Boeing's first production MD 903 Explorer twin-turbine helicopter had its first flight on 5 September at the manufacturer's base at Mesa, Arizona. The eight-seat light helicopter aircraft is an upgraded version of the original MD Explorer, offering more powerful Pratt & Whitney 206E turboshafts, 8% more range, 4% more endurance, a 115kg higher payload and lower operating costs. US Federal Aviation Administration certification is due in October.
Source: Flight International
Airbus Helicopters and partner PHI Aviation will shortly begin route-proving trials with the former’s H160 medium-twin in the Gulf of Mexico.
Piasecki Aircraft has secured new work for its ‘Heliplex’ facility in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, signing a collaboration agreement with Columbia Helicopters to upgrade Model 107 tandem-rotor helicopters to a new more fuel-efficient standard.
Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury admits that the airframer was not expecting to be negotiating an acquisition of key aircraft programmes from beleaguered US firm Spirit AeroSystems, but insists it is necessary and that Airbus is ready to absorb them.
