RUAG upgrades eight Swiss Air Force transport helicopters
By mid-2022, RUAG plans to upgrade Swiss Air Force Cougar helicopters at its Emmen facility. The helicopters, purchased in 1998, are expected to undergo a major modernization project involving electronic flight control as well as navigation and communication systems....
German Federal Police strengthens Super Puma fleet
The German Federal Police (Bundespolizei) has taken delivery of three heavy H215 helicopters, with a fourth to follow in June 2019. These twin-engine multi-role Super Pumas will enter operation at the beginning of 2020 supporting the Central Command for Maritime...
The first H160 series takes flight
Three days after its inaugural flight, on December 14, 2018, the first serial H160 to be produced on the new assembly line of Marignane performed a demonstration flight in front of the H160 team. The aircraft will be delivered in 2020 to Babcock, the launch customer...
Bundeswehr orders H145
The Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINWBw) has ordered seven H145 helicopters to replace the German Armed Forces’ (Bundeswehr) obsolete Bell UH-1D search and rescue fleet. The aircraft will be delivered in 2020...
Sakhalin Energy signs for three AW189
At the end of December 2018, Leonardo signed with Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. for the supply of three AW189 helicopters. The aircraft will be used for transport operations from Sakhalin Island in Russia. Delivery of the first aircraft is scheduled for the...
New members on the Airbus Helicopters Executive Committee
Alain Flourens, 61, currently Director of Engineering for Airbus Helicopters, has been appointed Airbus Helicopters' Chief Executive Officer, following the departure of Christian Cornille from Airbus. He will be replaced by Stefan Thomé, 47, currently head of New...
Airbus Helicopters: a year 2018 up
The year 2018 was rather favorable for Airbus Helicopters which recorded 413 gross orders last year against 350 the previous year, even if the balance of deliveries is slightly down with 356 machines delivered in 2018 against 409 in 2017. With an increased order book,...
Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANT helicopter achieves first flight
The Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 Defiant helicopter achieved first flight on March 21st at Sikorsky’s West Palm Beach, Fla., site. This revolutionary aircraft, developed by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company and Boeing will help inform the next generation of military...
Bell 525 engine receives certification from federal aviation administration (FAA)
The GE Aviation’s CT7-2F1 engine accomplishes type certification. The Bell 525 program has accumulated more than 1,000 flight hours and over 1,350 hours of total turn time. The FAA joined the Bell 525 flight test team in November 2018 and is now actively involved in...
Korea and Malaysia AW189s to their fire fighting helicopter fleets
With deliveries across Asia Pacific the Leonardo AW189 super medium helicopter is becoming the leader in the firefighting market. The Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department (Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia) and Korea’s Seoul Fire Department are beginning operations...
