Helicopters – Page 242
-
News
Tridair granted Gemini in-flight engine-shutdown approval
TRIDAIR HELICOPTERS, the California-based developer of the modified twin-engined Bell 206L LongRanger (or Gemini ST) has received certification for in-flight shutdown of an engine as a normal procedure. The long-awaited clearance allows operators to switch routinely between single- or twin-engined operation depending on circumstances - a cornerstone of ...
-
News
Greenwich will acquire Aviall engine businesses
Graham Warwick/ATLANTA GREENWICH AIR Services plans to emerge as the world's largest engine-maintenance group, having signed a letter of intent to acquire Aviall's airline-engine repair and overhaul business. News of the deal, which is being priced at around $260-280 million, came just days after Aviall put ...
-
News
IPTN renews interest in Bell 430
INDUSTRI PESAWAT Terbang Nusantara (IPTN) is signalling renewed interest in assembling the new Bell 430 helicopter in Indonesia. The Indonesian manufacturer originally signed an agreement with Bell Helicopter Textron in December 1994 to either assemble or re-assemble the 430 for sale to the local civil market. There has ...
-
News
EC120 testing reaches 60h
THE EC120 FIVE-SEAT HELICOPTER has undergone over 60h of testing since its first flight in June 1995 from the Eurocopter France site at Marignane. A second aircraft is scheduled to join the programme by the middle of this year. The aircraft, a joint venture between Eurocopter, Singapore Aerospace and China ...
-
News
Environment
Winner: PZL-Swidnik Polish Aviation Works Location: Swidnik, Poland Achievement: Taking a lead on safe environmental production in Eastern Europe with the introduction of a new anodising line. At the start of 1995, Polish helicopter maker PXL-Swidnik opened a fully automated line for chromic acid anodising of aluminium ...
-
News
Singapore applies to join Asian AE-100 programme
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE SINGAPORE Technologies is negotiating with China to take at least a 10% stake in the proposed new AE-100 passenger-aircraft programme. According to industry sources in Beijing, Singapore Technologies has already signed a memorandum of understanding with Aviation Industries of China (AVIC) to join ...
-
News
Comanche has Florida debut
SIKORSKY TEST PILOT Rus Stiles and Boeing test pilot Bob Gradle, were at the controls for the maiden flight of the Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche next-generation attack and reconnaissance helicopter. The flight took place on 4 January from Sikorsky's flight test centre in West Palm Beach, Florida. A second prototype - ...
-
News
China and S Korea wrangle over AE-100 assembly
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE CHINA AND SOUTH Korea, have again pushed back their selection of a Western partner, to develop the AE-100 passenger aircraft, until the two countries agree on the location of a final assembly line. Nearly 15 months after the Chinese and South Korean Governments agreed ...
-
News
IPTN restarts NBell output
INDUSTRI PESAWAT Terbang Nusantara (IPTN) has restarted licence production of the NBell 412 helicopter, after resolving procedural discrepancies highlighted by a recent regulatory audit. Work on the 412 production line resumed in December 1995 after "a refinement of procedures" by Bell and IPTN at the Indonesian company's Bandung ...
-
News
Eurocopter France rewarded for design
The French civil-aviation authority's Aeronautical Training and Technical Control department has awarded its design-approval certificate to Eurocopter France. The certificate is in recognition of the fact that the company's organisation and design standards meet the technical requirements of the European Joint Airworthiness Authorities (JAA) JAR 21 standard, and ...
-
News
Belgian police pick Explorer
BELGIUM'S Gendarmerie has selected the McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (MDHS) MD Explorer for its air component, which operates from Melsbroek air base, near Brussels. Two aircraft will be delivered in 1996, with a third on option for 1998 delivery. They will be used for police work throughout Belgium. ...
-
News
Bell helicopter
Webb Joiner has become chairman of Bell Helicopter Textron, of Fort Worth, Texas. Lloyd Shoppa succeeds Joiner as president. With Bell since 1960, Joiner is chairman of the American Helicopter Society. Shoppa, with Bell since 1964, was most recently senior executive vice-president. ...
-
News
Indian helicopter operator plans for expansion
PAWAN HANS is planning to acquire ten additional helicopters this year as part of a plan to start operations in the remote north east of India and to extend commercial services in support of tourism. The Indian state-owned helicopter operator has set aside a $31 million investment to ...
-
News
Comanche flies
The Boeing Helicopter/Sikorsky Aircraft RAH-66 Comanche next-generation attack helicopter was flown for the first time on 4 January, when it took off from Sikorsky's Development Flight Test Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. The first RAH-66 was rolled out in May 1995. A second prototype, fitted with a reconnaissance mission-equipment ...
-
News
Production MD 600N lifts off
THE FIRST production model of the MD 600N helicopter had its maiden flight at the McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (MDHS) Mesa plant in Arizona on 15 December. MDHS experimental test pilot Chan Morse flew the MD 600N for 30min, reaching a top speed of around 100kt (185km/h) in ...
-
News
Kaman prepares Japan's first K-MAX
KAMAN AEROSPACE plans to ship the first K-MAX external-lift helicopter for Japan by the end of this month. The aircraft has been sold by Japanese K-MAX distributor KBK to Japan Royal Helicopters and is expected to enter service on power-line projects following Japanese certification. Bloomfield, Connecticut-based Kaman, meanwhile, ...
-
News
Light ambitions
POLAND'S WARSAW-BASED Aviation Institute has embarked on a three-year project with helicopter manufacturer WSK-PZL Swidnik, to develop a new light helicopter. The IS-2, shown in mock-up form, is a two-seat helicopter powered by a single Textron Lycoming piston engine. The project is being funded, by the Government Committee for Scientific ...
-
News
Five operators compete for 1996 Atlanta Olympics service
Karen Walker/ATLANTA FIVE US HELICOPTER operators have submitted bids to provide a short-haul transport service in the Atlanta, Georgia, area when the city hosts the 1996 Olympic Games. Organisers are not revealing the names of bidders for the project, known as the Atlanta Short-Haul Transportation ...
-
News
Textron revamps Bell/Cessna structure
TEXTRON HAS announced management changes at its Bell Helicopter and Cessna Aircraft units. David Assard has been promoted to the newly created post of president at Cessna, reporting to chairman and chief executive Russ Meyer. Other changes at Cessna include the promotion of executive vice-president Gary Hay to ...
-
News
Price freeze
Bell Helicopter Textron will not increase spare-part prices in 1996, but will hold them at 1994 levels for a second year, citing the cost of operating a helicopter as "the biggest single threat to our industry". Source: Flight International