the number of sightseeing trips from the heliport has also grown.

Around 20 percent of the flights are connecting services with business jets operating from London’s business airports. A number of operators fly interlining shuttles, including Castle Air from Biggin Hill, and Capital Air Services from London Oxford, an airport owned by Reuben Brothers, the same company as the Heliport, thus able to offer incentives to clients traveling between the two.

London Heliport has an annual 12,000-movement capacity through its two hardstands, which can accommodate aircraft up to the size of the S-92. There is also parking available for two helicopters. AirBP recently completed a thorough overhaul of the airside fuel facilities.

The heliport operates between 07;00 and 23;00 seven days a week, and during busy events such as the Cheltenham and Ascot race meetings, Goodwood Festival of Speed, Farnborough Air Show and the British Grand Prix can see up to 100 movements a day. The daily record stands at 130, recorded during a Grand Prix weekend.

Since February, the Heliport has brought its VFR local-area traffic control in-house, having previously contracted this service out. The tower coordinates closely with NATS, which provides the wider-area radar coverage over the city.

Of ongoing concern to the heliport is the encroachment of development, not just by high-rise buildings, themselves, but also by the cranes used during construction. A close watch is maintained on local planning applications to safeguard the heliport’s approaches, not only out of self-interest but also in the interests of public-service and military operators, for whom the heliport is a strategic in-city landing location.

The heliport provides a quicker way into central London, for example using Castle Helicopters from London Biggin Hill Airport or even from sites further afield, such as Oxford Airport.

The Russian defense ministry has decided to become the launch customer for the Mil Mi-38 medium-twin helicopter, now that a version with no foreign content has been developed. The decision was revealed at the opening of the HeliRussia 2016 expo in Moscow on May 19 by Alexander Mikheyev, general manager of Russian Helicopters. The Mi-38 has suffered protracted development, after originally being conceived in the late 1980s as a civilian helicopter seating up to 30 passengers, to replace the long-serving 24-seat Mi-8. 

Mikheyev told the media that his company is working on some specific requirements for the paratrooping forces and army aviation units. “Today, the work is ongoing and shall lead us to the signing of a long-term contract,” he said. In addition to the main utility/transport version, the Russian defense ministry is said to be interested in a patrol version able to operate in the extreme Arctic conditions.

Three years ago, the original Mi-38-1 version with Pratt & Whitney PW127H engines and western avionics was abandoned in favor of the Mi-38-2. This version features Klimov TV7-117V turboshafts and a Russian-designed IKBO-38 avionics set that includes a glass cockpit on five LCDs. The Mi-38-2 was first shown in 2011 and won type certification in December 2015. Russian Helicopters describes it as “one of most automated civil helicopters in the world. Its flight control system provides for automatic flight, landing, stabilization in the hover and all other flight regimes.”

Mikheyev said that the Mi-38-2 has been accepted by the Russian military because it does not have any imported components. “Russian Helicopters acknowledges the need of self-efficiency…and has implemented various programs aimed at creating local substitutes.” Most of the popular rotorcraft models from Mil and Kamov come with Ukrainian-built TV3-117 engines, which now causes problems for the Russian manufacturer.

Four Mi-38-2 prototypes have been flown so far. Mikheyev noted that the type has already set a number of records for altitude and rate of climb, but acknowledged the need for further maturation. “This helicopter is still a very new product…within the next 12 to 18 months we expect to complete the process of making the baseline helicopter suitable to the real buyer,” he said.

After one year of absence, Airbus Helicopters (Booth N060) is back at EBACE to promote the in-development H160 medium twin. The airframer is now accepting letters of intent. In the VIP and corporate segment, Airbus claims a 33 percent market share.

A design contest was launched for the H160's corporate/VIP cabin interior (four-to-eight seats). The winner will be announced here. Four designers, including Airbus Helicopters' own style bureau, participated. “The H160 has very modern exterior lines, and the designers were asked to keep this modernity, while retaining the codes of luxury and comfort,” Frédéric Lemos, senior v-p, private and business aviation market development, explained to AIN. Show attendees will be able to “see” the winning interior by using virtual reality goggles.

“The VIP/corporate market segment is the third one for us in value – it accounted for 349 sales over the 2011-2015 period,” Lemos said. In 2015, 69 percent of the 61 deliveries came from the U.S. and Europe. After the current slow period picks up steam, Lemos anticipates sales in Brazil and China will accelerate in 2017-2018.

Airbus claims the top spot for the category above 1.5 metric tons (3,300 lbs). Overall, Lemos admits to be second to Robinson Helicopter. Only two Airbus H120 light singles were delivered in 2015, to be compared to 117 Robinson R66s.

The first pair of super-medium H175s are to be handed over, the first in June and the second by the end of the year. The cabin interiors for the H175's executive and VIP versions were created by Pegasus Design and introduced at EBACE 2013. A total of four are on order.

Special attention was given to soundproofing, and one key objective was to make a conversation comfortable without headsets. The first two H175s are therefore being delivered without passenger headsets, Lemos emphasized. Airbus is following the same philosophy on the H160.

Another trend in cabin equipment is that hard-mounted video displays are increasingly being replaced by the passenger's device – smartphone, tablet etc. It can connect to the cabin management system for controlling mood lighting and receiving information such as flight duration, positioning etc.

Deliveries of the new H145 Mercedes Benz Style light twin began last year. The H145 is well suited to large yachts, Lemos said. It is compact and can be easily reconfigured – seats can be removed to make room for cargo.

Unfortunately, you won’t see either of Marenco Swisshelicopter’s two SH09 flying prototypes here at the EBACE show. But the good news is, that’s because they’re too busy flying missions in support of Phase A2 of an aggressive certification-test regime.

Marenco has been accepting letters of intent (LOI) for its composite SH09, the first model for the start-up company, which is based at Mollis near Zurich.

As of shortly before EBACE, the number of LOIs was “about 90” according to CEO Martin Stucki. Earlier this year at U.S. HeliExpo show in Louisville, Kentucky, Marenco announced orders and LOIs for 15 more SH09s, including Canadian operator Horizon Helicopters (1) and another follow-on order a second machine from Costa Rican operator Rotorworld. Three orders came from South Africa, including two from local operator Saphire Blue and one from businessman David Gold. Brazil’s Helisul Táxi Aéreo signed LOIs for 10 aircraft.

The SH09 is a 5,843-pound-mtow single-engine helicopter with an all-composite airframe and a 1,020-shp Honeywell HTS900 turboshaft powerplant. It is expected to have a high-speed cruise speed of 140 knots (259 kilometers per hour) and range of 430 nautical miles (796 km) or five hour’s endurance. It is designed to compete with Bell’s Model 407 and Finmeccanica Leonardo’s AW119, as well as the Airbus H125 and H130.

Its dual-redundant electrical and hydraulic systems are expected to be an advantage in the single-engine market, especially for instrument-flying. Another plus is on-condition maintenance capability for its engine, gearbox and rotor blades. Sling-load capacity is targeted at 3,300 pounds (1,497 kilos).

The aerodynamic configuration is essentially set, Stucki said, with some minor modifications possible to the horizontal stabilizer. “We made it long, deliberately, because it’s easier to trim it to reduce drag than it is to add to it,” he told AIN, with a smile, adding, “And as you can see in the most recent photos, they’ve surprised me with some exciting red stripes added to the paint scheme. I came back from lunch one day to find the new colors.”

Stucki reported good financial support for the program that is currently about midway through its second phase of flight testing. Phase One began in October 2014 and consisted of some 40 hours aloft. Stucki anticipates a total of five test-flying phases, with most of the certification work accomplished in the first three. “Phases A4 and A5 will be for refinements,” he said. For example, the company plans on initial certification to 13,000 feet (3,962 meters) maximum altitude, with later expansion of the envelope to 25,000 feet (7,620 m) after a high-altitude testing series in Leadville, Colorado, where the airport elevation is just less than 10,000 feet (3,048 m).

“You can do hover-out of-ground-effect [HOGE] testing with just a little space, so we can do them here,” said Stucki, “but for the advanced tests at high altitude, you need a runway.” Initial certification is expected around midway through next year.

Stucki said the geographical distribution of LOI holders is around 50 percent North America, 20 percent European and the remainder scattered throughout the rest of the world. He said the primary target market is for utility operators, though Marenco sees good possibilities within the corporate VIP market as well.

“We think we bring some strong capabilities to the table [for executive operators],” Stucki added. “For example, we’ve explored a seven-seat layout. With two pilots and five passengers, there’s still lots of legroom and baggage capacity for passengers. There is also plenty of window area for a good outside view.”

The helicopter could also be configured with three business-class passenger seats. Marenco has already explored partnerships with interior design companies, though Stucki said, “A VIP interior is usually tailored, perhaps to match the interior of a company jet. But we have laid out preliminary plans for a basic VIP interior concept, that can be customized to meet buyers’ needs.”

Another advantage he sees for his helicopter in the executive transport role is its fuel capacity. “With 750 liters [198 U.S. gallons], an operator can plan most trips without needing to refuel before returning to home base, where he might have a better price on fuel. It certainly saves time, as well.”

Another possibility Marenco envisions is a quick-change “combi” configuration that could perform utility work one day – transporting tools and workers, perhaps – and VIP executives the next.

Finally, Stucki said that most of the long-lead-time components for the third prototype, P3, have been ordered, and are scheduled for delivery before year-end. “We’re going ahead ‘full steam’ on P3,” he concluded.

Business aviation services group Gama Aviation is to start training helicopter pilots at its rotorcraft operational base in Fairoaks, UK, in partnership with Cotswold Helicopter Center. The new venture, will start with a single Guimbal Cabri G2 aircraft, and trainees will have access to other aircraft in the Cotswold fleet, such as a Robinson R44, an Airbus Helicopters AS350 and an AS355. Gama (Booth V045) will be responsible for all aspects of safety management and compliance monitoring systems, while Cotswold will focus on training, sales and marketing.

“Fairoaks has always been a favorably positioned, helicopter-friendly base and I’m pleased that we are able to bring Cotswold to our historical home,” said Gama Aviation director Steve Wright. “This announcement follows an increase in our helicopter capacity at Fairoaks as we aim to build it into a center of excellence for the group; the addition of training perfectly complements our existing maintenance, avionics and hangarage services.”