Helicopters
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NewsDLR-led STAR project shines light on performance boost from ‘active twisting’ rotor blades
German researchers believe the addition of active twisting technology to helicopter main rotor blades can significantly improve performance while also cutting noise and vibration levels.
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NewsHeliOffshore picks Duncan Trapp as new chair as organisation continues safety push
Global rotorcraft safety organisation HeliOffshore has appointed industry veteran Duncan Trapp as its new chair-elect, to succeed incumbent Bill Chiles from April.
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NewsStrong year for H160 helicopter as 2025 orders point to parity with rival AW139
Airbus Helicopters’ H160 achieved order parity with the Leonardo AW139 in the civil and parapublic market last year as the new medium-twin contender gained traction against the segment’s long-term leader.
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NewsBrazilian probe into H160 helicopter ditching points to fatigue failure of main rotor part
Brazilian investigators have disclosed the sequence of events that led to the ditching of an Airbus Helicopters H160 off the coast of Brazil in early January, although are yet to reach a conclusion for the fatigue failure of a critical part of the main rotor assembly.
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NewsProteus autonomous helicopter takes flight for Royal Navy
Leonardo Helicopters has performed the first flight of the Proteus autonomous rotorcraft technology demonstrator it has developed for the UK Royal Navy.
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NewsGhana becomes latest customer for H175M helicopter with two-unit order
Airbus Helicopters has secured another customer for its H175M – the military version of its super-medium-twin – with Ghana ordering two multirole-configured examples.
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NewsMatthieu Louvot takes top job at Airbus Helicopters as Bruno Even leaves after eight-year stint
Bruno Even has stepped down as chief executive of Airbus Helicopters, effective from 1 April, to be replaced by Matthieu Louvot, currently executive vice-president for strategy at the wider Airbus group.
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News‘Significant vibrations’ preceded H160 Brazil ditching, preliminary investigations reveal
The pilots of an Airbus Helicopters H160 that ditched off the coast of Brazil on 2 January opted for the emergency landing after detecting “significant vibrations in flight”, the manufacturer has disclosed.
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NewsSafety probe begins after H160 helicopter ditches off Brazilian coast
Investigations are under way after an Airbus Helicopters H160 operated by Omni Taxi Aereo was forced to ditch off the coast of Brazil.
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NewsHAL conducts maiden flight of Dhruv NG civilian helicopter
Hindustan Aeronautics has flown an upgraded civilian variant of its 5.5t Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter, powered by locally developed engines and featuring enhanced safety systems.
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NewsOffshore operator NHV Group snapped up by lessor GD Helicopter Finance
Chinese-owned lessor GD Helicopter Finance (GDHF) is broadening its portfolio with the acquisition of Belgian offshore operator NHV Group from its private equity owner Ardian.
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NewsLeonardo performs first flight of Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor technology demonstrator
Leonardo Helicopters has finally flown the Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor (NGCTR) a technology demonstrator developed as part of an EU Clean Sky 2-funded project.
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NewseVTOL developer Archer sets up UK subsidiary to target defence market
Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) developer Archer Aviation is setting up a UK subsidiary and engineering hub in southwest England to target the country’s defence market.
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NewsFrance’s Gendarmerie Nationale readies for H160 operations after first delivery milestone
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first of 10 H160 medium-twins for operation by France’s Gendarmerie Nationale (GN).
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NewsGermany firms 20 H145M LKH options, taking total commitment to 82 helicopters
Germany has exercised options for 20 Airbus Helicopters H145Ms, adding to the 62 examples of the light-twin it ordered in December 2023.
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NewsAvincis eyes doubling of windfarm support business as industry expansion spurs growth plan
Aerial solutions provider Avincis hopes to double the size of its wind farm support operation by the start of next decade on the back of its entry into the segment with the September acquisition of Danish operator KN Helicopters.
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NewsNorwegian investigators flag suspected maintenance issue for in-flight engine shutdown on Bristow S-92
Norwegian investigators believe an unspecified maintenance issue was the likely cause of an in-flight engine failure on a Sikorsky S-92 heavy-twin shortly after take-off from an oil platform.
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NewsKorean National Police orders single H225
The Korean National Police Agency has ordered a single Airbus Helicopters H225, becoming a new customer for the airframer.
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NewsCzech Police to acquire Sikorsky Firehawks and Black Hawks through Helicopter Alliance companies
Companies under the Helicopter Alliance umbrella have secured a deal with the Czech interior ministry to supply six Sikorsky rotorcraft – three new S-70M Firehawks and trio of refurbished UH-60Ls – for operation by the country’s police.
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NewsRobinson Helicopter progresses R88 as first test articles come together
Robinson Helicopter is building towards a maiden sortie of its new R88 flagship towards the end of next year, with parts for the first flight-test prototype already in production.