Spectro and its associated company, Jet-Care, have been named approved suppliers for debris and oil analysis services for all AgustaWestland AW139s. Spectro and Jet-Care use scanning electron microscopes to examine debris recovered from oil samples, filters and chip detectors. Identifying the particle size and composition of metallic and non-metallic debris can help to flag the components responsible for the debris for replacement before they fail.
Environment
March 7, 2013 - 3:25pm
On Monday, Italian helicopter maker AgustaWestland revealed that it has been secretly flying an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing demonstration aircraft powered by twin-electric, direct-drive tiltrotors. The “Project Zero” tiltrotor was designed and built in six months by the company’s advanced concepts group and has been flying since 2011.
March 6, 2013 - 6:42pm
Bell Helicopter has tapped Honeywell to provide the auxiliary power unit (APU) and environmental control system for the new Bell 525 Relentless, which is scheduled to start flying next year. The Honeywell RE100 APU selected for the super-medium twin helicopter is lighter and more fuel efficient than competing systems, according to Honeywell. Honeywell’s AC-5510 environmental control system will provide heating and air-conditioning for the 16-passenger helicopter.
March 5, 2013 - 6:30pm
Avincis Group has taken delivery of the first of its record order of 16 new Sikorsky S-92s. The order, placed in December 2011, is the largest single purchase of S-92s ever made, according to the UK-based operator. The Avincis fleet is expected to provide offshore oil and gas worker transportation and serve in a search-and-rescue role.
March 5, 2013 - 5:00pm
Bell Helicopter has tapped Honeywell (Booth No. C4304) to provide the auxiliary power unit (APU) and environmental control system for the new Bell 525 Relentless, which is scheduled to start flying next year. The Honeywell RE100 APU selected for the super-medium twin helicopter is lighter and more fuel efficient than competing systems, according to Honeywell. It allows operators to run critical avionics and electronics systems without turning on the main engine, further reducing total fuel consumption.
March 1, 2013 - 3:10am
Only one business jet thus far has been certified with a lithium-ion main-ship battery, Cessna’s Citation CJ4, which employed lithium-iron phosphate technology, unlike the lithium-cobalt oxide chemistry in the Boeing 787 batteries. No other business jet has been certified with a lithium-ion main-ship battery, although Gulfstream had planned to employ a lithium-ion battery in the G650 before switching to a nickel-cadmium battery while the aircraft was still working its way toward certification.
February 26, 2013 - 11:22am
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for governments to reach a consensus on a global approach to market-based measures (MBMs) to help aviation manage its carbon emissions during this week’s Greener Skies Conference in Hong Kong.
February 25, 2013 - 9:45am
A pair of California Highway Patrol helicopter pilots saved the life of a hiker who was being stalked by a mountain lion just before sunset in the hills about 50 miles northeast of Sacramento. The hiker called for help after trying to scare the cat away by throwing rocks and shouting at the big animal. When the CHP arrived they found the cat standing face-to-face about 20 feet away from the hiker. The pilots flew low over the cat and scared it off, allowing for the hiker’s rescue.
February 19, 2013 - 3:11pm
NBAA is welcoming International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) committee proposals to limit aircraft emissions and reduce noise levels in the near term. The Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) at ICAO wrapped up three years of work last Thursday with recommendations for creating both a metric and standards for carbon-dioxide emissions, as well as for reducing aircraft noise levels by 2020.
February 18, 2013 - 1:40pm
The International Civil Aviation Organization approved a temporary ban on carrying lithium-ion batteries as standard cargo on passenger aircraft last week. An interim amendment approved on February 13 rescinded ICAO’s earlier exemption that allowed lithium-ion batteries weighing up to 35 kg (77 pounds) to be carried. Batteries weighing approximately 66 pounds were responsible for two recent fires aboard the now-grounded Boeing 787 airliner.
