A new Photo Report Page just was just added to the website … 100 new images from this event held yearly at Cheltenham racecourse.
Great and complete photo report … All images © Graeme LOVELL.
World Helicopter NEWS
Latest NEWS from the helicopter world
A new Photo Report Page just was just added to the website … more than 200 new images are the result of an entire days spent at the Battersea Heliport, downtown London.
A great day for a great photo opportunity … All images © Damiano GUALDONI.
PRESS RELEASE – Anaheim, 28 February 2024
Niagara Helicopters has placed an order for six H130 helicopters, confirming a full fleet renewal for the tourism company based in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Each year, the company welcomes more than 100,000 customers from all over the world, providing a nine minute, 27 kilometre sightseeing tour over Niagara Falls.
“In order to continue to deliver a first-class visitor experience, we felt it was time to upgrade our aircraft,” says Denis Pilon, Chief Operating Officer for Niagara Helicopters. “After nearly 10 years of working with Airbus Helicopters, we are confident that the H130 continues to be the ideal aircraft for our operation. We are pleased to be working with the Airbus team again. We look forward to many more years of cooperation and collaboration.”
“We’re honoured that Niagara Helicopters has once again put their trust in Airbus, as they work to deliver exceptional experiences for visitors to the Niagara region,” says Dwayne Charette, President and COO of Airbus Helicopters in Canada. “They are an esteemed partner and we are delighted they have chosen Airbus as their exclusive helicopter provider since 2015.”
The aircraft of choice for tourism, the H130 has a wide, unobstructed cabin which accommodates the pilot and up to seven passengers, providing outstanding visibility through a large wrap-around windscreen and wide windows. Its state-of-the-art technologies, materials, systems and avionics make it a quiet and powerful helicopter. A single-engine helicopter, the H130 is known for its widespread use with sightseeing services, charter operators and emergency medical services.
In addition to the H130’s panoramic seating, the active vibration control system and improved air conditioning contribute to its unbeatable level of comfort. This rotorcraft also offers the most economical operating cost per seat in its class. With the open-space cabin, passengers enjoy spectacular views from their forward-facing seats. Rear passengers are comfortably seated on a raised theatre-style platform. The H130 is a member of the Ecureuil family, which represents 47% of the Airbus-built in-service helicopter fleet worldwide, and has accumulated over 40 million flight hours.
PRESS RELEASE – 27th February 2024
Enstrom Helicopter Corporation is pleased to announce that it has partnered with Kelly Aerospace Thermal Systems to provide air conditioning for Enstrom 280FX and F28F helicopters. The state-of-the-art all-electric system will be STC’d by Kelly and available for installation in factory new aircraft as well as for field installation.
“Air conditioning has been high on our customer’s wish list,” said Dennis Martin, Enstrom’s Chief Commercial Officer. “So when it came time to develop a new system for the 280FX and F28F, we went to the experts at Kelly. Their system is lightweight and incredibly powerful. Enstrom owners will finally be able to enjoy their helicopters in cool comfort during the warm summer months.”
For Kelly, the partnership marks the entry into a new market. “Kelly has long been a leader in air conditioning for general aviation airplanes,” commented Walter Dodge, Kelly’s VP of Business Development. “With that success, we want to expand into the rotorcraft market, and we couldn’t be happier about doing that with Enstrom. Their premium aircraft are the perfect place to showcase our air conditioning technology.”
The new air conditioning system will be available for retrofit later in 2024, and available on factory new aircraft in 2025.
PRESS RELEASE – Anaheim, 28 February 2024
LCI, a leading aviation company, and Airbus Helicopters have unveiled a new Flight Path partnership, which will address the long-term capacity, sustainability and financing requirements of the industry.
Airbus predicts demand for over 16,000 new helicopters by 2041, with a combined value approaching $130 billion. The new partnership will see LCI and Airbus Helicopters leveraging their combined knowledge, experience and analytical capabilities to identify the infrastructure and financial innovations that will address this demand.
Flight Path builds upon a 20-year relationship between the companies, which most recently culminated in a collaboration agreement to develop advanced air mobility ecosystems around the CityAirbus Next Gen programme. Going forward, it will also include investment in further helicopter units, types and technologies, with a growing emphasis around sustainability.
Jaspal Jandu, CEO of LCI, says: “This strategic partnership between LCI and Airbus signals our collective commitment to deliver long-term, sustainable capacity solutions to the market. The combination of Airbus’ long-standing expertise in business development, forecasting and planning, with LCI’s track record in leasing, investing and financial innovation, will enable us to sustainably address the multibillion dollar requirements of the market.”
Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, says: “LCI and Airbus have worked together in close cooperation for almost two decades, culminating most recently in the delivery commitments for seven next generation helicopters. This new partnership is a natural elevation of this relationship and one that reflects our shared capabilities. Together with our partners, Airbus Helicopters is committed to delivering sustainable growth and innovation to its customers as they undertake their mission-critical work.”
LCI’s fleet currently includes over 50 Airbus helicopters. They are deployed by 14 operators in 10 countries across the globe on a range of missions including emergency medical services, search and rescue and offshore wind.
The first phase of Flight Path will see the committed delivery of at least seven latest generation Airbus helicopters to LCI by 2025.
LCI has ordered five new Airbus H145 helicopters, all of which are being placed in its joint venture (JV) with Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Limited (SMFL). The first two aircraft are being delivered by the end of March 2024 and will be operated in Oceania.
In addition, LCI will deliver two H175 helicopters by the end of March 2024. The aircraft will be operated in South America.
The new partnership aligns with LCI’s long-term commitment to sustainable growth. LCI is a signatory of Aircraft Leasing Ireland’s (ALI) Sustainability Charter, with a commitment to driving forward and achieving responsibility goals, centred around 10 priority sustainability principles, including a commitment to achieving net zero by 2050.
PRESS RELEASE – Rome, 28 February 2024 10:00
- Metro will act as Leonardo distributor for the AW09 in the US and Canadian civil markets for all applications.
Leonardo and Metro Aviation, a prime privately-owned HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) operator and service provider in the US, have announced the signing of a Distributor Agreement for the AW09 next generation single engine helicopter. Metro will act as a Leonardo distributor for the type in the US and Canada for all civil market applications. The Distributor Agreement includes a commitment for 30 units that will translate into Preliminary Sales Contracts.
This latest deal builds on the collaboration started at Heli-Expo 2023 aimed at supporting the introduction and positioning of the AW09 in the USA and in doing so, benefitting from Metro Aviation’s renowned experience and capabilities in the development of Aircraft Interior & STCs (supplemental type certificates), service and training.
Gian Piero Cutillo, MD of Leonardo Helicopters, said “We’re excited to perform this further step forward in our collaboration with Metro which paves the path to the introduction of our new single engine in the important North American market. Also, combining our industrial capabilities with Metro Aviation’s extensive and recognized experience in operations and support enhances the AW09 value proposition, providing superior mission capabilities to the operators of this platform.“
“I first saw the 09 prototype in 2017 and have been excited about bringing it to the U.S. market since then,” said Metro Aviation President and CEO Mike Stanberry. “Metro has enjoyed a great partnership with Leonardo and designed multiple interiors for the 09. We look forward to integrating it into our fleet and performing completions for air medical, law enforcement, tourism, and beyond.”
The AW09 continues to generate a very positive response from all geographies worldwide as the programme development progresses. Rotorcraft companies highly welcome the AW09 for its outstanding characteristics and multirole capabilities that represent a significant evolution compared to existing products in this category. The AW09 perfectly complements Leonardo’s product range in the Long Light Single-segment, introducing an all-new design aircraft to sustain long-term competitive positioning in this weight category. A full-scale mock-up of the cabin, together with the advanced connectivity and digital features of the type, is on display at the Leonardo booth at Heli-Expo, attracting lots of interest within the rotorcraft community thanks to its distinguished features in cabin space and ergonomics, and external footprint. The total number of Preliminary Sales Contracts for the AW09 will soon exceed 100 units globally.
Metro Aviation is the world’s largest air medical completion center and traditional air medical operator, with more than 170 helicopters and airplanes in 27 states and the District of Columbia. Metro’s presence is evident for many air medical, law enforcement and other components and installations. Metro has developed and received FAA Supplemental Type Certificates (STC’s) for many air medical components and installations including fixed and rotor-wing. Quite often, Metro not only performs the installation, but purchases the aircraft and trains the ground and flight personnel. Its foundation of safety, quality and customer service has remained for 40 years and is still the cornerstone of the company.
- HealthNet Aeromedical Services expands fleet with order of four Airbus H135 helicopters.
PRESS RELEASE – Anaheim, 27 February 2024
HealthNet Aeromedical Services, headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia, will soon expand its all-Airbus fleet with the addition of four H135 helicopters. As one of the largest hospital-based air medical programmes in the country, the helicopters will be used to serve adult, pediatric and neonatal patients across the state of West Virginia.
“HealthNet has been a valued partner of Airbus Helicopters, Inc. since 1986, and we look forward to supporting their mission as they elevate their fleet with the addition of four new H135s,” said Bart Reijnen, President of Airbus Helicopters, Inc. and Head of the North America region. “These helicopters will be the first in their fleet equipped with Helionix avionics, allowing for increased mission flexibility and safety that benefits their employees and the communities they serve.”
Airbus’ light, twin-engine H135 incorporates the most advanced technologies available, including Airbus Helicopters’ Helionix avionics suite, which, in addition to the 4-axis autopilot, offers an innovative cockpit layout to enhance situational awareness. Designed with three large electronic displays, the H135’s cockpit is night vision goggle compatible and includes a First Limit Indicator, which highlights the appropriate engine instrument data for the pilot in one indicator.
“HealthNet Aeromedical Services and our three owner health systems are proud to continue to partner with Airbus to enhance our helicopter fleet,” said Clinton Burley, President and CEO. “The purchase of these aircraft exemplifies our programme’s commitment to advancing the delivery of safe and high-quality transport medicine to those we serve.”
HealthNet has exclusively operated Airbus helicopters since the programme’s inception nearly four decades ago, caring for more than 100,000 patients during that time. Their current fleet of eleven aircraft is comprised of H130, H135 and EC145 helicopters.
The H135 is the helicopter of reference for helicopter emergency medical service operators worldwide. It combines a wide, unobstructed cabin with excellent performance, range and payload capacity, as well as low sound levels. The oversized sliding side doors and rear clamshell doors enable fast loading/unloading of patients, with additional safety during ground operations provided by Airbus’ signature shrouded Fenestron tail rotor. The H135 is the global market leader for helicopter emergency medical services with more than 700 helicopters all around the world being used for life-saving missions.
To date, more than 1,500 helicopters of the H135 family have been delivered worldwide, all mission segments included, clocking in more than 7 million flight hours.
PRESS RELEASE – ANAHEIM, CA – February 28, 2024
The Milestone Aviation Group Limited (“Milestone”), the global leader in helicopter leasing, today announced that it has signed lease agreements for two Leonardo AW139 helicopters with new customer, Lufttransport RW AS (“Lufttransport”), a Norwegian helicopter operator. The helicopters are scheduled to deliver in 2025.
Sébastien Moulin, the Head of Europe & Americas, Milestone Aviation, said, “We are very pleased
to welcome Lufttransport as a new customer and to support their growing multi-mission operations.
We thank Erlend Olsen and the Lufttransport team for the trust they have placed in Milestone, and we
look forward to working together as these aircraft deliver.”
“We are delighted to have signed these agreements with Milestone Aviation for two Leonardo AW139
helicopters. The AW139 is an extremely capable aircraft with the highest safety standards and
advanced avionics,” said Erlend Olsen, CEO of Lufttransport. “We thank the Milestone team for their
support, and we look forward to a long and successful relationship with them.”
PRESS RELEASE – Anaheim, 27 February 2024
Leonardo has announced a further growth in presence of the AW139 intermediate twin-engine helicopter in Australia at Heli-Expo 2024, with orders for three more aircraft by LifeFlight Australia. These add to two additional aircraft for LifeFlight’s joint venture partner StarFlight, that had been ordered in late 2023.
The helicopters will be used to carry out emergency medical service and search and rescue response
missions in Queensland with deliveries expected in late 2024. LifeFlight and StarFlight operate one of Australia’s largest fleets with 11 AW139s performing air medical and emergency, rescue response missions, and law enforcement. The arrival of five new aircraft take the total fleet size to 16. Established in 1979, LifeFlight operates an advanced fleet of rotary and fixed-wing jet aircraft and employs highly trained medical teams and is a globally recognised training academy and Approved Maintenance Organisation. The AW139 on order will feature all the latest avionics technology, patient care and search and rescue capability. Reliability, quality and serviceability, technology, size, versatility, readiness and all-round advanced capabilities that the AW139s offer, make these aircraft ideal for EMS requirements in Australia.
This latest contract by LifeFlight announced at Heli-Expo marks a further outstanding success for the best-selling AW139 in Australia, being already the leading model for Emergency Medical Service (EMS) nationwide. More than 130 civil, public utility and military helicopters of various models have been sold by Leonardo in the country to date, supported by unique localized support and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) services. The AW139 has been chosen by several operators in Australia for a range of roles covering HEMS/SAR, law enforcement, offshore transport and government roles with a fleet of over 60 units today in service. The AW139 has been sold by Leonardo in several State Government of the country to carry out a range of law enforcement, patrol and surveillance, maritime search and rescue missions and policing operations. This helicopters is ideal for law enforcement, EMS and parapublic missions thanks to its capability, reliability and safety. A fleet of over 60 units performs all of these missions today in Australia in addition to energy support and transport.
With more than 1200 units delivered to over 300 customers in around 90 nations, and over 4 million flight hours logged to date since its certification in 2004, the AW139 has also proven extremely successful for rescue and emergency missions. The AW139 delivers outstanding capabilities, technology, and safety to meet stringent requirements from operators for tasks in harsh conditions to maximize effectiveness. This type features state-ofthe-art avionics with advanced navigation and collision avoidance systems to enhance situational awareness and reduce pilots’ workload, unmatched speed, power margins, and overall performance; the widest cabin in its category featuring high modularity for rapid reconfiguration; a unique 60+ min run-dry capable main gear box for enhanced reliability and safety; and up to 1000 certified kits.
PRESS RELEASE – BILLINGS, MONTANA February 28, 2024
Billings Flying Service (BFS) received a CFR exemption from 14 CFR 21.185(b) earlier this month, allowing it to proceed with the United States’ first ever restricted category airworthiness certification of ex-foreign military Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopters. BFS took delivery of six CH-47Ds from the Netherlands Defense Ministry in mid-2023.
“Though seemingly small, approval of our FAA exemption to certify ex-Netherlands aircraft is a major milestone for BFS,” said BFS President Bridger Blain. “This is the first approval of its kind for CH-47s, and has only been granted rarely in other circumstances. This exemption allows BFS to grow the fleet and better support foreign and domestic governments with heavy firefighting assets.”
BFS has already begun the application process for restricted category airworthiness certification. All the aircraft are equipped with glass cockpits, NVG compatibility, and auto hover features. Additional modifications are being performed at BFS’ Certified FAA Part 145 and AS9110C MRO facilities to equip them for firefighting and to meet fire contract equipment requirements. Should the certification process remain on schedule, the aircraft will enter service later in 2024.
The CFR exception is just the latest ‘first’ for BFS. In November 2023, BFS won the first ever 90-day exclusive use firefighting contract for CH-47s in South Korea. The five aircraft contract began earlier this month.