Helicopters – Page 227
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MD 600N ticket close
The delayed US certification of the McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (MDHS) MD600N is expected early in May. MDHS has raised the rotor minimum speed and moved the tail-thruster exit to on top of the tailboom to eliminate blade strikes on the boom caused by rotor droop during control reversals at ...
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A return to business
With confidence in the UK economy on the rise, it seems fitting that the 1997 European Business Air Show (EBAS) should be hosted at London's Stansted Airport for the first time. The sixth annual EBAS will run from the 13-15 May, and will feature all aspects of business aviation. "EBAS ...
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Wankel examines multi-fuel engine
German engine manufacturer Wankel Rotary is studying the development of a multi-fuel rotary engine for aircraft and helicopter applications. Wankel says that the variable installation position (VIP) engine will be able to run on avgas, kerosene, diesel, natural gas, methanol or hydrogen, and will offer substantial weight savings ...
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Crash grounds BK117S
The US Federal Aviation Administration has grounded Eurocopter BK117s until the tailbooms can be inspected for fatigue cracks. The move follows the crash of Colgate-Palmolive's corporate aircraft on take-off in New York on 15 April, killing one passenger. Since then cracks have been found in three more helicopters. ...
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Clinton stymied by vested interests
Sir - Why cancel the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F22, McDonnell Douglas F18E/F, or even the Joint Strike Fighter, purely to accelerate delivery of the Bell-Boeing V-22 tiltrotor? (Flight International, 23-29 April, P18). I had wondered why certain US politicians had been trying to make out that the F18E/F "-didn't ...
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Sextant courts China with AVIC proposal
France's biggest avionics manufacturer, Sextant Avionique, has made an unprecedented offer for an "across-the-board" alliance with Aviation Industries of China (AVIC) for local development and manufacture of avionics for civil aircraft and helicopters. The offer, which comes a month before French president Jacques Chirac visits China, parallels overtures ...
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Tiger Stinger tests
The Eurocopter Tiger anti- tank helicopter has undergone a successful series of five live test firings of the Stinger air-to-air missile. The launches were made from the fifth prototype Tiger in various flight conditions, including hover, descent at 500ft/min (2.5m/s) and 50kt (90km/h) forward speed. Source: ...
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Training rigs
Most offshore oil and gas installations around the world are supported by helicopter operations, and yet the work, particularly the landing on rigs, continues to be dangerous, often combining a cramped industrial environment with bad weather conditions. Helideck crews on rigs, therefore, need to be prepared for the worst - ...
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Dasa improves but continues with loss
Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa) stayed in the red during 1996, ending the year with an operating loss of DM196 million ($114 million) after a poor performance from the military-aircraft and missiles businesses. The result continues the improvement made after 1995, when charges from the withdrawal from the Fokker regional ...
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Virgin Executive Aviation takes off
The Virgin Group has joined forces with the McCarthy leisure-investment group to form Virgin Executive Aviation, a corporate-jet and helicopter charter company aimed at exploiting European business and leisure-travel markets. The new company also plans to offer feeder services into London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports for Virgin Atlantic's ...
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East Asia buys S-76Cs
Macau-based helicopter operator East Asia Airlines has signed a contract for three 12-passenger Sikorsky S-76C helicopters for delivery late this year, replacing three eight-seat Bell 222s. The airline flew more than 40,000 passengers on its shuttle between Hong Kong and Macau during 1996. Source: Flight International
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Europe & the CIS
Compiled by John Christovassilis, Neil Remmer,Andrew Griffin and Gabrielle Villano The 1997 Flight International World Airline Directory lists airlines involved in scheduled services or those which offer significant charter services. Our selection criterion has been to list operators with one or more aircraft with more than 19 seats. Where justified ...
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Parts help
The Helicopter Association International (HAI) has cut the cost of listing spares on its electronic Helicopter Parts Search (HELPS) service, available through its Web site (www.rotor.com). Buyers can search through more than 120,000 parts listed by 40 suppliers and e-mail requests for quotes to vendors. Source: ...
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Eurocopter alerts operators to destroyed-aircraft risks
Eurocopter's US arm has introduced a service to advise customers when an aircraft is considered destroyed. The move addresses safety concerns when parts from destroyed aircraft are returned to service as replacements in other helicopters. American Eurocopter's fleet-notification system will advise customers and operators of the serial number ...
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TCAS for Bell 412
JetCorp of St Louis, Missouri, has received US Federal Aviation Administration supplemental type certification for the installation of AlliedSignal's CAS 66A traffic-alert collision-avoidance system (TCAS I) on a Bell 412 helicopter. The TCAS antennas were mounted on both the upper-transmission cowling and tail boom to avoid interference from the wirestrike ...
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The Americas
The 1997 Flight International World Airline Directory lists airlines involved in scheduled services or those which offer significant charter services. Our selection criterion has been to list operators with one or more aircraft with more than 19 seats. Where justified by significance of service or national-carrier status, airlines operating aircraft ...
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Cyprus Police acquires another Bell 412
The National Police Force of Cyprus has ordered a second Bell 412EP for delivery in May. The first 412 has been in service in Cyprus for eight years, and the police force will use the new machine for search-and-rescue and other law-enforcement activities. The helicopter will be customised with a ...
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Fairchild cools down Longbow Apache
FAIRCHILDCONTROLS is to supply the environmental-control system for the upgraded AH-64D Longbow Apache attack helicopter under a $73 million contract from McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems. Frederick, Maryland-based Fairchild will supply the Improved Environmental Control System, a distributed vapour-cycle cooling and heating unit consisting of two redundant systems with ...
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Litton smartens UH-60
Litton's Guidance and Control Systems division is to retrofit an initial four US National Guard Sikorsky UH-60A helicopters with cockpit smart multi-function displays (SMFDs). Woodland Hills, California-based Litton says that the SMFDs could be fitted to up to 83 more aircraft, with the aircraft reconfigured as UH-60Qs for battlefield medical- ...
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New skids from Dart
Canada-based Dart Aerospace has developed a new helicopter-skid design which is up to seven times stronger than the conventional unit, according to the company. The Round-I-Beam skidtube is strengthened with a central web which runs through the centre of the tube. The skidtube has been designed to fit several Bell ...