Helicopters – Page 235
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Business booms for the 'Shortsky' conversion
Helipro, the Washington-based conversion specialist, says that its S-61 Short conversion of the Sikorsky S-61L and N, the "Shortsky," is in heavy demand. "From the heavylift side we have been non-stop," says Helipro president and technical director Hugh Whitfield. Six S-61 Shorts have been completed since the conversion ...
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Tridair aims to convert Bell 407s to Gemini twin configuration
Tridair has applied to the US Federal Aviation Administration for clearance to install the Gemini twin-engined conversion in the Bell 407. Bell Helicopter Textron has opted not to develop the helicopter as a twin. Tridair president Doug Daigle expects to receive a response from the FAA before the ...
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Design with power
Agusta has sold two A109 Power helicopters to designer Sir Bernard Ashley. The A109s will be operated by Jet International Management USA. They will replace older A109 AII and C models. Source: Flight International
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UK Met Office offers tailored research
Tailored weather research could offer airlines big cost savings and ease air-traffic-management (ATM) planning tasks for agencies such as Eurocontrol, according to the UK Meteorological Office. The Bracknell, UK-based weather centre is about to offer contract services to organisations which it believes could benefit from the availability of targeted weather ...
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MDHS' MD 600N troubles increase
McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (MDHS) is meeting with the US Federal Aviation Administration to discuss design and certification options following another crash of an MD 600N on 18 January during the flight-test programme. The eight place helicopter should have received FAA certification by mid-December 1996, despite earlier delays ...
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Bell aims for double success with new light twin
BELL HOPES TO emulate the success of the 407 with its new light twin-turbine helicopter, the Model 427. At just under $2 million, the price goal is even more challenging than that for the 407, because the 427 is essentially an all-new aircraft. The 427 will be certificated simultaneously to ...
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Bell begins assembly of new 427 light twin
BELL HAS BEGUN major assembly of the first prototype Model 427 light twin-turbine helicopter. The aircraft is to be flown at Bell's Canadian commercial-helicopter plant in December 1997. Two prototypes are planned and simultaneous Canadian, European and US certification is scheduled for December 1998. The first production 427 ...
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Bell 'quiet cruise' reduces 407 noise
BELL IS DEVELOPING a technique to reduce the fly-over noise of its Model 407 light single-turbine helicopter, to meet expected demand for quieter aircraft for use on sightseeing operations over US national parks, such as the Grand Canyon. The company has demonstrated its Quiet Cruise concept to park ...
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Eyes over the sea
The warning on Aerad's North Sea low-altitude chart is stark: "Extensive helicopter operations in this area in support of North Sea oil and gas industry. Aircraft operating below FL100 are advised to maintain vigilant lookout." For the pilots and rig personnel who spend their lives flying through the ...
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Bond begins Shannon SAR contract
Bond Helicopters has taken over the Shannon, Ireland-based search and rescue (SAR) contract operated on behalf of the Irish Marine Emergency Service. The company is operating a Sikorsky S.61N, which replaces a similar aircraft flown on the SAR contract for the last five years by Irish Helicopters. A second S.61N ...
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Grand Canyon tourists to have wings clipped
TOURIST FLIGHTS over the Grand Canyon are to be limited, and the phasing out of noisier aircraft has been proposed, in a bid to restore natural quiet to the US national park. From 1 May, new "flight-free" zones will be established, others will be modified and curfews will ...
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Eurocopter France
Eurocopter France (ECF) has been awarded ISO 9001 certification by the German Association for Certificating Management Systems. The certification comes after 18 months of work by ECF, setting up a quality system complying with ISO 9001 standards in design, manufacture and after-sales support. Source: Flight International
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Oryx claim rejected
A Paris commercial court has rejected a claim against Eurocopter by a Portuguese businessman, who was claiming substantial commission relating to an estimated $2 billion sale of helicopter kits to South Africa during the period of the UN arms embargo against the country. The businessman claimed that Aerospatiale ( the ...
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Derlan gears up
Sino Swearingen Aircraft has selected a Californian-based unit of Canada's Derlan Industries group to manufacture landing-gear systems for the SJ30-2 business jet. The contract is estimated to be worth around C$16 million ($12 million) over the life of the aircraft programme. Meanwhile, Derlan Aerospace Canada has received a letter of ...
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Turkey kills Cobra
Turkey has abandoned plans to purchase an additional ten Bell Helicopter AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters from the US Department of Defense. Concluding the acquisition had been hampered by US politicians concerned that the helicopters might be used against Kurdish "rebels" in the south-east of the country. Turkey's pulling out of ...
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Italy is close to helicopter selection
The Italian Carabinieri paramilitary police are soon to decide whether to buy the Agusta A109 Koala or a licence-built version of the McDonnell Douglas MD500 helicopter, to replace its fleet of Agusta-Bell 206s. At one stage, it looked as though Agusta would have to build the MD500N, after ...
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MDH cuts helicopter prices to boost sales
McDonnell Douglas Helicopters (MDH) is to introduce aggressive price cuts to stimulate sales of its MD600N and MD902 after admitting that its prices "have been too high". The price of the eight-seat MD600N, which is expected to receive US Federal Aviation Administration certification by early December, is ...
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P&WC details tilt-rotor engine
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Pratt & Whitney Canada plans to certificate its PT6C-67A turboshaft in mid-2000 for the Bell Boeing 609 civil tilt-rotor, first deliveries of which are scheduled for 2001. "The main differences between this engine and other PT6 series will be in the oil system ...
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SW-4 takes off
After years of false starts and delays, Polish industry is moving into the light helicopter market. Andrzej Jeziorski/WARSAW On a blustery Tuesday, 29 October, the Polish press and selected guests gathered at helicopter manufacturer PZL-Swidnik's factory near Lublin to watch an event crucial to the future of the ...