Helicopters

Airbus Helicopters successfully completed the first flight test of its high-compression diesel engine demonstrator aircraft at the Marignane Airport in Marignane, France. “The first result of the 30-minute flight confirms the advantages of new-technology high-compression piston engines for rotorcraft in offering reduced emissions, up to 50 percent lower fuel consumption depending on duty cycle, nearly […]

Torrance, California-based Robinson Helicopters has announced a new two-seat version of the R44 named the Cadet. The design is targeted for the training market, though Robinson says the Cadet can be employed in a variety of missions. The basic design parameters for the Cadet, such as the airframe, rotor system and Lycoming O-540-F1B5 power plant, […]

If you haven’t headed to the theaters to see the latest James Bond film “Spectre,” maybe you should, because you might recognize some distinct aerobatics. In one of the first action-packed sequences of the new movie, Red Bull aerobatic helicopter pilot Chuck Aaron makes an appearance flying his modified Messerschmitt-Bölkow Blohm BO-105 — sans its […]

With the U.S. Export-Import Bank’s freezing its funds on July 1, the results of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s third quarter shipment and billing report was mixed. There was an overall loss over last year’s report for billings during the first three quarters of $600 million, from $19.1 billion in 2014 to $18.5 billion this […]

Earlier this year, a massive spire was erected atop the Incity Tower in Lyon, France, one of the tallest buildings in the country at 650 feet. The spire, which measures 164 feet and weighs 25.9 tons, is made up of several massive tubes all connected together. What makes the project remarkable from a flying standpoint […]

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched a new design for landing gear that could enable helicopters to land just about anywhere. Rather than the traditional fixed skids or wheels that are attached to the bottom of the helicopter’s fuselage, the Mission Adaptive Rotor (MAR) Robotic Landing Gear is comprised of four articulated, […]

Continuing the rollout of new avionics options, Robinson Helicopters has introduced Genesys Aerosystems’ HeliSAS (Helicopter Stability Augmentation System) and autopilot as an option for the R44. Earlier this year a flight test and FAA certification program approved the autopilot for the turbine-powered R66. The R44’s autopilot option keeps the same modes and functionality as the […]

Enstrom Helicopters announced that the flight test program for its two-seat TH180, currently in development, is progressing on schedule with the second prototype building flight hours. “We are into the envelope expansion phase,” said Enstrom test pilot Bill Taylor. “We’ve had it out over 90 knots so far, and everything is performing as expected.” A […]

Bell Helicopter test pilots flew the new fly-by-wire 525 Relentless turbine twin for the first time yesterday at the company production center in Amarillo, Texas, officially christening the helicopter maker’s biggest and most capable civil model. The pilots evaluated the 525’s hover and low-speed handling capabilities during the test flight, which was made slightly more […]

Airbus Helicopters used the stage at the Paris Air Show to announce a two-year development phase for a new model code-named the X6 that would emerge as a modern-day replacement for the 1970s-era Super Puma. Airbus Helicopters CEO Guillaume Faury said the X6 would primarily target the oil and gas industry as well as search […]