Mark Huber
Contributor - Rotorcraft

Mark Huber (RotorWriter@Twitter) is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, turbine business aircraft, and transport category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals. 

Latest from Mark Huber

Regulations and Government

IG Criticizes FAA's Airport Improvement Funding

FAA did not follow proper procedures when allocating $106 million in airport improvement funding
Newark Airport
Rotorcraft

LCI Orders 21 New Leonardo Helicopters

The deal includes AW139, AW169, and AW189 models
LCI helicopter fleet
Rotorcraft

Robinson Helicopter Launches 'Climb Higher' Video Series

Operators featured in new Robinson videos
Robinson
Fuel

Colorado Proposes Big New Tax on Leaded Avgas

State bill would impose a 50-cent-per-gallon 'impact fee'
Fueling airplane with aviation gasoline
Rotorcraft

Maverick Helicopters Expands Air Tours into SoCal

The company will offer charter services and tours from Long Beach locations
Maverick
Training and Workforce

Bristow UK Pilots Plan Two-Day Strikes Starting March 3

The helicopter operator's pilots bemoan lack of contract progress
Bristow
Safety

Weaponized ATC Calls Threaten African Air Safety

Aircraft receive conflicting transmissions as Somalia and Somaliland fight over airspace control
OpsGroup chart
Regulations and Government

Senate FAA Reauthorization Mandates Part 135 for All Air Tours

Alphabets urge rejection of costly new Part 135 provisions
Papillon Helicopters
Avionics

Elliott Launches Citation XL/XLS Refurb with G5000 Upgrade

The XL/XLS Excellence Program offers new avionics, paint, and interior
Elliott Aviation Excellent upgrade of the Citation XL/XLS
Avionics

Blackcomb Helicopters Selects Foresight MX HUMS

The GPMS system will be installed on Blackcomb's Airbus and Bell helicopter fleets
Blackcomb installing Foresight MX on EC135 and Bell 212HP
Safety

AAIB: AW189 Incident Crew Did Not Understand Its AFCS

An AFCS mismatch triggered an uncommanded yaw
AgustaWestland AW189
Training and Workforce

Flight Training Fatal Accidents Drop 50 Percent

Study shows 20-year reduction in flight training fatal accidents
Flight training accident rates
Rotorcraft

Air Evac Helicopter in Oklahoma Hit Geese Before Crashing

NTSB found dead goose in flight controls, others in crash area
NTSB chart
Rotorcraft

Helicopter OEMs See Big Civil Market Opportunities in China, India

Pilot training, infrastructure, fuel challenge growth
Robinson helicopters in Hunan, China
Safety

Helicopter Seat Pain Solutions Are on the Horizon

Contoured cushions and better materials could mitigate pilot injury
Hendrick Motorsports prototype seat developed for the U.S. Army.
Rotorcraft

French DGA Orders 42 Airbus H145 Helicopters

H145s will be used by French police and rescue services
The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) ordered 42 new H145 helicopters, including 36 for the Sécurité Civile agency
Rotorcraft

Airbus Helicopters Orders Rise, Deliveries Flat for 2023

Airbus delivered 346 helicopters in 2023
Airbus Super Puma
Accidents

Three Die in Oklahoma HEMS Crash

Air Evac Bell 206 LongRanger crashes at night on repositioning flight
The helicopter was on a 70-mile repositioning flight from Oklahoma City to Weatherford when it crashed.
Charter & Fractional

Verijet Sues Former Board Member

The company accused an initial investor and former board member of trying to bankrupt it
Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet
Accidents

Parents of Helitour Crash Victim Receive $100 Million

Airbus, Papillon agree to nine-figure settlement in 2018 Grand Canyon helitour accident
Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters
Rotorcraft

MD Helicopters Booked Record Orders in 2023

The OEM is focusing on product support and gradually ramping up production
MD Helicopters
Rotorcraft

Eclectic fleet powers Samaritan’s Purse in Haiti

International relief organization Samaritan’s Purse is using an eclectic fleet of its own, borrowed and chartered aircraft to respond to the ongoing humani

Blade Separation Preceded EC135 Crash

Preliminary indications are that blade failure played a role in the fatal crash of a 2000 American Eurocopter EC135T1 near Cave Creek, Ariz., on Sunday aft
Rotorcraft

AgustaWestland Will Bid on New Marine One

A spokesman for AgustaWestland (AW) told AIN that the company is still in the hunt for the U.S.
Rotorcraft

Robinson: R66 dealers must be Part 145 OK’d

Robinson Helicopter is expected to announce factory-authorized dealers for the new turbine R66 this month.
Rotorcraft

Chinese helo makers build alliances with Western OEMs

China is expected to modify its low-altitude airspace restrictions over the
next few years, a move that could trigger demand for more than 1,000 new

Rotorcraft Programs: Tiltrotors and Compounds

Cutting-edge research takes an enormous amount of time and while the BA609 tiltrotor still shows signs of life, it may end up a solely AgustaWestland proje

Night Flight Concepts turns police green

Several law enforcement agencies recently completed Night Flight Concepts’s (Booth No.

R66 certification ‘very close’

Robinson Helicopter founder Frank Robinson said certification of the company’s new turbine R66 was “very close” and that the company planned an initial pro