Here’s a snapshot of what was on display at HAI’s annual show.
MD Helicopters’ CEO Lynn Tilton updates the media about the company’s line of helicopters and announces that the Rolls-Royce M250-C47E, which was introduced at the show, will power the MD 540F.An AS350 B3e with a unique paint scheme by Brazilian artist Romero Britto on display at the Eurocopter booth.Bell introduced the 412EPI with a glass flight deck and Pratt & Whitneys PT6-9 engines at a press conference the day before Heli-Expo 2013 opened its doors.Four 10.4-inch LCD displays and Garmin’s GTN 750 touch screen navigator are all part of the BasiX Pro flight deck in the Bell 412EPI.Enstrom selected Garmin’s G1000H integrated avionics suite for its five-seat 480B helicopter.An Enstrom 480B equipped for law enforcement purposes was on display with the G1000H in the panel.Executives from Sikorsky and Milestone Aviation participate in a ceremonial signing ceremony at the Sikorsky booth after announcing total orders for 30 helicopters.In celebration of Sikorsky’s 90th anniversary, vintage-clad ladies and gentlemen embellished the Sikorsky booth where an Igor Sikorsky-adorned S-92 helicopter was on prominent display.**A collage of photos on display at the Sikorsky booth includes this photo of Igor Sikorsky during an early teathered helicopter flight in his VS-300. ****Igor Sikorsky’s son Sergei spoke eloquently of his father, who he described as a gentle man who never lost his temper. **A PT6T Twin Pack, complete with moving parts, on display at Pratt & Whitney’s booth. The gear box on the left combines the power of the two engines for use in helicopters.**Swiss company Marenco displayed a mockup of a carbon-fiber helicopter, the SKYe SH09, which the company claims will fly within the next few weeks. ****The Marenco SKYe SH09 features a large rear door that simplifies loading of cargo, EMT stretchers or passengers, to name a few. ****Garmin displayed the recently announced helicopter-optimized GTN 750 navigator. A helicopter-specific obstacle database, which includes nearly 30,000 additional low altitude obstacles and a remote audio processor are some unique features of the new system. ****Garmin’s GTN 750, optimized for helicopter use, is installed in a Robinson R44 for flight testing. ****Thales displayed a simulated display of TopDeck avionics suite, selected for the Sikorsky S-76D. The set up included a touch screen interface in the center of the panel, which is currently in development and includes fiingertip pinch to zoom and scroll capabilities. **Sikorsky displayed a simulator of its Rig Approach capability, which automatically guides a helicopter to a specific point and reduces pilot loads by 60 percent, according to Sikorsky. Rig Approach will be standard on the S-92 and S-76D once certification is complete, which is expected to happen in March or April.Scott’s Bell 47 announced it will produce a turbine version of the Bell 47, the 47G-6, which is expected ot hit the market in 2016.**Rolls-Royce’s RR300 will power the SB47 47GT-6 – a new version of the turbine Bell 47 in the background. ****Like many helicopter OEMs, Robinson Helicopters had a strong year in 2012 with 517 helicopters delivered. And if the traffic in the booth at Heli-Expo 2013 is any indication, 2013 is likely to be a good year, too. **
