All Helicopters articles – Page 219

  • News

    Japan promotes unmanned helicopters for crop dusting

    1998-04-29T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/GIFU, JAPAN Two Japanese aerospace manufacturers have begun to promote the commercial use of unmanned helicopters for agricultural crop dusting and airborne surveillance missions. Kawada Industries has developed the RoboCopter 300 based on the Schweizer 300CB and had accumulated 40h of flight time by mid-April. The company hopes ...

  • News

    UK apache runs

    1998-04-15T15:11:00Z

    Ground runs of a GKN Westland WAH-64 attack helicopter fitted with the Rolls-Royce Turboméca RTM-322 were carried out for the first time on 6 April. The aircraft is scheduled to fly by mid-year. Source: Flight International

  • News

    Lucas drives on

    1998-04-15T14:23:00Z

    Lucas Aerospace has been selected by Bell Helicopter Textron to supply main input drive-shaft assemblies for upgraded H-1 helicopters. Source: Flight International

  • News

    Turbine Helicopters Accidents list

    1998-04-15T12:37:00Z

    David Learmount/LONDON See also Loss of Control Individual turbine-helicopter accident details have been supplied by Airclaims* from its World Airline Accident Summary (WAAS), which it compiles and publishes on behalf of the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The WAAS also provides analysis by category under aircraft type, event, ...

  • News

    Loss of control

    1998-04-15T00:00:00Z

    Often it is unfair to blame only the pilot for colliding with objects near a helipad. Some sites are unnecessarily cluttered with objects waiting to be hit Helicopters cannot afford malfunctions, because when they happen loss of control is frequently the result David Learmount/london Fixed ...

  • News

    US Coast Guard starts replacement programme

    1998-04-08T16:44:00Z

    Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC The USCoast Guard has launched a programme to replace its fleets of aircraft and surface vessels. A request for proposals for the Integrated Deepwater System programme was released in March, and up to three teams will be awarded concept development contracts in July. The Coast ...

  • News

    Shell shocks British International Helicopters

    1998-04-08T16:33:00Z

    British International Helicopters (BIH) faces an uncertain future after Shell UK Exploration and Production (Shell Expro) awarded a vital £175 million ($289 million) North Sea support contract to rival UK operator Bristow Helicopters. Aberdeen, Scotland-based BIH has held the Shell Expro contract for the past 30 years. It will ...

  • News

    Boeing gives 2000 bug guarantee

    1998-04-08T00:00:00Z

    Ian Sheppard/LONDON Boeing will give written guarantees that its aircraft will behave normally through the transition to the year 2000, despite a decision by aviation insurers to exclude their own liability to the millennium software bug. James Wigfall, Boeing's manager for business relations and support systems, spoke about ...

  • News

    Second Sikorsky Skycrane is converted for use as firefighter

    1998-04-01T00:00:00Z

    Erickson Air-Crane is remanufacturing a second Sikorsky S-64 and offering it to operators as a firefighting "Helitanker". Oregon-based Erickson bought the S-64 Skycrane type certificate from Sikorsky in 1992. The company developed more than 100 modifications for the helicopter before producing its first Air-Crane in July 1997. The zero-time ...

  • News

    Busy Socata is forced to delay Tangara

    1998-04-01T00:00:00Z

    Julian Moxon/PARIS Production of the Socata Tangara light twin is to be delayed by up to a year, as the French manufacturer meets increased demand for subcontracting work and its TBM700 single. French certification of the Textron Lycoming 0-360-A1G6 powered Tangara was obtained in December 1997, with production start-up originally ...

  • News

    Hunting sale

    1998-03-25T09:14:00Z

    Hunting has sold its engine repair business to Canada's CHC helicopter group. The £25 million ($41.6 million) deal comes as the latest in a string of disposals from the UK group, which is winding down its civil aviation division, and follows the recent sale of its aircraft interiors business. The ...

  • News

    Helicopter DGPS trial progresses

    1998-03-25T00:00:00Z

    A team of Honeywell, Sikorsky and Universal Avionics has completed the first phase of test flights to develop precision approach procedures for helicopters using differential global positioning system (DGPS) guidance. "We're very encouraged," says Sikorsky engineering test and project pilot Dave Wright. "Now we have a very good handle ...

  • News

    Allison is on track for 'Super R' certification

    1998-03-25T00:00:00Z

    Allison Engine hopes to certificate an ambitious upgrade for its Model 250-C20R Series II turboshaft engine in the third quarter of 1998, says the Rolls-Royce owned company. Allison says that the "Super R" project will provide up to a 20% increase in power and is aimed at improving performance for ...

  • News

    Boeing/DARPA agree canard rotor/wing trial

    1998-03-25T00:00:00Z

    Boeing's Phantom Works and the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have signed a $24 million cost sharing contract for a proof of concept demonstration of the canard rotor/wing (CR/W). The three year programme is to include flight testing of a subscale unmanned vehicle to demonstrate vertical take-off and ...

  • News

    Bell sale

    1998-03-18T15:42:00Z

    Air Methods has sold a Bell 407 aeromedical helicopter to Arizona's Flagstaff Medical Center, which it will continue to operate under a long-term contract, alongside a Bell 206L-3. The company is to transfer a EurocopterBK117 to its Mercy Air Services subsidiary on completion of a long running contract with Stanford ...

  • News

    Rogerson displays ambitions

    1998-03-11T00:00:00Z

    Rogerson Kratos is to supply cockpit flat panel displays for an upgraded version of the Bell 412 twin turbine medium helicopter. The company will provide an electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) and integrated instrument display system (IIDS). Flight testing is due to begin by the end of the year. ...

  • News

    Q and A with Sikorsky's Gene Buckley

    1998-02-27T00:00:00Z

    As president and chief executive officer of Sikorsky Gene Buckley, left, is one of the most influential men in the aerospace industry today. He talked to Paul Derby about his attitude to the fierce competition which exists in the helicopter market, his views on the future of the RAH-66 Comanche ...

  • News

    Textron confirms buying of Boeing helicopter business

    1998-02-27T00:00:00Z

    Bell Helicopter Textron confirmed at the show yesterday that it is to buy a "substantial portion" of Boeing's commercial helicopter business. The deal, agreed by the two companies in the USA on Wednesday, will see Bell acquire the MD-500 and MD-600 series of turbine singles, but excludes the MD-900 ...

  • News

    Battle

    1998-02-26T19:17:00Z

    Reacting to the news, European competitors say the consolidation underlines existing battle lines. "We are used to fighting our corner in this market," says Eurocopter's Marc Jouan. "We have great confidence in our products and we see nothing to change that view." Sikorsky president Gene Buckley has already taken ...

  • News

    Parker move

    1998-02-26T00:00:00Z

    Parker move Parker Aerospace has announced at the show the opening of a regional office in the south of France. The Toulouse business centre will provide local support for French customers including Dassault, Snecma, Airbus Industrie and Eurocopter. Parker Aerospace designs and manufactures hydraulic, fuel and pneumatic ...