EASA Issues Emergency AD for Airbus Helicopters H225
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)...
View ArticleAgustaWestland Rebranded Again, Now Leonardo Helicopters
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...
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Third AW609 Enters Flight-test Program
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...
View ArticleA Casualty of Low Oil Prices, CHC Files for Bankruptcy
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....
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Thai Navy Accepts Its First Two Airbus H145M Helicopters
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,...
View ArticleWith FAA Papers in Hand, R44 Cadet Now Ready for Duty
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...
View ArticleNTSB Wants Crash-resistant Fuel Systems on Airbus Helos
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...
View ArticleBell Helicopter's Prague Facility Takes on Larger Role
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...
View ArticleOGP market: CHC Bankrupt, Others Posting Losses
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...
View ArticleLeonardo’s New Divisions Emerge But Branding Not Quite Settled
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...
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New Russian Naval Helicopter Previewed
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...
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NetJets Partners with London Heliport
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...
View ArticleFrench HEMS Operators Add Technical Crewmember
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...
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Bell 525 Relentless Is Super Puma Replacement, OEM Says
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...
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Bell Moving 505 Jet Ranger X Production to Canada
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...
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Heliport Reaches Half-million Milestone
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...
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All-Russian Mi-38 Version To Enter Production
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...
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Airbus Helicopters to unveil H160 VIP cabin design
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...
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Marenco Steps Up Flight Testing of New SH09 Helicopter
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...
View ArticleGama and Cotswold Launch Helicopter Training Venture
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...
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