CHC Group, one of the world’s two largest helicopter operators, this week announced that it had decided not to make an interest payment on its bonds that mature in October 2020. It was due to pay $46 million on Monday. Although investors in the 9.25% senior secured notes are not happy, the company has a 30-day grace period before it is technically in default on these bonds. CHC could...
Columbia Helicopters has signed a deal with the US Forest Service to provide five aircraft under contract to assist in battling wildland fires. The helicopters provided will include two CH-47D Chinook helicopters that are equipped with newly certified internal tanks that will permit the aircraft to fight fires in urban areas. The company’s two tanked CH-47D helicopters will report to thei...
Dr Gary Clark, formerly Head of Vehicle Test and Integration with Airbus Helicopters, has joined Airbus Helicopters UK Ltd as Head of UK Civil Business on 1 April 2016. His experience both within Airbus Helicopters and the wider Airbus Group will strengthen the UK business, helping to support the company’s continued mission to improve customer satisfaction. Dr Clark joins the UK t...
Bell Helicopter’s third-generation tiltrotor, the V-280 Valor, is literally coming together in Amarillo, Texas, as the company enters the final stages of mating the wing with the fuselage. It’s a moment of truth for the engineers and fabricators who have been working on prototype aircraft, which is being prepared to fly in September 2017 as part of the US Army’s Joint-Mul...
The production of Russia’s light utility helicopters Kamov Ka-226T in India may begin next year, director for international cooperation and regional policy of the Russian State Corporation Rostec Viktor Kladov said at the Defense Services Asia (DSA 2016) exhibition on Wednesday. "If the process develops according to the plan, the corresponding firm contract will be ready by the end o...
The London Heliport at Battersea, the capital city’s only commercially licensed heliport, achieved its best year for activity since 2008 with over 10,500 movements recorded for the year ending 31st March, 2016. A high proportion of growth was attributable to business movements. There was an uptick especially, in private users during 2015, including the prolific weekly dep...
The Russian-Chinese AHL (Advanced Heavy Lift) helicopter is not expected to be delivered to the Russian market, international cooperation and regional policy director of the Russian State Corporation Rostec Viktor Kladov said on Wednesday. "China is going to create a helicopter with the lifting capacity of about 12-14 tons, that is, an intermediate version between a medium-and heavy-class...
Bell Helicopterannounced it has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with VIP Jets Ltd. for the first Bell 505 Jet Ranger X in Cambodia. This is also the first Bell Helicopter aircraft signed for in Cambodia. The aircraft will be used for VIP and tourist transport from The Royal Sands Koh Rong in Cambodia. Bell Helicopter’s vice president of Global Sales and Marketing Patrick Moulay signed wit...
Bell Helicopter has now taken its developmental 525 super-medium twin to a speed of above 200kt (370km/h) as it prepares for the arrival of the programme’s third flight-test vehicle. The Dallas-based manufacturer says the Relentless has accumulated over 300h of flight and ground testing across its two certification prototypes. Envelope expansion work is “nearly complete”, i...
The H215 heavy helicopter, a member of the Super Puma family, will be demonstrating its multi-mission capabilities and performance for aerial work in high & hot conditions during a demo tour of Latin America. The demo flights will begin tomorrow in Argentina and will then continue in Chile before finishing in Peru. During this three-week tour, both civil and military customers in the r...
Abu Dhabi Aviation, the biggest commercial helicopter operator in the Middle East, said that it is using the softening of demand for its aviation services to diversify its lines of business, adding training and real estate investment to its portfolio of activities. “It’s not a secret that we are in a cyclical business," said Nader Al Hammadi, the chairman of Abu Dhabi Aviation....
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, and Abu Dhabi Aviation, are proud to announce reaching one million hours of successfully operating of their Bell Helicopter fleet. “We have been operating Bell Helicopter aircraft since the 1976,” said Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim Al Mazrouei, general manager, Abu Dhabi Aviation. “Our Bell Helicopter fleet has grown to over 40 aircraft made...
