Mark Huber 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, business jets and turboprops, 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.

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Mark Huber

Bryan Willows,&nbsp;Bristow Group’s program manager for advanced air mobility, recently flew the Leonardo AW609 civil tiltrotor in Philadelphia. Willows is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran with flight experience in the MV-22 Osprey military tiltrotor.

 


Bristow is the launch customer for the AW609 in the U.S. and is collaborating with Leonardo on modifications, operations, regulations, and maintenance related to the aircraft.&nbsp;The first Bristow AW609 is on the production line in Philadelphia. Willows added that&nbsp;“the AW609 is an important aircraft as Bristow helps advance vertical flight technology just like we have for the past 70 plus years.”

 


The helicopter operator has been flying Leonardo helicopters for 25 years and currently operates a fleet of 90 of the company’s aircraft, including AW139 and AW189 twins for missions such as offshore transport, search and rescue, and air ambulance in North and South America, Europe, and Africa.&nbsp;

 


AW609 flight-test aircraft have currently logged more than 1,700 hours. Leonardo opened a flight-training facility in Philadelphia last year that includes the world’s first AW609 full-flight simulator. The company said it expects the AW609 to enter service next year.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Bristow Flies Leonardo AW609 Tiltorotor

Bristow's first AW609 is on the Leonardo production line in Philadelphia. 

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

The R88 can seat 10 and carry up to 1,800 pounds of payload.

Robinson's New R88 Model Supersizes its Helicopter Family

Geared towards emergency medical services, it offers more interior space and performance.

Airbus Expands its Twin-Engine Helicopter Family With the New H140 Model

AmyWilder

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Newly unveiled H140 generated interest among emergency medical operators

Airbus Logs Commitments for 118 Helicopters at Verticon

Matt Thurber

Battery technology remains insufficient for electric program progress

Airbus Orders Climb, CityAirbus eVTOL Program Pausing

Curt Epstein

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

The developing advanced air mobility sector has seen consolidation of late.

Vertical Flight Society Assesses eVTOL Market Churn

Company has also launched a new rotorcraft leasing arm

THC, Rotortrade Fleets Expand; AAM on the Horizon

Hanneke Weitering

Dozen helicopters ordered by customers in Egypt, Alaska, and the UK

Leonardo Announces Helicopter Orders at Verticon 2025

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

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