Rotorcraft

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Rotorcraft

FAA, National Park Service Impose Cuts on Air Tour Business

Operators believe the air tour management plan process isn't being fairly applied
 Rushmore Helicopters and Black Hills Aerial Adventures
Fuel

London Oxford Airport Now Stocks SAF

New tenant OXCCU will produce synthetic aviation fuel on-site
SAF tanker at London Oxford Airport
Rotorcraft

Leonardo Expands Distributor Base, Orders for AW09

Leonardo received an order for five AW09s from Universal Vulkaan Aviation
Leonardo AW09 distributors
Rotorcraft

Leonardo AW09 Gets Updated Corporate Look

Helicopter to embark on demonstration tour
AW09 interior unveiling
Rotorcraft

PHI Adds AW189 Helicopters for Offshore Work

Super-medium helicopter will join AW109s and AW139s in PHI’s global rotary-wing fleet
Leonardo AW189
Rotorcraft

Airbus Corporate Helicopters Sees Continued Success

The ACH145 and ACH160 lead their market segments in sales value
ACH 160 Line Lounge interior
Rotorcraft

Shell Signs with CHC Helikopter for North Sea Support

The contract is a continuation of the CHC-Shell relationship
CHC Helicopter Sikorsky S-92
Rotorcraft

Panterra Buys Blackhawk Fitted with Extensive Ace Mods

Upgrade includes avionics and firefighting equipment
Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopter
Rotorcraft

Sumitomo Mitsui and LCI Order 21 Airbus Helicopters

Deal for H145s, H160s, and H175s includes firm orders for 14 and options for seven
LCI and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing helicopter order
Rotorcraft

VAI Rallies Members To Help Keep NYC Heliport Open

A state bill threatens to close the heliport permanently
West 30th Street Heliport in Manhattan
Accidents

Iran Confirms Helicopter Crash Killed Its President

The Bell 212 was part of a convoy of three
Aircraft

Textron eAviation's Nexus eVTOL Aircraft Could Fly in 2025

The company's Nuuva cargo drone is approaching its first flights, too
Textron eAviation's Nexus eVTOL aircraft
Engines

U.S. Government Backs Piasecki's Hydrogen VTOL Aircraft Study

The Department of Energy is funding further research for urban air taxi missions
PA-890 helicopter being developed by Piasecki Aircraft Corp.
Rotorcraft

Milestone Leasing Two AW169s to Northern Rescue

The two helicopters are the leasing company's first placement in New Zealand
Northern Rescue Helicopter Leonardo AW169 helicopter
Rotorcraft

Bell Testing 429 Helicopter Autonomy Laboratory 

The fly-by-wire Bell 429-based flying lab is capable of autonomous flight
Bell ALFA 429 flying laboratory
Cabin Interior and Electronics

Atrium Health Earns First Accreditation in Mobile Healthcare, Paramedicine

'The accreditation serves as a symbol of excellence'
Rotorcraft

Legislators Kill Hawaii Air Tour Insurance Bill 

The bill would have required liability insurance of $20 million per person
Moloka'i
Accidents

R44 Crash Final Report Cites Maintenance Errors

Missing hardware led the NTSB to conclude that pilots and maintenance personnel performed "inadequate inspections"
NTSB report R44 helicopter accident
Rotorcraft

Learning To Fly Helicopters in the Guimbal Cabri G2

How a long-time fixed-wing pilot transitions to the rotary-wing world
Guimbal Cabri G2
Rotorcraft

China’s GDAT Buying up to 20 Airbus H175 Helicopters

The H175s will be marketed by GDAT Group's newly formed GD Helicopter Finance
Airbus Helicopters H175
Rotorcraft

Bell Helicopter Shipments Lag in 1Q2024

Bell delivered 18 commercial helicopters in the quarter, down from 22 delivered a year ago
Article image
Rotorcraft

Airbus Celebrates First Flight of Racer Compound Helo

The high-speed helicopter's design has already generated 90 patents
Airbus Helicopters Racer high-speed helicopter
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Robinson Helicopter Acquires UAV Maker Ascent AeroSystems

Ascent's production will now migrate across the country to Robinson's California factory
Robinson Helicopter's manufacturing facility in Torrance, California
Aircraft

Beta Achieves Piloted eVTOL Aircraft Transition Flights

Alia 250 eVTOL prototype aircraft achieves key transition from hover to cruise flight
Beta Technologies' Alia 250 eVTOL flies across a partly cloudy sky
Rotorcraft

Bell Mexico Delivers 800th Helicopter Cabin 

The Chihuahua facility manufactures structures and components for a variety of Bell rotorcraft
Bell Mexico helicopter cabin manufacturing
Rotorcraft

Recoil STCs Super Puma T1000-E Firefighting Tank

The carbon-fiber tank can carry 1,000 gallons of water plus 35 gallons of foam
Precision Super Puma helicopter equipped with Recoil T1000-E firefighting tank
Avionics

Leading Edge Upgrades R44s with 5G-tolerant Radalts

The radar altimeters are essential for helicopter terrain avoidance and warning systems
Leading Edge Flight Academy helicopters
Rotorcraft

Safran Renews U.S. Coast Guard Arriel Support Contract

The five-year contract covers 240 engines powering MH-65 helicopters
U.S. Coast Guard MH-65 helicopter
Rotorcraft

Robinson Instructors Can Add Skills in Factory Class

The week-long course covers important safety topics
Robinson Helicopter instructor pilot course
Aircraft

EHang Earns Production Certificate for Autonomous eVTOL Aircraft

Approval was granted by the Civil Aviation Administration of China
The Civil Aviation Administration of China issue a production certificate to EHang