Aviation News

One of the most surprising announcements coming out of Heli-Expo this week was the introduction of a new turbine version of the Bell 47 — the 47GT-6 from Scott’s-Bell 47 — a company that also refers to itself as SB47. The new version of the 1940s bubble-canopy helicopter design will be based on Bell’s 47G-3B-2A […]

Sikorsky has many reasons to celebrate at this year’s Heli-Expo in Las Vegas with the 90th anniversary of the company and impressive order announcements valued at more than $800 million. On the first day of the show, Sikorsky announced an order from Houston-based Bristow Group for up to 26 S-76D helicopters used for offshore oil […]

At this week’s Heli-Expo show in Las Vegas, AgustaWestland introduced an unmanned “technology demonstrator” version of an electric-powered tiltrotor. Far from ready for production, the “Project Zero” aircraft was fabricated and flown in six months by the Italian company’s Advanced Concepts Group. Though no plans for a manned version were mentioned in the company press […]

Federal investigators are looking into the unmanned aircraft sighting reported by an Alitalia pilot landing at JFK on Monday afternoon, an event that has evoked larger fears of the planned widespread integration of unmanned aerial vehicles into American airspace. The 777 was on final approach to Runway 31R around 1:15 p.m. when one of the […]

Cessna completed its first production flight of its single-engine TTx in Independence, Kansas, reporting that the composite speedster performed exceptionally well and is ready to hit the market. Cessna’s TTx test pilot flew the airplane to 17,000 feet and achieved a speed of 213 knots. The TTx’s 310 hp Continental TSIO-550-C engine is capable of […]

The top trending search term on Twitter last night was “Rand Paul” as the Republican senator from Kentucky staged a one-man marathon filibuster in protest of an Obama Administration policy that appears to condone drone attacks on American citizens within U.S. borders under certain circumstances. Paul began speaking on the senate floor before noon yesterday […]

The TSA today announced that it is modifying its guidelines for allowable carry-on items in commercial airliners. The new rules would allow small knives, sticks and clubs but continue to ban larger or more substantial instruments. Knives with molded or fixed handles, or ones longer than 2.36 inches or wider than ½-inch would continue to […]

At a press conference at the Heli-Expo in Las Vegas, Rolls-Royce senior vice president, helicopters, Greg Fedele introduced the newest member of the M250 engine family — the M250-C47E. The more powerful version features a dual-channel full-authority digital engine control system, which Fedele said may soon allow for on-condition maintenance. Fedele said the fuel burn […]

At a pre-Heli-Expo press briefing yesterday in Las Vegas, Bell Helicopters president and CEO John Garrison announced the company’s latest Bell 412 version, the 412EPI, with new bells and whistles and the promise of better performance. The 412EPI boasts an integrated glass flight deck named Bell BasiX Pro, which provides single-pilot IFR capabilities and incorporates […]

A very special airplane made its first flight since undergoing a complete restoration at Paine Field in Everett, Washington. The Historic Flight Foundation’s DC-3 took to the skies over the weekend in its distinctive Pam Am paint scheme. The history of the foundation’s DC-3 began in 1944 as a C-47 in Asia, flying for the […]