UK gas pipeline company Transco has awarded a five-year contract to two UK helicopter operators to perform visual checks on its 18,000km (11,000 miles) of major pipelines. Aeromega Helicopters of Stapleford, Essex, and Norfolk, Norwich-based Sterling Helicopters will fly up to five Bell 206 JetRangers daily throughout the year to monitor the areas where the pipes are laid.
Source: Flight International
Parts from Australia’s scrapped NH Industries (NHI) NH90 helicopters have begun arriving in Europe as the manufacturer continues to drive availability improvements for the global fleet.
Airbus Helicopters is making steady progress with the final assembly of its first H160M Guepard prototype ahead of the test asset’s maiden sortie next year.
Having already comfortably beaten an earlier target, Airbus Helicopters has a new cruise speed goal for its Racer compound demonstrator: 240kt (444km/h).
