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.

Contributor

Mark Huber

Enstrom has made the initial flight of its first new-production 480B since reopening eight months ago. The company stressed that the aircraft was not “an unfinished leftover airframe, but was built using components procured, machined, fabricated, and assembled on-site.” It was Enstrom’s 255th&nbsp;480-series helicopter and 1,317th&nbsp;helicopter overall. Enstrom will display it&nbsp;in Booth C2820 at this year’s Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo from March 7 to&nbsp;9&nbsp;in Atlanta. The company plans to retain the aircraft and use it to certify new upgrades and planned improvements.
“This was a critical milestone in our plan to not just bring back Enstrom, but to start to reinvent ourselves and the way we operate,” said Enstrom COO&nbsp;Adam Richardson. “It took all functions to focus on the objective. New supplier relationships, new machinists and fabricators, and luckily many from prior years, better print definitions, a high standard of workmanship, and everyone on-site helping each other cross-functionally to bring us back online.”
Menominee, Michigan-based Enstrom filed Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy last January&nbsp;after more than 60 years in business. Indiana-based Surack Enterprises acquired its assets in May.&nbsp;

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Enstrom Flies First New-production Helo Since Reopening

Enstrom flies its first new production helicopter since reopening in May 2022, a 480B.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Chad Trautvetter

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.

Event allows for casual, in-person networking

Aircraft Research Group To Again Host Connect at BACE

Kerry Lynch

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.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Aero-Mach reinforces Ontic’s manufacturing, support, and distribution capabilities

Ontic Gains Wichita Foothold with Aero-Mach Acquisition

Curt Epstein

Manufacturer is on track to meet its forecast total

Embraer Soars with 41 Business Jet Deliveries in Q3

The aircraft has a 100 mile range and is intended for personal use.

SkyFly Prepares eVTOL Aircraft for Axe Approval Under FAA MOSAIC Rules

Charlotte Bailey

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Rollout ceremony follows touchdown of air force’s first two aircraft 

Lapland Air Wing Receives First Finnish F-35A Fighter 

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.

More In Aircraft

Aircraft Research Group To Again Host Connect at BACE

Event allows for casual, in-person networking

Ontic Gains Wichita Foothold with Aero-Mach Acquisition

Aero-Mach reinforces Ontic’s manufacturing, support, and distribution capabilities

Embraer Soars with 41 Business Jet Deliveries in Q3

Manufacturer is on track to meet its forecast total

SkyFly Prepares eVTOL Aircraft for Axe Approval Under FAA MOSAIC Rules

The aircraft has a 100 mile range and is intended for personal use.

Lapland Air Wing Receives First Finnish F-35A Fighter

Rollout ceremony follows touchdown of air force’s first two aircraft

Stratolaunch Expands Hypersonic Test Fleet With 777

Third aircraft set to carry Talon-A hypersonic flight test vehicles to launch altitude

Piaggio Organizes Inaugural Avanti Owners’ Meet in U.S.

Texas conference to unite owners and operators in early October

Manufacturers Move into a Renewed Material World

Manufacturers source and upcycle the latest in advanced materials

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN