Mark Huber
Contributor

Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

Latest from Mark Huber

Fuel

Colorado Proposes Big New Tax on Leaded Avgas

State bill would impose a 50-cent-per-gallon 'impact fee'
Fueling airplane with aviation gasoline
Rotorcraft

Maverick Helicopters Expands Air Tours into SoCal

The company will offer charter services and tours from Long Beach locations
Maverick
Training and Workforce

Bristow UK Pilots Plan Two-Day Strikes Starting March 3

The helicopter operator's pilots bemoan lack of contract progress
Bristow
Avionics

Blackcomb Helicopters Selects Foresight MX HUMS

The GPMS system will be installed on Blackcomb's Airbus and Bell helicopter fleets
Blackcomb installing Foresight MX on EC135 and Bell 212HP
Safety

Weaponized ATC Calls Threaten African Air Safety

Aircraft receive conflicting transmissions as Somalia and Somaliland fight over airspace control
OpsGroup chart
Avionics

Elliott Launches Citation XL/XLS Refurb with G5000 Upgrade

The XL/XLS Excellence Program offers new avionics, paint, and interior
Elliott Aviation Excellent upgrade of the Citation XL/XLS
Training and Workforce

Flight Training Fatal Accidents Drop 50 Percent

Study shows 20-year reduction in flight training fatal accidents
Flight training accident rates
Safety

AAIB: AW189 Incident Crew Did Not Understand Its AFCS

An AFCS mismatch triggered an uncommanded yaw
AgustaWestland AW189
Regulations and Government

Senate FAA Reauthorization Mandates Part 135 for All Air Tours

Alphabets urge rejection of costly new Part 135 provisions
Papillon Helicopters
Rotorcraft

Air Evac Helicopter in Oklahoma Hit Geese Before Crashing

NTSB found dead goose in flight controls, others in crash area
NTSB chart
Rotorcraft

Helicopter OEMs See Big Civil Market Opportunities in China, India

Pilot training, infrastructure, fuel challenge growth
Robinson helicopters in Hunan, China
Safety

Helicopter Seat Pain Solutions Are on the Horizon

Contoured cushions and better materials could mitigate pilot injury
Hendrick Motorsports prototype seat developed for the U.S. Army.
Rotorcraft

French DGA Orders 42 Airbus H145 Helicopters

H145s will be used by French police and rescue services
The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) ordered 42 new H145 helicopters, including 36 for the Sécurité Civile agency
Accidents

Three Die in Oklahoma HEMS Crash

Air Evac Bell 206 LongRanger crashes at night on repositioning flight
The helicopter was on a 70-mile repositioning flight from Oklahoma City to Weatherford when it crashed.
Rotorcraft

Airbus Helicopters Orders Rise, Deliveries Flat for 2023

Airbus delivered 346 helicopters in 2023
Airbus Super Puma
Training and Workforce

Bell Valencia Trains Hundreds Annually

Bell 429 simulator at Valencia Spain logs more than 1,000 hours each year
Charter & Fractional

Verijet Sues Former Board Member

The company accused an initial investor and former board member of trying to bankrupt it
Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet
Accidents

Parents of Helitour Crash Victim Receive $100 Million

Airbus, Papillon agree to nine-figure settlement in 2018 Grand Canyon helitour accident
Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters
Rotorcraft

MD Helicopters Booked Record Orders in 2023

The OEM is focusing on product support and gradually ramping up production
MD Helicopters
Accidents

ATSB: Fatal Air Tour Midair Pilot Had Used Cocaine

Autopsy found cocaine metabolites in body of Australian helitour pilot
ATSB
Rotorcraft

Hill Helicopters Tops 1,000 Orders

Hill reveals wheeled and skidded prototypes
Hill Helicopters live-streaming event December 6, 2023
Safety

Airbus H160 Swashplate Bearings Trigger EASA Emergency AD

Inspections are required every 15 flight hours after 'premature degradation' detected
Airbus H160 helicopter
Accidents

Philadelphia News Helicopter Crash Kills Two

The A-Star crashed at night in a remote area of a forest
ABC / WPVI-TV
Training and Workforce

Coptersafety Receives FAA Approval for its Airbus H145 Training

Coptersafety receives FAA Part 142 approval for its H145 training program
Coptersafety
Accidents

Vortex Ring Drill Triggered Bell 429 In-flight Break-up

NTSB faults pilot, instructor in 2022 fatal accident
Bell 429 crash April 2022
Rotorcraft

Airbus Bags Biggest H145M Helicopter Order

German armed forces order up to 82 Airbus H145M helicopters
Airbus H145M
Rotorcraft

Leonardo Philadelphia Marks 700th Helo Delivery

Leonardo has delivered 700 helicopters from its Philadelphia campus since 2004
Leonardo has delivered 700 helicopters from its Philadelphia campus since 2004
Regulations and Government

City Controller Blasts LAPD Helicopters

Police chief says LAPD helicopters save lives, protect property
LAPD Airbus H125
Maintenance and Modifications

Robinson Discounts R66 Stabilizer Kit

R66 horizontal stabilizer kit priced at $3,600
Safety

Air Ambulance Pilot Charged with Drunk Flying

The former Air Evac pilot committed the alleged offense while transporting a passenger