Latest from Mark Huber
Rotorcraft
Wildfire Season Stretches U.S. Assets
This year’s fires raged at the same time, creating challenges for the agencies that fight them.
Rotorcraft
AW609 Tiltrotor Sets Speed Record on 1,161-km Trip
Aircraft covered 627-nm, point-to-point journey from AgustaWestland's factory in Yeovil, UK, to its Cascina Costa, Italy facility in 2 hours 18 minutes.
Accidents
Helinet Founder Purwin Perishes in Colombian Crash
Purwin, 53, founded the company that became Helinet in 1987 and was considered one of Hollywood’s top television and film helicopter and fixed-wing pilots.
Rotorcraft
Bell Helicopter Rolls Out Second 525 Prototype
Bell remains on track to complete flight testing with five ships flying an estimated 1,500 hours by the end of next year.
Aircraft
Cirrus SF50 Jet Gets FAA Type Inspection Authorization
TIA allows Cirrus to move forward with FAA conformity inspections and certification flight-tests with an FAA pilot on board the aircraft.
Rotorcraft
Bell To Open Jet Ranger X Facility, Reports on Progress
Bell 505 is approximately halfway through its flight-test program and is on track to gain Transport Canada certification by year-end.
Airlines
Midwest Carrier Offers Scheduled Caravan Service
Air Choice One brings service to Essential Air Service communities.
Rotorcraft
Bristow CEO: No Recovery until Late 2017
Continuing slump in oil prices is hitting the OGP services industry hard, says one operator.
Rotorcraft
Air Methods on the Acquisition Prowl--Again
The company is raising its credit line by $400 million with an eye to making an as yet undisclosed acquisition or acquisitions.
Rotorcraft
NYPD Completes Bell Transition
The NYPD began taking deliveries of the 429 last year to replace its four AgustaWestland AW119 singles.
Rotorcraft
AW609 on Certification Glide Path
The company is on track for certification in 2017 and customer deliveries in 2018.
Engines
GE Contemplates U.S. Turboprop MRO, Nextgen Engine Facility
An overhaul shop makes sense for the company as the fleet size in the U.S. grows.
Rotorcraft
AgustaWestland sees Latin America in “positive climb.”
The European helicopter manufacturer believes its prospects are good, including for the AW609 tiltrotor.
Noted Inventor and Aviator Forrest Bird Dead at 94
He held more than 50 aircraft STCs and more than 200 patents.
Aircraft
Embraer Reports Revenue Slide Despite Bizjet Upswing
Revenues dropped nearly 15 percent as the company delivered fewer commercial aircraft in second quarter.
Accidents
TBM 850 Crashes During Go-Around Attempt
Aircraft was attempting to land at alternate airport, local sheriff's office reports.
Rotorcraft
Round-the-world Flight in Robinson R22 on Ice
Man attempting to be the first pilot to solo circumnavigate the globe in a Robinson R22 ditched in Davis Strait.
Aircraft
Big Win for Bell and Fuji in Japan
The Bell 412EPI twin was preferred to the new H160 from Airbus Helicopters to replace UH-1J utility helicopters.
Aircraft
Daher Plans Hourly Maintenance Program for TBMs
Program price will likely differ with the type of avionics installed in the aircraft.
Rotorcraft
Retiring Army Bells Not Heading to Civvy Street
The Army is shedding more than 300 helicopters as it transitions to a twin-engine fleet.
Rotorcraft
Bristow Turns 60
Started in 1955 with a single contract to supply helicopter crews to oil companies operating in the Persian Gulf, the firm is a global powerhouse.
Rotorcraft
Bristow Launches eFlight GT Flight Tracking
Bristow and its clients will be able to see the position of Bristow aircraft at any time on an interactive map using satellite tracking signals.
Rotorcraft
Lockheed Martin Buying Sikorsky for $9B in Cash
United Technologies had been publicly shopping Sikorsky since at least February, and the Lockheed-Sikorsky deal had been telegraphed for weeks.
Rotorcraft
AgustaWestland AW169 Gets Nod from EASA
AW169s are equipped with a variable speed main rotor, which improves efficiency and reduces the external noise.
Rotorcraft
Ohio Police To Get First U.S.-made Airbus H125
OSHP currently operates two AS350B2 AStars to conduct a wide variety of law enforcement missions.
Rotorcraft
Bell Extends Global Market Reach
The helicopter manufacturer is assigning more component subcontracting work to companies in its non-North American customer base.
Rotorcraft
Lockheed Martin Emerging as Sikorsky’s Likely Suitor
United Technologies’ (UTC) board of directors was expected to meet this week to discuss the bids the company has received for its Sikorsky helicopter unit.
Aircraft
Bombardier Reviewing Global 7000/8000 Program Schedules
Company won't say if there will be delays, but business aviation analyst Rolland Vincent texpects both aircraft programs to be delayed by 18 to 24 months.
Rotorcraft
Era Group Opens New Houma Facility
New base features a climate-controlled hangar that can house more than 30 aircraft and a terminal that can process more than 15,000 passengers per month.
