Honeywell Aerospace has signed a contract to supply its next-generation HTS900 engine to Marenco Swisshelicopter. The HTS900, which generates strong performance at high altitudes and in hot temperatures while reducing emissions and pilot workload, is to be installed in the new Marenco SKYe SH09 helicopter in the first production aircraft agreement for the new Honeywell engine. "The...
Bell Helicopter has signed a Letter of Intent with Horizon International Flight Academy to become the first Bell Helicopter authorised training centre in the Middle East. The signing took place at the Dubai Airshow. Horizon International Flight Academy is based at Al Ain International Airport. It is purpose-built for flight training. “We are looking forward to becoming a member of th...
Airbus Helicopters has completed the first flight of a lightweight, high-compression engine (HCE) on an H120 Colibri helicopter technology demonstrator. The 6 November sortie of the light-single, modified with a 4.6 litre V8 high-compression piston engine, is part of the “green rotorcraft” component of European Clean Sky initiative. The powerplant is designed to lower noise and emis...
Bell Helicopter announced today the signature of a letter of intent (LOI) with Strong Aviation for a Bell 525 Relentless super medium helicopter. Above: (left to right) David Sale, Regional Sales Manager, Bell Helicopter, Captain Salem Safar, Aviation Manager, Strong Aviation and Patrick Moulay, VP Global Commercial Sales, Bell Helicopter. Established in 1995, Strong Aviation is a p...
The Kingdom of Bhutan, Airbus Helicopters announced the arrival of the first H130, from the proven Ecureuil family, in the Kingdom of Bhutan. This is the first of two helicopters acquired by the Royal Bhutan Helicopter Services Limited (RBHSL) to serve parapublic and commercial missions. The second H130 is expected to be delivered in June 2016. “We are thrilled to be the first to rec...
Russian Helicopters, part of state corporation Rostec, has started flight testing of a second prototype of the medium multirole Mi-171A2 at Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. The new Mi-171A2 prototype includes all the unique features typical of this type of helicopter, making it competitive with its global peers. Pre-flight and certification testing are also currently underway. The Mi-171A2 is the m...
Airbus Helicopters has taken its in-development H160 twin-engined helicopter to a speed of 176kt (202km/h) during flight tests, and believes a never-exceed speed (Vne) of 180kt should be achievable. Disclosing the flight-test progress at a Dubai media briefing held at the H160 mock-up on the static display, Benoit Terral, sales promotion manager for the type, said the velocity was achieved duri...
Renowned Australian landscape and nature photographer Richard Green, his wife Carolyn and friend John Davis were killed when Green’s Airbus Helicopters EC135, VH-GKK, crashed in mountainous terrain while the trio were returning to Sydney, having departed from Breeza Station, south-west of Tamworth, on November 7. When the distinctively painted EC135 failed to arrive a...
The Bell 525 Relentless is ready to revolutionize the helicopter industry as the world's first fly-by-wire (FBW) commercial helicopter. Thanks to years of experience developing fly-by-wire systems, Bell Helicopter has channeled this expertise into creating a new standard for pilot controls. FBW technology replaces the traditional manual flight controls with a digital interface that provides...
Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems have announced a joint venture to produce aerostructures for the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter in India. The joint venture will also compete for additional work on other Boeing plaftorms, says Boeing. “This partnership will capitalise on India’s industrial capability, innovation and talent to contribute to Boeing’s long-term competitiveness...
The UAE Armed Forces' new Bell Model 407MRH (multi-role helicopter) has made its Dubai debut at this years air show. The 407MRH is a new military derivative of the Bell 407 developed by Abu Dhabi-based NorthStar Aviation, which is already fulfilling an order for 30 of the helicopters from the UAE armed forces. Approximately 20 have now been delivered with the remainder will arriving on...
Air Methods announced its intention November 5 to acquire air medical provider Tri-State Care Flight for $222.5 million. Tri-State was founded in 2002 and operates a mixed fleet of 19 EMS helicopters, including AgustaWestland AW109Es and AW119s, and Eurocopter AS 350 models, and four fixed-wing aircraft, including Beechcraft King Air B200s, from bases in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico....