The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has ordered two additional mission-ready twin-engine EC725 (now marketed as the H225M Caracal) multirole utility helicopters as part of the continuation of its fleet strengthening programme agreement launched in 2012. Delivery of the two additional EC725s is scheduled for 2019. The RTAF’s EC725s are specially equipped with fast roping, cargo sling...
Russian Helicopters, part of State Corporation Rostec, has announced its CEO Alexander Mikheev’s contract extension until 2021. The decision was made on September 27, 2016 at the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders of Russian Helicopters. “During the three years under Alexander Mikheev’s guidance, Russian Helicopters has shown constant growth of all key financial indicators. In 2015,...
Sikorsky announced that North Slope Borough (NSB), Alaska, received its first S-92® helicopter dedicated to search and rescue. Acceptance of the aircraft occurred in a ceremony at Sikorsky’s commercial helicopter center here. The helicopter will perform the critical mission of search and rescue operations (SAR) for all NSB residents. The aircraft was selected to provide a s...
The Mexican Navy yesterday took delivery of the first of the ten AS565 MBe Panther helicopters it purchased in 2014, becoming the first customer in the world to receive the new version of this multi-role, medium-class military rotorcraft. The Navy will receive three other units before the end of the year and the remaining six by early 2018. The helicopters will be operated by the Naval Aviation...
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, and Mecaer Aviation Group (MAG), an acclaimed designer and manufacturer of high-end cabin comfort systems, have unveiled the MAGnificent interior for the Bell 525 Relentless. As part of Bell Helicopter’s luxury helicopter line, this new innovative interior is designed with enhanced bespoke amenities for Bell 525 Relentless customers. A ful...
Fig Air Inc., a Toronto-based VIP and corporate helicopter operator, has signed for a Sikorsky S-76D™ helicopter. This sale will result in the first delivery of the Sikorsky S-76D helicopter to a Canadian helicopter operator. Sikorsky is a Lockheed Martin Company (NYSE: LMT). Charles Bouchard, chief executive for Lockheed Martin Canada and a former Royal Canadian Air Force heli...
Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD), the manufacturing division of the Korean Air Group, have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Boeing to renew its joint cooperation of converting the South Korean military’s MD 500MD Defender helicopters into unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The Korean Air chairman and chief executive Yang Ho Cho and Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg si...
Bell Helicopter unveiled a new unmanned tiltrotor aircraft—the V-247 Vigilant—it is proposing for the U.S. Marine Corps. The manufacturer displayed a one-eighth-scale model of the aircraft with a working swiveling wing at a briefing September 22 in Washington, D.C. Bell has designed the Vigilant to meet a need expressed in the 2016 Marine Aviation Plan for a large, “sea-baseab...
The Russian Emergencies Ministry has confirmed the crash of its helicopter in the Moscow region. "A Mi-8 helicopter of the Russian Emergencies Ministry crashed during a training flight when the crew was drilling rescue operations in extremely difficult conditions in the Lubertsy district," the Russian Emergencies Ministry press service told TASS. Three Russian Emergencies Mini...
Sikorsky continued its celebration of the S-92® helicopter fleet’s one million flight hour milestone with events in the North Sea Region, the largest S-92 operating area in the world. Sikorsky is a Lockheed Martin Company (NYSE: LMT). Celebrating Monday in Aberdeen, Scotland, and Tuesday in Stavanger, Norway, Sikorsky executives thanked operators and customers for their dedication and...
A University of Maryland student team has once again achieved new aviation heights, this time by successfully lifting a helicopter and passenger through the sole use of solar power. After successfully completing the longest duration flight for a human-powered helicopter in fall of 2013, the UMD Gamera Team, a student team originally inspired in 2012 by the American Helicopter Society's Siko...
Charity Rhino911 will operate a Bell 407GT in an attempt to curb the problem of illegal Rhino poaching in South Africa. The non-profit organization established by Fred Hees, President of BBM Inc. in cooperation with Heli Africa Wildlife will use the Bell 407GT to try and reduce the rising number of Rhino killed particularly in relation to the surging demand for illegal Rhino horn. Rhi...
