All Helicopters articles – Page 207
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News
New EFI received certification
Astronautics of America has won FAA and CAA approval for its 5 ATI electronic flight instrument (EFI), destined for the UK Coastguard. The EFI, provided to Bristow Helicopters in support of coastguard operations, replaces existing electro-mechanical instruments, while also providing navigation search pattern and colour weather radar overlays. The ...
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Helitech firms up order for AB139
The first customer to sign up for a Bell/Agusta AB139 medium twin helicopter in the Asia-Pacific region handed over a £150,000 deposit on the aircraft at the show yesterday. Joe Moharich, group managing director of Brisbane-based Helitech Industries, placed the deposit with Antonio Giovannini, executive marketing director for Bell/Agusta ...
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SAS acquisition boosts MDHI presence in UK
Arizona-based MD Helicopters has acquired UK-based police and ambulance helicopter operator Specialist Aviation Services (SAS) from Canada's Bombardier. "We're very pleased with the SAS acquisition," says Henk Schaeken, chairman and chief executive officer of MDHI. "It strengthens our position in the important UK market." What's more, "their local ...
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MD takes power
MD Helicopters has begun delivery of the MD Explorer powered by uprated Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207E turboshafts. The engine produces 530kW (710shp) for take off, with a single-engine rating of 595kW - representing increases of 11% and 8.5% respectively. Meanwhile, the Mesa, Arizona-based company has clinched an order from ...
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Soloy reclaims STC
Soloy has re-acquired from Rocky Mountain Helicopters the supplemental type certificate (STC) to re-engine LTS101-powered Eurocopter AS350s with Rolls-Royce Allison 250-C30Ms. The Olympia, Washington-based company developed the conversion in the mid-1980s. Source: Flight International
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Engine upgrade
The US Coast Guard is to spend $40 million upgrading Honeywell (formerly Allied-Signal) LTS101 engines powering its 93 Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphins. Phased improvements to the full-authority digital engine control and other components will increase power by 23%. Source: Flight International
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Schweizer boost
Schweizer Aircraft hopes that the delivery in April of its first three/four-seat Model 333 will help boost deliveries, which slumped to 40 330s, 300Cs and 300CBs last year. The Rolls-Royce Allison 250-C20W-powered helicopter offers a 90kg (200lb) increase in useful payload over the 330. Source: Flight International
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Sikorsky picks new avionics suite
Sikorsky has selected Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 equipment as the baseline avionics suite for its new S-92 medium helicopter. Sikorsky selected the avionics after dropping plans to develop a Honeywell-based cockpit. Late last month Canada's Cougar Helicopters signed a letter of intent to be the first launch customer for ...
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Bell 427 certification
Bell received US certification for the light twin-turbine Model 427 late last month, clearing the way for delivery of 80 helicopters the company has on order. In the meantime, Bell "is still looking at the 412, trying to decide what to upgrade and modernise", says Bell president John Murphy. Source: ...
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Helicopter training
Helicopter Adventures of the USA has signed a training agreement with the Hellenic Police Department of Greece. Training of eight police officers on specialised infrared equipment will span three months, starting in March. The Hellenic Police force operates three Eurocopter BO105s and plans to add two new generation EC135s this ...
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Schweizer denial
Schweizer Aircraft, the pioneering family-held US light helicopter manufacturer, is not for sale, says president Paul Schweizer. His denial follows the mysterious distribution of a prospectus which indicates that the Elmira, New York-based concern seeks a buyer. Source: Flight International
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CarterCopter rebuilds for new flight tests
CarterCopter, the Texas-based maker of a proof-of-concept hybrid autogyro and fixed-wing aircraft, is rebuilding and modifying the prototype after it crash-landed on its twelfth flight. The innovative gyroplane, designed by company president Jay Carter, is designed to take off and land vertically and fly at low speeds like a ...
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Fractional ownership to be a click away
Kate Sarsfield/LONDON TransJet.com, an Internet-based business aircraft and helicopter fractional ownership venture believed to be the first of its kind, will start operations on 15 February in the USA. The operation, owned by 3wVentures.com, a California-based Internet funding subsidiary of venture capitalist Web Capital of Florida, plans to launch ...
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Eurocopter delays EC145 sales effort
Eurocopter has put back commercial sales of its EC145 medium-twin utility helicopter for around 12 months, until the production backlog, totalling 40 machines for the French security forces, has been cleared. Advertising and promotion of the Turboméca Arriel 2E1-powered machine has also been delayed temporarily. Eurocopter president Siegfried Sobotta ...
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Order surge fuels Robinson's plans for expansion
Robinson Helicopter has booked orders for more than 170 R22 and R44 helicopters to be delivered this year, prompting the California-based manufacturer to begin a major expansion to its Torrance site and increase production of its four-place R44 from four to five machines a week. The move follows the ...
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FAA opens door to helicopter IFR
Helicopter operators in the USA will have greater flexibility to operate in instrument flight rule (IFR) conditions after crucial amendments to rules just issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration. The changes reduce the ceiling minimum for helicopters from 600ft (185m) to 400ft and the visibility minimum for precision ...
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Whisper Jet to keep canyon quiet
A heavily modified, ultra-quiet version of the Sikorsky S-55, dubbed the Whisper Jet, has been unveiled by its Washington-based developer following certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration. Conceived and developed by Whisper Jet in conjunction with Florida-based Vertical Aviation Technologies, the initial version of the helicopter is entering ...
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MD Helicopters severs last Boeing link
MD Helicopters has signalled a final separation from former owner Boeing with the $11 million purchase of its own production facilities and moves to begin the outsourcing of remaining subcontracting work. The new Dutch-owned manufacturer hopes to be able to double its output this year to 65 civil machines with ...
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Agusta invites Bell into ERICA tiltwing study programme
Agusta has invited Bell Helicopter Textron to join its planned ERICA tiltwing study programme. It has also expressed interest in Bell's concepts for larger derivatives of the jointly developed Bell/Agusta BA609 tiltrotor. "We're interested in participating in further developments of the BA609 and we've invited Bell to participate in ...
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Canadians to be first civil S-92 Helibus users
Sikorsky has signed initial agreements to place its first civil S-92 Helibus helicopters with two Canadian operators. Nevertheless, the US helicopter company and rival EH Industries face a battle trying to break into the traditional turboprop airline market. Cougar Helicopters has signed a letter of intent to be the ...