Latest from Mark Huber
Rotorcraft
The Koala Floats
Dart Helicopter’s Apical Industries has received EASA approval for its Tri-Bag Emergency Float System on the AgustaWestland A119/AW119 Mk II.
New York heliport operator expands offerings in Las Vegas
New York and Las Vegas are two of the most rarefied helicopter markets in the country.
S-61 crash in California claims nine lives
Investigators are continuing to study why a Carson Helicopters Sikorsky S-61N “Fire King” crashed August 5, killing nine of 13 aboard.
Rotorcraft
Compound Sikorsky X2 Makes First Flight
Thirty-eight months after Sikorsky’s formal announcement of the X2 “technology demonstrator,” the compound helicopter made its first flight yesterday at th
Rotorcraft
Duo Smashes Around-the-world Helo Speed Record
The “Grand Adventure” concluded yesterday morning at New York La Guardia Airport.
Accidents
Medevac helicopters collide over Arizona
Neither of the two medevac Bell 407s that collided in midair June 29 over Flagstaff, Ariz., was equipped with TCAS or any kind of cockpit voice or data rec
Rotorcraft
Keystone readies for S-76D production
Sikorsky’s Keystone Helicopter division is gearing up to produce both the S-76D and the S-92 at its Coatesville, Pa.
Training and Workforce
Auction highlights mismanagement at Silver State
The state of the assets of bankrupt Silver State Helicopters is providing clues about how the troubled company was run before its shutdown and Chapter 7 (l
Rotorcraft
SkyTrac Approved for Robinsons
SkyTrac’s automated flight following and satellite communication system has received FAA STC and Transport Canada Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) approv
Rotorcraft
Poland Picks EC 135 for EMS
The Polish Ministry of Health has ordered 23 Eurocopter EC 135s for its nationwide EMS network.
Rotorcraft
Silver State Students Sue Lender
Students of the now-defunct training school Silver State Helicopters are suing KeyBank, one of the banks that financed their tuition, charging that it enga
Rotorcraft
Offshore Contract for Norsk
Norsk Helikopter has signed a six-year contract with StatoilHydro and ENI Norge for offshore oil platform helicopter transportation from Hammerfest, Norway
Rotorcraft
Bell Helicopter Still Committed to Civil Tiltrotor
A Bell Helicopter spokesman denied speculation that the company plans to pull the plug on the Bell/Agusta BA609 civil tiltrotor or sell its entire stake in
Rotorcraft
Columbia Helicopters revs up for firefighting missions
Summer means fire season, and Columbia Helicopters’ tandem-rotor Chinooks and Vertols have already been dispatched to their bases, primarily throughout the
Maintenance and Modifications
Rotorcraft News Update: NTSB: Robinsons need NDT testing
The NTSB has issued a Safety Recommendation calling for the development of nondestructive testing techniques for Robinson main rotor blades after approxima
Rotorcraft
Rotorcraft News Update: Eurocopter sues Bell
Eurocopter has filed a lawsuit in Canada against Bell Helicopter alleging that the Texas company improperly used a patented landing-gear design on the Bell
Safety
Aeromed Helos Collide, No TCAS Aboard Either
The two aeromedical Bell 407s involved in a fatal midair over Flagstaff, Ariz., on Sunday afternoon were not equipped with traffic collision avoidance syst
Rotorcraft
Sikorsky Takes X2 for a Spin
Sikorsky continues to inch toward flying its X2 technology demonstrator coaxial-compound helicopter for the first time at its R&D and test facility in Hors
Accidents
Aeromed Helo Hits Terrain in Night MVFR
A Eurocopter EC 135 T2+ (N135UW) operated by Air Methods for the University of Wisconsin crashed Saturday night shortly after taking off VFR from La Crosse
Airports
Destination Airports: Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is where the Transcontinental Railroad first came together in 1869.
Rotorcraft
MD Helicopters Move Likely
Cushman and Wakefield, the real-estate firm hired by MD Helicopters parent company Patriarch Partners, has reportedly narrowed potential new sites for the
Aircraft
Osprey sales could boost civil tiltrotor development
A new Pentagon order for V-22 Osprey tiltrotors could boost prospects for more rapid development of the BA609 civil tiltrotor.
Maintenance and Modifications
New inspection requirement could ground Cessna 441 Conquest IIs
In a situation reminiscent of the dilemma JetStar owners face, a substantial number of Cessna 441 Conquest II twin turboprops could be grounded come Septem
Rotorcraft
Challenges ahead for expanding air ambulance service provider
With its 2007 acquisition of Pittsburgh-based CJ Systems, Air Methods has become the largest civil air ambulance provider in the country.
Aircraft
Spectrum takes a go-slow approach to jet development럐
In the wake of the recent failure of several competitors, Spectrum Aeronautical is moving ahead cautiously on the development of its all-composite S-40 mid
Rotorcraft
Bankruptcy at helo training school rattles rotor industry
The largest civilian helicopter school in the U.S.
Operators are seeing the benefits of night vision
Growing interest from helicopter operators wanting to use night-vision goggles (NVGs) is spurring demand for better training as well.
