Helicopters – Page 22
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News
Elbit tests Hermes 900 UAV on SAR missions for UK coastguard
UK coastguard officials are evaluating the results of a series of demonstration flights conducted with an Elbit Systems Hermes 900 unmanned air vehicle (UAV) as part of research in support of the country’s next-generation search and rescue contract.
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News
US helicopter manufacturers eye further military sales in Eastern Europe
US helicopter manufacturers Bell and Sikorsky are continuing their push into Eastern Europe as they eye new opportunities in the region.
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News
Nakanihon Air orders one H215 heavy twin
Airbus Helicopters has secured an order for one H215 heavy-twin from Japanese aviation services company Nakanihon Air. The rotorcraft, which Airbus Helicopter says will help the operator “shore up its capabilities for utility and aerial work”, joins Nakanihon’s fleet of 45 other helicopters from Airbus. Source: ...
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News
Hill reveals more details of HX50 helicopter as CAA hints at possible certification route
Hill Helicopters has revealed further details of its planned HX50 light-single, including confirmation that it is developing its own turbine engine for the platform, designated the GT50, plus an intention to redesign the rotorcraft’s traditional control layout.
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News
Tokyo evaluates AW609 to connect remote islands
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will evaluate the capabilities of the Leonardo Helicopters AW609 civil tiltrotor, as it mulls future air connections with the outlying island of Ogasawara. Located about 1,000km (540nm) away from Tokyo, Ogasawara island lacks direct air links with major Japanese cities. Source: Leonardo ...
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News
Vertical Aerospace unveils gull-winged eVTOL design
UK start-up Vertical Aerospace has unveiled the design of its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that will enter series production, and says it aiming to begin the “pioneering, affordable” gull-winged air taxi to market in 2024.
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News
Hill Helicopters unveils ‘disruptive’ HX50 but has mountain to climb to bring it to market
UK start-up Hill Helicopters has revealed the first images of a clean-sheet rotorcraft it says can be delivered in 2023, as it bids to take on established players in light-single segment. However, details of key suppliers and certification process remain under wraps.
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News
Seoul orders two KUH-1P Chamsuri police helicopters
The South Korean government has signed a W47.1 billion ($39.7 million) contract with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for two additional KUH-1P Chamsuri helicopters for police work. The two rotorcraft are parapublic variants of the Surion military helicopter, and will be delivered by February 2023, says KAI. Source: KAI ...
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News
Airbus Helicopters wins deal with Saudi Arabia’s THC for 10 H125s
Saudi Arabia’s The Helicopter Company (THC) is to expand its fleet with the acquisition of 10 Airbus Helicopters H125 light-singles.
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Interview
Babcock Australasia sees Bell 429 as special forces star
While UK-headquartered Babcock’s defence credentials in Australia are clear – notably in the naval sector – the company hopes that its civil rotorcraft experience in the country will enable it to prevail in a three-way contest to supply Canberra with new special forces helicopters.
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News
Babcock contract wins prompt ‘race to the bottom’ claim
A double oil and gas contract win for Babcock in the North Sea has prompted a furious response from one incumbent, which has accused the UK operator of engaging in a “race to the bottom”.
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News
Leonardo slows arrival of Kopter SH09 helicopter as it integrates new acquisition
Leonardo Helicopters has slowed the service-entry schedule for its recently acquired Kopter SH09 light-single and is also likely to build the rotorcraft at an existing production plant in to the north of Italy rather than Switzerland as previously planned.
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News
Airbus Helicopters outlines emergency battery plans in patent filing
Airbus Helicopters has applied for a patent covering a proposed emergency battery system for single-engined rotorcraft
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News
Western Australia police orders first five-bladed H145 helicopter
Airbus Helicopters has received an order from the Western Australia police for a single five-bladed H145 helicopter for airborne missions, making it the first Australian operator of the type. The helicopter will replace the police force’s sole Kawasaki BK117B, says Airbus Helicopters. It will also operate alongside the police’s AS365 ...
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News
Qinetiq successfully teams H125 helicopter with ‘semi-autonomous drone’
Qinetiq has completed what it claims is the UK’s first demonstration of manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) using a standard Airbus Helicopters H125 light-single working in concert with a “semi-autonomous drone”.
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In depth
Why Sea Kings still rule for HeliOperations
On the face of it, a UK company flying former Royal Navy (RN) Sea King helicopters on behalf of the German navy from a former coastguard base in the very south of England sounds an unlikely combination, or at least the set-up for a convoluted joke. But for Portland-based HeliOperations, that union is proving a lucrative one.
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News
Refilling orderbook is key challenge for new MD at Leonardo Helicopters UK
While the Yeovil, UK plant remains an important part of rotorcraft manufacturer’s industrial base, its new chief must overcome a familiar problem to ensure site’s longevity
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Analysis
Airbus Helicopters details ‘techno-bricks’ planned for H125 successor
Manufacturer likely to rely on improved aerodynamics, more efficient rotors and lighter structure to deliver 40% fuel-burn saving over current rotorcraft, with electric power innovations providing a further 10%.
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News
Italian army takes first AW169M basic trainer
Leonardo Helicopters has delivered the first of at least 17 AW169M helicopters to the Italian army as the service begins the replacement of several legacy types.
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News
Bell 429 delivered to China broadcaster CCTV
A Bell 429 is set to become China’s first electronic news gathering (ENG) rotorcraft. The helicopter was delivered to China’s main broadcaster, CCTV, says Bell. The manufacturer says it will be the first helicopter equipped for the ENG role. Source: Bell The Bell 429 is the first dedicated ...