Helicopters – Page 218
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Sikorsky enters fractional ownership market
The increasing popularity of helicopters as a business tool has prompted Sikorsky to start a dedicated helicopter fractional ownership programme in the USA, with its 15-seat S-76C+. The programme, dubbed Sikorsky Shares, is due to begin soon and will be offered initially within the north-east region of the USA, ...
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Meggitt acquires Whittaker for $380m
UK sensors, avionics and structures specialist Meggitt is to buy Whittaker of the USA for $380 million, advancing its strategy of exploiting niche markets in the aerospace industry. Whittaker specialises in aircraft valve production, ground fuelling products and fire/smoke detection systems, and will add to Meggitt's portfolio of aircraft ...
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Bell aims for US/Canadian 427 approval in July
Bell expects to receive Canadian and US airworthiness certification for its new 427 helicopter in July after completing modifications to the 407's similarly designed tail rotor in a move designed to prevent any further tail boom blade strikes. Certification of the eight-seat 427 has been delayed progressively since the ...
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Landmark delivery for Eurocopter EC135
Paul Derby Eurocopter's EC135 twin-engined helicopter programme reached a landmark at Paris yesterday. The manufacturer delivered the 100th EC135 to the helicopter unit of the Bavarian police force at the show and says that confirmed sales now stand at 160. The force has now received eight of the ...
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AlliedSignal and Sikorsky join on EGPWS
AlliedSignal and helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky have teamed up to develop an enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) for rotary wing applications. The specially developed system for helicopters will differ substantially from the fixed wing EGPWS, says AlliedSignal. A digital moving map will replace the traditional paper chart in the ...
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Mergers
Shareholders in US Airways Express carrier CCAIR have approved its merger with Mesa Air, of which it will become a wholly-owned subsidiary. Heroux has increased its involvement in Bombardier's Canadair Regional Jet programme by acquiring fellow Canadian aerostructures companies Metro Machining and Les Industries CAT. Turboméca is to acquire the ...
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Bell ponders launch of improved 412+
Paul Derby Bell Helicopter is still pondering whether it makes sense to launch an improved Model 412+ helicopter and says it will announce its plans by the end of the year. If the go-ahead is given, the project would be a Bell Agusta-driven programme, adding to the BA609 ...
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Proteus takes delivery of another Agusta helicopter
French helicopter operator Proteus yesterday took delivery of an Agusta A109 Power and lodged options for four more aircraft with the Italian manufacturer. Proteus already operates a fleet of four A109s from several bases in France and intends to use this aircraft in an EMS role. Agusta says its ...
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Honeywell unveils Primus Epic avionics system
Steve Nichols You would think that Mike Smith, president of Honeywell's Commercial Aviation Systems, would be too preoccupied with the AlliedSignal Aerospace merger to talk about business. But he's philosophical. "We've had a lot excitement over the last two weeks, but one constant in any business nowadays is ...
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Tiltrotor parts
Barnes Aerospace is planning to deliver firewall assemblies to Bell Helicopter Textron for the BA609 Tiltrotor by the third quarter of the year. Barnes is contracted to supply 250 shipsets, each of which contain 12 assemblies. Source: Flight International
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Police power
The UK's Sloane Helicopters has sold the first police-configured Agusta A109E to the Wales Dyfed/Powys Police air support unit. The twin-engined helicopter, which will replace the force's ageing Eurocopter AS355N, will be deployed for air ambulance and police support operations. Sywell, Northamptonshire-based Sloane is scheduled to deliver the £2.5 million ...
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Tiltrotor support
US-based Howmet has delivered its first production pylon support casting for the Bell/Agusta BA609 commercial tiltrotor. The pylon support is a fracture-critical component that is vital to the aircraft's ability to take off as a helicopter and shift to fixed-wing flight once airborne. The one-piece titanium casting can be ...
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Medical aid
Japan will take delivery of its first helicopter to be dedicated to emergency medical missions when Aero Asahi receives an MD Explorer next month. Tomen Aerospace, the MD Helicopters distributor in Japan, sold the aircraft to Aero Asahi, which will join forces with a Japanese hospital to operate the ...
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UK Royal flight gets HUMS
Marconi Avionics Portsmouth has installed a new Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) on board the latest Sikorsky S-76C+ helicopter used by the British Royal family. The system was installed by Sikorsky at its West Palm Beach, Florida facility for Air Hanson which operates Royal Household helicopter services. ...
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Twin-engined Eurocopter debuts at show
The Paris air show is home turf for Eurocopter and the European manufacturer is using the show to fly its EC155B twin-engine helicopter for the first time publicly. Launch customer is the German border guard (BGS) which took delivery of an initial batch of EC155Bs in March. BGS has ...
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Business jet market sees growth through fractions
Karen Walker Who would have thought that selling aircraft bit by bit could end up being bigger business than selling them whole? Thanks to fractional ownership, that is where the business jet industry seems to be heading. It explains why some of the largest and most talked about ...
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Heliport shortage cramps manufacturers' style
Paul Derby With industry analysts predicting a surge of growth for the helicopter fractional ownership market, manufacturers and operators have a tricky problem to grapple with - where exactly do they take off and land? The issue of infrastructure is one that has been perplexing not just potential ...
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Sikorsky to test helicopter ground warning system
AlliedSignal is to team with Sikorsky to develop a new version of its enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS), giving helicopter pilots the ability to 'see beyond the horizon' and navigate their way around hidden obstacles. It marks the first time that EGPWS technology has been refined specifically to meet ...
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Eagle gets Texas training
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC FlightSafety International is to build a new training centre at Dallas/Fort Worth airport in Texas. The facility will be near the FlightSafety Boeing simulator centre. The new building will accommodate 16 full-flight simulators for corporate and regional aircraft. It is just one of several new ...
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Italian medicine
European consortium Temporary Associated Companies has been awarded a contract by the regional government of Tuscany, Italy, to provide helicopter emergency medical services within the region. The group, which comprises Italy's Helitalia and Aeroveneta as well as UK-based Bristow Helicopters, will begin operations at the end of July. Helitalia will ...