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February 24, 2009

Papillon selects Honeywell TCAS

Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters has selected Honeywell’s Traffic and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) for its fleet of helicopters. Said Elling Halvorson, chairman of Papillon, “The initial systems will be installed on our EC 130 fleet of 12 helicopters. Our remaining aircraft will be fitted shortly thereafter with Honeywell’s outstanding traffic system.” TCAS shows pilots the location more

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Villeneuve orders EC175s and AS 350s

Canadian-based Villeneuve Helicopters has ordered three Eurocopter EC 175s and two AS 350 B2s. Villeneuve is the second Canadian customer to order the medium-twin EC 175. It will be configured to seat up to 16 passengers. More than 175 AS350 B2s are already in service in Canada.

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Start Pac touts lithium-powered GPU

Start Pac (Booth No. 1734) is here at Heli-Expo’09 displaying the first lithium battery-powered ground power unit (GPU). The Li2800QC lasts twice as long as lead-acid batteries and is 42 percent lighter and 33 percent smaller than other batteries, according to Smart Pac. In addition, the batteries, which are the same as those used in electric cars, do not suffer from sulfation problems. In oth more

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Sweeping changes for HEMS are likely

By Mark Huber

A series of fatal medevac helicopter crashes last year prompted fresh calls for increased industry regulation, and by November the FAA had announced changes to the operations specifications governing helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) flights under Part 135. Those covered flight planning, weather minimums and the use of night-vision goggles (NVGs). But it became apparent at public Nation more

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Aerolite delivers fourth AW139 to Luftransport

Swiss interiors designer Aerolite has delivered a fourth AW139 EMS helicopter to Norwegian air ambulance operator Lufttransport. The interior includes a stretcher for single- and dual-patient configuration and four “ergonomically placed” swiveling and tracking seats. If necessary, the operator can change the configuration to a 12-seat utility design.
The cabin ceiling has integrated pa more

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Sikorsky picks Naasco starter generator

Sikorsky Aircraft on Monday signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Shirley, N.Y.-based Naasco Northeast to improve S-76 helicopter starter generators. The Naasco Mercury Mod upgrade extends the time between overhaul of the starter generators and cools the operating temperature while lowering operating costs and enhancing performance, the manufacturer said. Naasco (Booth No. 2358) said the more

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Era Training Center gets Part 142 approval

The FAA has granted Era Training Center a Part 142 certificate, designating the Lake Charles, La.-based company an approved training center. The first curriculum approved under the new certificate is the EC 135 ATP rotorcraft program. According to Paul White, general manager of Era Training Center, “This is the final element…to facilitate our goal of providing the highest quality training serv more

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Conklin & de Decker offer discounts

Visitors to the Conklin & de Decker display (Booth No. 3323) during Heli-Expo’09 can receive a 20-percent discount on some of the company’s most popular products, including the Aircraft Cost Evaluator, the Aircraft Performance Comparator, Life Cycle Cost and the State Tax Guide for General Aviation. The Massachusetts-based company released the 2009 tax guide earlier this month. It contains more

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Sabreliner promotes its chopper guy

Tracy Ogle joined St. Louis-based Sabreliner (Booth No. 2736) two years ago as its rotary-wing program manager to help the company expand its efforts in support of the
helicopter industry. He was recently promoted to director of helicopter programs. Before joining Sabreliner, Ogle was program manager of the U.S. Army’s VH-60 Black Hawk fleet, which provides direct support to the White Hous more

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Sikorsky to honor Helijet for safe operation

Sikorsky Aircraft (Booth No. 1740) will honor British Columbia-based Helijet International today for achieving 140,000 accident-free hours with its fleet of S-76As. The operator provides scheduled helicopter airline and air ambulance services and has been operating Sikorsky helicopters for more than 20 years. It currently operates five S-76As, one S-61 and a Learjet 31A.

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