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Heli-Expo Images

In a strongly worded statement issued here yesterday, two senior executives from Columbia Helicopters (Booth No. 3707) vociferously denied what they called “unfounded allegations” that the company had tampered with evidence from the fatal crash of a Carson Helicopters Sikorsky S-61N in 2008. They also denied that fuel-control units (FCUs) aboard that aircraft and serviced by Columbia played an more

Blue is the new green. Prompted by environmental concerns–regulatory and otherwise– Eurocopter took advantage of the Heli-Expo platform to formally launch its Bluecoptor program.

Bluecopter first emerged from a demonstrator EC120 modified to use a “high compression” diesel engine instead of the usual 504-shp Turbomeca Arrius turboshaft engine. The helicopter OEM is expecting a 4 more

Borescopes R Us Sees Strong Start
Borescopes R Us (BRU) got off to a fast start here at Heli-Expo with a sale of a CH 2-4-1 Kit 4-millimeter borescope to Thiago Assumpcão of ATA, based in São Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday morning, to the delight of BRU general manager Adrian Rodriguez. The unit, with two-way articulating arm, four-millimeter diameter and one meter length, costs more

Scott’s Helicopter Services of Le Sueur, Minn., has acquired the type certificate and assumed all aspects of commercial spares support, technical support and continued airworthiness for the Bell 47 (H-1, 2H1 and 2H3 models). The aircraft will be known as “Scott’s-Bell 47.” Scott’s is a Bell-approved customer service facility.

The Bell 47 made its first flight on Dec. 8, 1945, more

Paradigm Aerospace’s new name, PAC International (Booth No. 3542), signifies the company’s new international emphasis. PAC is an FAA Part 145 repair station and services a broad range of aircraft with a focus on Bell and AgustaWestland helicopters. The company is in negotiations with military organizations in both Latin America and Asia for component repair and overhaul work. PAC International more

The extensively redeveloped London Heliport is set to reopen this spring. It is owned by charter operator PremiAir and is situated at Battersea on the south bank of the Thames River about four miles from the center of London. The new terminal is directly connected to the new five-star Hotel Verta, which is owned by PremiAir’s parent company von Essen Hotels. “Heliport users will have direct ac more

L-3 Avionics’s Trilogy electronic standby instrument received TSO approval from the FAA for use on Part 27 and Part 29 rotary-wing aircraft, according to the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based company.

The L-3 Trilogy, apparently so named because it makes the holy trinity of attitude, altitude and airspeed available to pilots when all else fails, is on display at L-3’s Heli-Expo booth (No .4 more

In 1994 Steve Hickok began the initial flight tests that led to development and implementation of the first FAA-approved GPS Rnav helicopter instrument approaches. Probably no one–least of all Hickok himself–could foresee that 16 years later he would be an FAA designee (to date the only one) to develop, test, validate and oversee commissioning of GPS wide area Augmentation system, lateral perf more

Over the last year, Van Horn Aviation (Booth No. 3409) has introduced new tail-rotor blades for the Bell 206 and 206L models that the company says significantly reduce noise, pedal forces and maintenance requirements and have a higher life limit than OEM blades. The new 206L tail-rotor blades received an FAA STC on February 8.

The composite tail-rotor blades for the 206 provide a 41-per more

S.E.I. Creates Quieter Cabin
Servizi Elicotteristici Italiani (S.E.I., Booth No. 2045) has developed a new in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, I-Feel, that can control communications, audio/video playback, cabin functions and passenger settings. It has EASA approval “on most medium and heavy helicopter models.” European approval is expected in the first quarter of this more