Helicopter Association International

Master Minimum Equipment List Revision: S-58

News Staff — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:26:33 GMT

The FAA's Flight Standards Division has revised (Rev 1a) the Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL) for the Sikorsky S-58.

U.S. Economy Shows Small Contraction

News Staff — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:13:08 GMT

The U.S. economy unexpectedly contracted in the last three months of 2012, according to early data released by the Dept. of Commerce on Jan. 30.

Night Vision Awards Final Call for Entries

News Staff — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:03:33 GMT

The Night Vision Awards selection committee are taking final nominations for the 2013 Night Vision Awards Show to be held in Las Vegas at HELI-EXPO.

Turbomeca S.A.: Arriel 2D Turboshaft Engines

News Staff — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:55:06 GMT

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive for Turbomeca S.A. Arriel 2D turboshaft engines. This AD was prompted by a low fuel pressure event caused by deterioration and a loss of the low-pressure drive function within the hydro-mechanical metering unit.

HAI, AAMS Win 2-Year Extension of FAA LOX Exemption

News Staff — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 21:56:31 GMT

On Wednesday, January 30, 2013, the FAA notified HAI that it is granting a 2-year extension of an exemption for helicopter EMS operators. Exemption 6002 allows properly trained air medical pilots to remove and reinstall liquid oxygen system containers under specified conditions. The exemption was set to expire on Thursday, January 31, 2013, but is now extended until January 31, 2015.

Immigration Has a Tough Path Ahead

News Staff — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 21:16:22 GMT

As talk of immigration reform takes hold through the halls of the U.S. Capitol, one cannot help but recognize the high hill any immigration bill has to climb.

News from Sikorsky

News Staff — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:57:15 GMT

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. and Boeing have signed a teaming agreement to submit a joint proposal in response to the U.S. Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate solicitation for a Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator Phase 1 program. Sikorsky Aerospace Services plans to structurally repair seven damaged UH-60L BLACK HAWK helicopters for the Colombian Army in Colombia.

Helicopters to Spray for Mosquitoes in Novato and San Rafael

News Staff — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:40:46 GMT

Cotati, Calif. (Marin Independent Journal) - The Marin-Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District to use helicopter to fog for mosquito larvae at McInnis Park in San Rafael and Deer Island Basin.

Medical Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing at SARA Park

News Staff — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:13:27 GMT

Lake Havasu City, Ariz. (havasunews.com) - A Native Air medical helicopter made a precautionary landing about 3:09 p.m. on Jan. 29 after experiencing technical difficulties in the area of SARA Park.

Utah Highway Patrol Selects Becker Audio Control System

News Staff — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:59:50 GMT

The Utah Highway Patrol/Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau recently selected the Becker Avionics DVCS6100 digital airborne audio control system for its newly ordered AS350 B3e multi-mission helicopter.

Begich Warns Potential LaHood Successors about VMT

News Staff — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:46:28 GMT

Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) warns Transportation Secretary successor against talking about a vehicle miles-traveled fee.

News from AgustaWestland

News Staff — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:29:18 GMT

Mitsui Bussan Aerospace has been appointed official distributor for the AgustaWestland AW169 in Japan. The Republic of Korea has selected the AW159 to meet its Maritime Operational Helicopter requirement.

HAI Attends Gulf of Mexico HSAC Meeting

News Staff — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:16:12 GMT

HAI's Director of Safety Stan Rose and Vice President of Government Affairs Ann Carroll attended the Helicopter Safety Advisory Council meeting in New Orleans, La., from Jan. 23-24.

Fatigue-Related Error Identified as Cause of Sundance Crash

News Staff — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:06:39 GMT

Vertical - According to the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), fatigue-related maintenance error was the probable cause of a Sundance Helicopters crash that killed five people in 2011.

Aerial Firefighters See Challenges to Fleet Modernization Continuing

News Staff — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:03:23 GMT

Washington, D.C. (prnewswire.com) - Representatives of the U.S. aerial firefighting industry predict ongoing challenges involving fleet modernization, as legacy aircraft continue to age.

DOT Secretary LaHood Announces Retirement

News Staff — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:56:15 GMT

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood announced his retirement on Jan. 29, a move expected by many in the transportation industry.

Cobham Granted HeliSAS CAAC Certification in China

News Staff — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:52:03 GMT

The Civilian Aviation Administration of China has granted a Supplemental Type Certificate for the Cobham Commercial Systems HeliSAS Stability Augmentation System and Autopilot, allowing installation of HeliSAS on hundreds of Bell 407 helicopters in that country.

Helicopter Pilot Dies in Crash Near Grande Cache

News Staff — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:34:42 GMT

Edmonton Journal - A 31-year-old man is dead after the helicopter he was piloting crashed Jan.27 near Grande Cache, says the air co-ordinator at Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, Ont.

Flood Stricken Families Rescued East of Childers

News Staff — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:06:03 GMT

Queensland, Australia (Gladstone Observer) - An elderly couple was rescued by the AGL Action Rescue Helicopter after their home at Pacific Haven, east of Childers, was inundated with water.

Bipartisan Immigration Plan Unfolding

News Staff — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:00:44 GMT

President Obama's speech on Jan. 29 in Nevada will mark the public unveiling of private planning that has been in the works at the White House and Congress for at least a year.

Joint HAI/AHS Meeting on Airworthiness, CBM and HUMS

News Staff — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:58:18 GMT

Time is running out to register for the Technical Specialists' Meeting on Airworthiness, Condition Based Maintenance, and Health and Usage Monitoring, offered by the American Helicopter Society Redstone Chapter, with sponsorship from HAI, from Feb. 11-13 at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Cadorath Expands Team for Development of Bell Repairs

News Staff — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:55:11 GMT

Cadorath Aerospace has expanded its engineering department to increase their development rate of extended repairs for the Bell Helicopter line.

Sequester Remains Real Possibility

News Staff — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:54:32 GMT

U.S. Representative Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) predicted on the Sunday talk show Meet the Press that the much-feared automatic budget cuts know as sequester are going to happen, and blamed Democrats for not doing enough to stop it.

14-Month-Old Child Hoisted to Safety

News Staff — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:46:11 GMT

Queensland, Australia (Gladstone Observer) - In a dramatic rescue for an RACQ Capricorn Helicopter, a 14-month-old child was placed in a bag and hoisted to safety after flood waters swept the truck he was in off a Biloela road.

Anti-Pirate Wildcat Helicopter Unveiled by Royal Navy

News Staff — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:35:23 GMT

The Scotsman - Boasting a fearsome armoury, the new state-of the-art helicopter is the Royal Navy's latest recruit which will play a vital role in protecting its fleet around the world.

SkyTrac Systems Exhibits at Mineral Exploration Roundup

News Staff — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:06:56 GMT

SkyTrac is exhibiting at the Mineral Exploration Roundup 2013 from January 28-31 in Vancouver. Roundup is the world's premier mineral exploration conference.

Accidents Keep Helicopters Busy

News Staff — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:00:59 GMT

Otaki, New Zealand (TVNZ News) - The Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter airlifted a woman to Palmerston North Hospital with serious injuries.

First Presidential V-22 Takes Flight

News Staff — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:56:58 GMT

NAVAIR News - The first MV-22 has been assigned to Marine Helicopter Squadron (HMX) 1. More than a dozen MV-22s, the Marine Corps variant of the V-22 Osprey, will be assigned to HMX-1. The MV-22s will provide logistics and passenger support to Marine One flights and will fly VIPs in and around Washington, D.C.

HELI-EXPO 2013 List of Exhibitors Tops 700

News Staff — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:45:06 GMT

HAI's HELI-EXPO is already the biggest helicopter-only convention and trade show in the world, and this year that's truer than ever as we've set a new record for the number of exhibitors. Seven hundred exhibitors will be on hand in Las Vegas, Monday-Thursday, March 4-7, 2013 (exhibit halls open Tuesday-Thursday, March 5-7).

Eight Helicopter Rescues in a Day for PGHM

News Staff — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:27:23 GMT

Courchevel, France (courchnet.com) - The Courchevel based PGHM (mountain rescue services) had a heli of a busy day with eight aerial rescues performed in the Tarentaise valley.

La. Man Gets Prison for Shooting at Helicopter

News Staff — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:18:29 GMT

Alexandria, La. (San Francisco Chronicle) — A Sikes man has been sentenced to more than three years for shooting at a Louisiana Army National Guard helicopter during a drug surveillance operation.

Telephonics Awarded Second Contract with Kazan Helicopters

News Staff — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:12:53 GMT

Telephonics Corporation announces a second contract from the Russian manufacturer of the world-renowned Mi-8/17 family of helicopters, Kazan Helicopters.

Senators Attempt to Make Earmark Ban Permanent

News Staff — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 21:42:07 GMT

U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) are taking another shot at permanently banning legislative "earmarks," the process of Congress allocating money to specific projects.

Volocopter Two-Seater in Development

News Staff — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 21:03:13 GMT

avweb.com - E-Volo, a German company that successfully flew an innovative electric-powered vertical-takeoff aircraft in 2011, now says it is ready to build a two-person design.

Spectrum Aeromed to Display at European Helicopter Show

News Staff — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:30:50 GMT

Spectrum Aeromed announces that the company plans to display at the European Helicopter Show, May 9-11.

Kerry to Make 'Appropriate Judgment' on Keystone Pipeline

News Staff — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 19:23:34 GMT

U.S. Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) said he would make the "appropriate judgment" on the proposed Keystone XL pipeline should he be confirmed by the Senate as secretary of state.

Bell Helicopter Canada: Hydraulic Servo Actuator Assemblies

News Staff — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 22:29:16 GMT

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive for Bell Model 206L, 206L-1, 206L-3, and 206L-4 helicopters. This AD requires inspecting certain hydraulic servo actuator assemblies for a loose nut, shaft, and clevis assembly, modifying or replacing the servo as necessary, and reidentifying the servo.

Flightsafety International Welcomes BoldIQ

News Staff — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 21:54:41 GMT

FlightSafety International announces that it has selected BoldIQ to participate in its Extended Advantage Program.

Helicopter Pilot Becomes RAF Chief for First Time

News Staff — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 20:29:53 GMT

The Telegraph - The Royal Air Force will be commanded by a helicopter pilot for the first time in its 95-year history. Air Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford will become Chief of the Air Staff in a shake-up of senior Armed Forces posts, the first non-fighter pilot to hold the job. The Royal Navy will also have a new chief, as Admiral Sir George Zambellas becomes First Sea Lord, a former helicopter pilot and frigate captain.

Dallas Airmotive Restructures U.S. Sales Organization

News Staff — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:41:22 GMT

Dallas Airmotive has announced a restructuring of its U.S. sales organization to more closely align its sales personnel with customer base locations.

Air Ambulance Pilot Hopes New App Takes Flight

News Staff — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:31:30 GMT

Des Moines, Iowa (USA Today) - Jim Cooper believes he can save lives with his flying skills and his entrepreneurial ideas. A Life Flight helicopter pilot, Cooper has released an iPhone application he hopes can help save the lives of flight crew patients by reducing the time it takes for a first responder's help call to reach a pilot.

Bell Helicopter: Main Rotor Yoke

News Staff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:47:03 GMT

The FAA is superseding four airworthiness directives related to the main rotor yoke on the Bell Model 204B, 205A, 205A-1, 205B, and 212 helicopters, to retain certain inspections and certain life limits, to require an increased inspection frequency for certain yokes, and to expand these inspections and retirement lives to other yokes.

Air Methods Founder Receives Living Legends of Aviation Award

News Staff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:22:25 GMT

Air Methods Corporation announces that company Founder Mr. Roy Morgan was recently honored with the Living Legends Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award presented by Bell Helicopter.

Channel 10 News Helicopter Crashes in Perth

News Staff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:09:50 GMT

Perth, Australia (Herald Sun) - A Channel 10 cameraman was taken hospital after a helicopter crashed east of Perth while he was filming a truck rollover.

MH-60S Underpowered for MCM Towing Operations, Report Finds

News Staff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:01:37 GMT

Janes - According to a report issued by the Pentagon's Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, the U.S. Navy's future airborne mine countermeasure MH-60S helicopter is unable to tow the minehunting sonar or minesweeping system forming part of the Littoral Combat Ship mine countermeasures module mission module.

LaHood: "State of American Aviation is Strong"

News Staff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:57:19 GMT

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood reaffirmed the strength of the U.S. aviation industry on Jan. 23 in an address to the Aero Club of Washington marking four years to the day from when he was sworn in as Secretary of Transportation.

House Passes Debt Ceiling Bill

News Staff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:34:24 GMT

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Jan. 23 that will prevent the nation from defaulting on its debt until May. The measure passed in a 285-144 vote.

Rockwell Collins Brings Enhancements to FlightManager.com

News Staff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:31:10 GMT

Rockwell Collins has unveiled the latest enhancements to its Flight Manager website, which is an integral part of the company's Ascend flight information solutions.

Last Chance to Save on HELI-EXPO Admission!

News Staff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:39:18 GMT

The early registration period for HELI-EXPO 2013 in Las Vegas ends at midnight Eastern Time this Friday night. Register before then and save 20-33% on one- and three-day registration fees!

Iran to Build New Indigenous Helicopter

News Staff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:05:35 GMT

Press TV - Iran's Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology is building an indigenous eight-seat helicopter which will be unveiled in the next two years.