PIPER PICKINGS
Piper Aircraft has appointed Piper Australia Aircraft Sales as the manufacturer's new aircraft sales agent for Australia. The airframer has also named National Airways as it authorised distributor for sub-Saharan Africa. National, through its wholly owned subsidiary 43 Air School, is the largest Piper fleet operator in Africa.
JAPANESE SALES
AgustaWestland has signed contracts for eight AW139 medium twin helicopters for Japanese customers, seven for the Japan coastguard and one for Saitama prefecture. These contracts bring the number of AW139s ordered for the Japanese market to 30, says the European helicopter manufacturer. The deal, signed with the company's Japanese distributor Mitsui Bussan Aerospace, will bring the coastguard's total of AW139s to 18, with six helicopters to be delivered this year. Meanwhile, Chilean charter operator Firefly has taken delivery of the country's first single-engined AW119Ke helicopter.
DIAMOND STANDARD
Diamond Aircraft's DA42NG has been granted a multi-engine piston class rating from the European Aviation Safety Agency, paving the way for the type to be used for commercial pilot licence training across Europe.
HELICOPTER SHOW
A new international helicopter exhibition targeted at the civil and military markets is to be held every two years in Farnborough in the UK. The first event will be held on 19-20 September 2012 at Farnborough's permanent exhibition venue, called Five.
UTAIR GROWS
Russian operator UTair Aviation has a letter of intent for 15 Eurocopter EC175s into a firm order. Deliveries of the 7t, multi-mission, twin-engined helicopters are to begin in 2013. The aircraft will be used to support UTair's expansion into the offshore transport market.
ENSTROM TO CHINA
Michigan-based Enstrom Helicopter has signed a purchase agreement with China's Wuhan Helicopters for a 480B turbine helicopter. The aircraft will be used for agricultural spraying.
Source: Flight International