All articles by Dominic Perry – Page 16
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NewsRivals line up to unseat S-92 from offshore throne
For nearly a decade now, from Aberdeen to Stavanger to Houma, wherever the oil and gas industry has needed to move a lot of people a long way offshore, the S-92 has been the helicopter of choice. But with an ageing fleet and competitors snapping at its heels, will the Sikorsky heavy-twin’s dominance endure?
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NewsArcher regulatory chief Nolen adds another string to his bow with ZeroAvia appointment
Former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Billy Nolen had added another role to his existing responsibilities for Archer Aviation having been appointed by ZeroAvia as its senior strategy and regulatory advisor.
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NewsVirgin drops Vertical in favour of Joby’s proposed UK air taxi operations
Virgin Atlantic has abandoned its relationship with Vertical Aerospace in favour of a deal with US air taxi developer Joby Aviation.
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NewsExpanding Ace Aeronautics targets backlog boost from new orders
Reconditioned Black Hawk specialist Ace Aeronautics is gearing up for significant expansion as it lines up multiple new orders – including another unit for repeat customer Ukraine.
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NewsEurope must not rely on USA for future military rotorcraft needs, Leonardo Helicopters chief argues
Leonardo Helicopters’ managing director Gian Piero Cutillo believes it would not be “convenient for Europe” to buy military tiltrotors direct from the USA rather than developing its own capability if nations decide the architecture best meets their future rotorcraft requirements.
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NewsTHC eyes move beyond Saudi Arabia’s borders as rapid expansion continues
Saudi Arabia’s The Helicopter Company (THC) will shortly announce its first international operation, as the fledgling business continues its rapid expansion. In addition, the operator – owned by the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) – will this year launch its urban air mobility (UAM) unit and carry out flight tests ...
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NewsFlight test success clears Horizon’s path to full-scale Cavorite prototype
Canadian start-up Horizon Aircraft has almost wrapped up flight tests of a half-scale version of its Cavorite X7 – a hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft designed for regional operations.
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NewsRolls-Royce resumes ALECSys flight tests, including cold-weather trials
Rolls-Royce has restarted flight tests of its next-generation ALECSys combustion system, including cold-weather testing in Alaska, as it looks to ensure maturity of the technology.
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NewsLeonardo mulls Wildcat’s future amid dwindling backlog
Leonardo Helicopters continues to assess the future of its AW159 Wildcat programme in light of a dwindling backlog and a challenging sales environment.
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NewsAirbus Helicopters ‘overwhelmed’ by reaction to H140 as orders pile up
Airbus Helicopters has almost sold out the first three years of production for its new H140 since the light-twin’s 11 March launch.
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NewsArrius 2E fleet reaches double figures as Safran accelerates test programme
Safran Helicopter Engines has already built more than 10 examples of its new Arrius 2E powerplant for the Airbus Helicopters H140 as it eyes certification in support of service entry in 2028.
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NewsNew Lilium rescue talks at ‘advanced stage’, sources indicate
In potentially another dramatic twist to Lilium’s protracted collapse, rumours have surfaced of yet another last-ditch bid to salvage the air taxi developer.
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NewsSafran pushes power limits higher in pursuit of next-generation military rotorcraft needs
Safran Helicopter Engines is deep into the initial stages of multiple separate projects to expand the upper limits of its military turboshaft range, pushing power output well beyond the current 3,000shp (2,240kW) maximum.
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NewsMagnix makes move into rotorcraft market with Helistorm motors
Advanced propulsion specialist Magnix aims to begin deliveries to customers in 2026 of its first Helistorm electric motors for helicopter applications.
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NewsOmni reveals more details of Bell-funded 525 operational evaluation
More details have emerged on the six-month operational evaluation of the Bell 525 to be carried out later this year in Guyana by offshore operator Omni Helicopters International and funded by the airframer.
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NewsSikorsky eyes new S-92 orders but plays down likely offshore demand
Sikorsky still sees “significant demand” for the S-92 and is hoping in the coming months to finalise the first new orders in several years for the heavy-twin, largely for VIP or head-of-state missions.
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In depthAirbus Helicopters to ‘raise the bar’ with launch of new H140 light-twin
Occupying the space between its strong-selling H135 and H145 light-twins, the H140 features a five-blade main rotor, a new powerplant – the Safran Helicopter Engines Arrius 2E – a T-tail, a larger cabin, an improved Fenestron shrouded tail rotor.
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NewsLCI chief hails ‘global reach’ from Macquarie Rotorcraft acquisition
The acquisition of Macquarie Rotorcraft by leasing joint venture SMFL LCI Helicopters (SMFLH) will provide “global reach for a global platform”, says LCI Investments chief executive Jaspal Jandu.
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NewsAW609 inches closer to certification with start of type-inspection flights
Federal Aviation Administration pilots have begun Type Inspection Authorization flights of the Leonardo Helicopters AW609 tiltrotor from the manufacturer’s US plant in Philadelphia.
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NewsAW09 flight tests resume following five-month pause to resolve supplier issue
Leonardo Helicopters has resumed test flights of its single-engined AW09 following a five-month pause to address a manufacturing non-conformity issue in the main gearbox.