Helicopters – Page 213
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Air Harrods stocks twin turboshaft EC135 at Stansted
Air Harrods, subsidiary of the London department store, has taken delivery of a twin turboshaft Eurocopter EC135. The aircraft, completed by Eurocopter UK distributor McAlpine Helicopters, will join the London Stansted Airport-based operator's fleet in September, after receipt of a UK air operator's certificate. Air Harrods has two Sikorsky S-76s ...
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Japan's BK117 C-2 prototype flies at Gifu
Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has successfully flown the first Japanese-built prototype BK117 C-2 medium-twin-turbine helicopter at its Gifu plant. First flight was on 15 March, for about 1h, says Masato Furusawa, KHI's senior manager of helicopter project engineering. The prototype hovered and demonstrated forward, reverse and sideways flight and ...
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New EMS HQ
The UK's Kent Air Ambulance Trust is to transfer from its temporary headquarters at Rochester Airport to a purpose-built site at nearby Marsden, less than 10 years after the service began. According to the Trust, the new site is the UK's first fully integrated helicopter emergency medical services (EMS) air ...
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In the dark
Kawasaki is puzzled by Eurocopter's reluctance to promote the BK117/EC145 Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) plans to lift the veil on its BK117C-2/EC145 helicopter programme, developed jointly with Eurocopter, at Tokyo Aerospace 2000 (TA2000). It faces an unusual problem, however, in its Franco-German partner's reluctance to ...
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First Canadian EH101
The first Cormorant search and rescue variant of the EH Industries EH101 helicopter for the Canadian Forces has flown at Agusta's Vergiate factory. Canada has ordered 15 Cormorants to replace ageing Boeing Labradors. Source: Flight International
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India acts to attract more private sector investment
Julian Moxon/PARIS Mehar Singh/DELHI The Indian Government has released a draft civil aviation policy that promises to increase private sector involvement in the country's air transport industry, if the plan is approved. Among the more important recommendations of the report are the creation of an autonomous civil aviation ...
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German EC155s
The interior ministry of German state Baden-Wuerttemberg has ordered two Eurocopter EC155Bs for police duties. Equipment to be fitted to the pair includes a searchlight, weather radar, night vision goggle capable glass cockpit instrumentation. Delivery is due in March next year. Source: Flight International
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MD names distributor
MD Helicopters is reaching out into the burgeoning Chinese marketplace. The company has named Shenzhen-based Avion Pacific as a distributor for the company's entire line of light helicopters in China. "China has a relatively small, but growing marketplace with excellent potential for the future," says MDHI's regional sales manager ...
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Face the Facts with...Richard Case
GKN Westland Helicopters is set to announce itself as a truly major player in the global helicopter market when the impending merger with Agusta of Italy is concluded. Meanwhile it is chasing a host of lucrative contracts which could help to shape its business over the next decade. Paul Derby ...
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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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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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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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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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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 ...