The U.S. Air Force’s newest helicopter—the MH-139 Grey Wolf—has taken its first flight at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana.

The helicopters, which are manufactured by partners Boeing and Leonardo, are scheduled to replace the U.S. Air Force’s aging fleet of Bell UH-1N Hueys that perform missions such as off-base nuclear weapons convoy surveillance and routine missile site support. The service has operated the military variant of the Bell 212 since 1970.

• READ MORE: MH-139A Grey Wolf Training Unit Activates at Maxwell AFB

“Aircrew from the 550th Helicopter Squadron took the MH-139 for a spin yesterday, marking the occasion as the Grey Wolf’s first flight from Malmstrom AFB,” Air Force Global Strike Command said in a March 21 post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The squadron activated last year and is responsible for Air Force Global Strike Command’s training and conversion to the MH-139 Grey Wolf. The first helicopter arrived at the air base earlier this month.

• READ MORE: Boeing MH-139 Grey Wolf Progresses into Flight Testing

“The aircraft will play a crucial role in a variety of missions, including intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) security operations, search and rescue efforts, and personnel transport,” the Air Force said.

The Air Force, which initially planned to order 80 MH-139s, has reduced its projected buy to 42, Air and Space Forces Magazine recently reported. Malmstrom AFB is one of three ICBM bases where the helicopter will be stationed. Malmstrom, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, and Minot AFB, North Dakota, will each receive 11 of the aircraft.

Grey Wolf in a Blue Sky

Aircrew from the 550th Helicopter Squadron took the MH-139 for a spin yesterday, marking the occasion as the Grey Wolf’s first flight from Malmstrom AFB. @usairforce @US_STRATCOM @BoeingDefense pic.twitter.com/xdXXjVoamb

— Air Force Global Strike Command (@AFGlobalStrike) March 21, 2024

The post Air Force MH-139A Grey Wolf Makes First Flight in Montana appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The last HAI Heli-Expo, which the organization will rename VERTICON next year, is in the books, and according to show organizers, attendance records were set at the 35th annual event in Anaheim, California.

This year’s event from February 26-29 included the announcement that the show’s producer, Helicopter Association International (HAI), was rebranding as Vertical Aviation International (VAI).

• READ MORE: HAI Rebrands as Vertical Aviation International

VAI is the world’s leading membership association dedicated to the vertical aviation industry, which encompasses all aircraft capable of vertical or short takeoff and landing.

According to James Viola, VAI president and CEO, during the four-day event you could feel the excitement and optimism.

“Both our attendees and exhibitors reported experiencing an outstanding show in Anaheim,” Viola said. “Every exhibiting company I spoke with reported high-quality traffic, and our attendees took advantage of the hundred-plus networking and education opportunities.”

The rebranding of the event plays into the growth in the industry, according to Nicole Battjes, chair of the VAI board of directors.

“We chose to announce our rebranding at the show because each year it becomes the center of the vertical aviation universe,” Battjes said. “Our theme for the 2024 show, ‘Building Tomorrow,’ perfectly aligned with our reasons for rebranding.”

Expo by the Numbers

Part trade show, part conference, Heli-Expo brought in 15,000 professionals from 87 countries. For four days, they had the opportunity to visit with some 625 exhibitors and get a close look at 63 aircraft.

The show also represents an opportunity to network and see and learn about the latest in technology and services for vertical aviation businesses.

Issues and Advancements in the Industry

Traditionally, Heli-Expo has been a good place to job hunt, and this year was no exception. VAI offered numerous opportunities for industry professionals, such as pilots, mechanics, and engineers, to network and connect with employers through its Industry Career Fair. In addition, there was a well-attended Mil2Civ Workshop, a program designed to assist military members transitioning into civil aviation.

In all there were 125 educational and training courses offered, ranging from the use of automation to aerial firefighting, that attracted more than 4,180 attendees. Plus, the annual Rotor Safety Zone featured presentations, demonstrations, and access to the regulators overseeing aviation safety. 

VAI Getting Cleaner

During the conference VAI promoted greater use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by providing it to all aircraft flying into this year’s show.

“Vertical aviation must do our part to reduce our carbon footprint by incorporating SAF,” Viola said. “We want to thank Hangar 21, HeliStream Inc., Fullerton Municipal Airport [KFUL], World Energy, and Titan Aviation Fuels, who were instrumental in bringing SAF to HAI Heli-Expo.” 

Next year’s show, which will be called VERTICON 2025, will be in Dallas from March 10-13, with exhibits open March 11-13.

More information about VAI can be found here.

The post HAI Heli-Expo Sees Record-Breaking Attendance appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Do you fly a Robinson helicopter? The tail of your aircraft is about to get extra attention.

The FAA has issued an airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Robinson Helicopter models: R22, R22 Alpha, R22 Beta, R22 Mariner, R44, R44 II, and R66 because of problems in the field involving the tip cap of the tail rotor blade.

According to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), the AD (FAA-2023-2232) was developed after three field reports about TRB tip caps coming loose due to corrosion at the bond on Robinson Helicopter Co. (RHC) Model R44. The incidents occurred during a run-up check, after landing, and during landing on different helicopters.

The similarity of the TRB caps on other Robinson Helicopter models resulted in the expansion of the AD beyond the R44 as a precaution.

According to RHC, there have also been reports of TRBs that have “corroded to an unserviceable condition, including severe leading-edge pitting and degradation of the bond at the tip cap.”

Affected TRBs were factory-installed or shipped as spares before November 2022. 

Compliance with the AD requires visually checking and inspecting certain part-numbered and serial-numbered TRB tip caps for evidence of corrosion and, depending on the result, removing the corrosion. The AD necessitates removing all affected TRBs from service and prohibits the installation of them on any helicopter.

The FAA estimates the cost of compliance with the AD will be $85 per hour. Visual checks of the TRBs will take approximately 0.25 work hours for an estimated cost of up to $22 per helicopter cycle.

The FAA also estimates the AD will affect about 2,701 helicopters in the United States.

The post Airworthiness Directive Issued for Robinson Helicopters appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Helicopter Association International, the nonprofit trade organization founded 75 years ago, announced Tuesday that it had rebranded as Vertical Aviation International (VAI) due to the evolving vertical aviation industry. 

Board chair Nicole Battjes and president and CEO James Viola said in a letter to VAI members that the name change was made to reflect the “wave of expansion” being ushered in by new aircraft and technology. They said the new moniker is part of a “transformative journey” but promised members the group’s commitment to the industry wouldn’t change. 

• READ MORE: HAI Celebrates 75 Years

“While our name and appearance have evolved, the most important change is our expanded focus,” the executives’ letter read. “We support all aircraft capable of vertical or short takeoff and landing—and yes, that absolutely includes helicopters. Those aircraft complete missions that no other aircraft can accomplish, and we are proud to represent them.”

The VAI leaders said the rebrand will better serve vertical aviation communities and enable the organization to better work with legislators and regulators. 

With the change also comes a new name for the organization’s annual conference and trade show, which will now be called VERTICON. 

The post HAI Rebrands as Vertical Aviation International appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Robinson Helicopter Co. announcedTuesday that former vice president of operations David Smith has been named its president and CEO.

Smith succeeds Kurt Robinson, who has served in the position since 2010. Smith is only the third to serve as president and CEO of Robinson, which was founded in 1973 by Kurt’s father, Frank. Kurt will be moving to an advisory role with the company and remain on its board of directors. The leadership transition is effective immediately.

“Watching and helping our company grow from our living room to become a global leader in the helicopter industry is a fantastic lifetime achievement, and I am incredibly proud of my 40-year career with the company,” said Kurt Robinson. “Moving forward, RHC requires a committed, strong leader who shares our company values, and we’ve found that leader in David Smith, who will be taking over the day-to-day leadership of the business as president and CEO.”

Smith joined RHC in early 2023 as its vice president of operations. He previously worked at Bell Flight in engineering and leadership positions, including as chief engineer then program director for the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X and vice president of operations modernization. Smith also served as chief executive of Textron subsidiary TRU Simulation + Training Inc. He holds a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.  

• READ MORE: Robinson Reports Shipment Increase, Plans Leadership on Alternative Fuels

When it comes to Robinson’s future, Smith noted that the company has made significant investments in engineering talent, particularly over the last year. He emphasized that its foundation won’t change as RHC moves forward on expanding the performance and capabilities of its current products and developing new ones. Smith said Robinson will continue to focus on safety from its factory technology to its helicopters as well as partnering with companies using company aircraft to explore technologies such as electric and autonomous flight.

“Leading Robinson Helicopter Company is an extraordinary privilege,” said Smith. “With a 50-year legacy of success, I am honored to lead the company into the next 50 years of vertical flight. I look forward to working with the more than 400 service centers and dealers and the more than 1,100 employees of RHC as we pursue new products, markets, partnerships, and technologies.” 

The post Robinson Helicopter Co. Names New CEO appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

2023 was a good year for aircraft deliveries, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s (GAMA) year-end General Aviation Aircraft Shipments and Billings Report.

GAMA found that aircraft shipments rose across all segments compared to 2022, coming in at 3,050 airplanes and 962 helicopters delivered in 2023. The numbers represent year-on-year increases of 9 percent and 9.8 percent, respectively. Overall airplane billings for last year rose 2.2 percent to $23.4 billion while total helicopter billings increased 11.2 percent to $4.4 billion.

“For the first time in more than a decade, the general aviation manufacturing industry has eclipsed 4,000 aircraft delivered,” said GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce. “In addition to this strong showing, there are robust and growing order backlogs for all segments of aircraft. This is a testament to the resilience of our industry and the integral role that general and business aviation plays in our communities.”

Breaking down the numbers, piston airplane deliveries were up 11.8 percent from 1,505 in 2022 to 1,682 in 2023. Turboprop shipments also surged, hitting 638 delivered last year and improving 9.6 percent over the previous year. While business jet deliveries saw the least change, the segment still increased 2.5 percent with 730 delivered.

On the rotorcraft side, 209 piston helicopters shipped last year, up from 194 in 2022. Turbine helicopter deliveries jumped 10.4 percent. GAMA noted that fourth-quarter data from Leonardo Helicopters was not available when the report was published, so it excluded Leonardo’s Q4 2022 data from its comparison.

• READ MORE: GAMA Reports Year-Over-Year Increase in Aircraft Shipments In a ‘Governed’ Recovery

“While the deliveries from 2023 are very encouraging, our industry faces headwinds from ongoing supply chain issues, workforce shortages, uncertainty and unpredictability from global regulators, and shortsighted efforts aimed at curbing business and general aviation, particularly in Europe,” said Bunce. “As civil aviation’s innovation incubator, our entire GA industry is focused on new aircraft and technologies that will lead the way in safety and sustainability for the entire aviation sector. This progress is dependent on having effective, predictable, and accountable regulatory processes, and a supportive business environment.

“Therefore, it is crucial that the U.S. Congress passes a long-term FAA reauthorization bill, a fiscal year 2024 appropriations bill for the FAA, and a tax measure, which is pending, that promotes research and development.”

GAMA’s full report is available on its website.

The post GAMA: 2023 Aircraft Shipments Up Across All Segments appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

One of the first things an airplane pilot learns when they start training to fly helicopters is that helicopters require much more attention as they have more controls: cyclic, control stick, and two rudder pedals.

And they have always had these controls since Sikorsky invented them in 1942, said Ray Wert, vice president of communications and marketing for Skyryse, the manufacturers of the Skyryse One, the first production fly-by-wire helicopter piloted with a single control stick and two touchscreens.

“Our hope is that it will truly be a game-changer,” said Wert.

Skyryse, founded in 2016 in Los Angeles and headquartered in nearby El Segundo, California, said its mission is to “bring about a new era in flight, where fatalities are near zero and where piloting any aircraft is simple and safe.”

The company claims to have done that with the invention of the SkyOS system—a computer that gives pilots greater control by simplifying the management of an aircraft during standard flight operations, inclement weather, and emergencies.

“The Skyryse One might look familiar on the outside, but the similarities to any other aircraft end there,” said Mark Groden, founder and CEO of Skyryse. “Since the invention of vertical flight, pilots have juggled four controls simultaneously, using both hands and both feet just to keep it airborne—until today.”

How It Works

According to the company, the Skyryse One features the SkyOS, a proprietary operating system that offers simplified control and an aircraft-agnostic, triply-redundant, fly-by-wire system.

Wert noted that since the invention of vertical flight pilots have juggled four controls simultaneously, using both hands and feet to keep the aircraft airborne. This new flight control system features dynamic computers that are interactive and “provide a level of aviation safety that is usually only found in fighter jets and airliners.”

This is not an autopilot, according to Wert, as the company realized a bolt-on autopilot would not solve the challenges of flying a helicopter—hence the need for the clean-sheet design.

Among the features it includes are automatic auto rotation and auto glide, and flair and set-down when the computers detect a power failure.

“The pilot in command can also do an auto pickup and set-down as well as start-up with a single swipe of a finger,” said Wert. “It has hover assist mode, whereas conventional helicopters require a complex synchronization of all four controls. We went with the triply-redundant fly-by-wire system to create simplified controls to remove the hundreds of points of potential aircraft failure in the old mechanical controls that [have] been in use since the 1940s. It gives you more room in the cockpit as there are no more pedals or dual cyclic or collective.”

Wert said the certification process is underway, and it is his understanding that the usable load for the Skyryse One will allow for it to carry four people and a full tank of gas.

“When you remove the mechanical parts, you save a lot of weight,” he said. “Our hope is that it will truly be a game-changer.”

In addition to being significantly easier to fly than present vertical lift aircraft on the market, the Skyryse One will be fully IFR capable with an introductory price of $1.8 million.

Other first-of-its-kind features found in the Skyryse One:

• Flight system: It offers full four-axis flight control with the SkyOS operating system and fly-by-wire.

• Dynamic envelope protection: It continuously combines pilot inputs and monitors environmental conditions, aircraft status, and flight parameters to keep the aircraft flying safely.

• Fully automated autorotation: Skyryse SkyOS to quickly recognize a power failure and automatically enter into an autorotation, automating the glide, flare, and set-down, with the pilot in control.

• Auto-pickup and set-down: The Skyryse One will auto-pickup and set-down at a pilot’s command with just one simple swipe on the screen.

• Hover assist: Traditional helicopters require a complex synchronization of all four controls. Skyryse SkyOS simplifies all that, assisting pilots by maintaining a hover at their command without using hands and feet.

Because the Skyryse One is continuously stabilized by SkyOS, it will be more steady than other vertical lift aircraft. The company said the pilot can “let go of the controls at any time, and the aircraft will stay inside a safe flight envelope.”

•  Swipe-to-start: Traditional helicopters are also started through a lengthy multistep start-up procedure. The Skyryse One automates all of that, allowing a pilot to start the engine by swiping right on the screen.

The Skyryse One will be fully certified for IFR at half the cost of an IFR-certified helicopter.

How to Get One

To place an order, visit the Skyryse website to put down a fully-refundable, nontransferable reservation for $2,500. The company said its first customers will lock in their Skyryse One First Edition aircraft for an introductory price of $1.8 million, excluding any additional interior or livery customizations selected.

Beyond these First Edition units, the Skyryse One cost will be determined by position in line and production timing. Skyryse will begin accepting traditional deposits from First Edition customers as their place in line comes up during production, with first deposits to coincide with EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in July. Additionally, Skyryse will also be extending simulator demonstration opportunities to reservation holders who sign up ahead of Oshkosh.

Reservations for the Skyryse One First Edition are open at Skyryse.com.

The post Skyryse Calls New Fly-by-Wire Helicopter a ‘Game-Changer’ appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Garmin announced that its GFC 600H flight control system for helicopters is available in an IFR design with a stability augmentation system (SAS). The new version includes collective control, giving the GFC 600H four-axis capability for the first time.

Leonardo Helicopters’ AW109 Trekker is the first model to use the system with the new capabilities. The company said the enhanced version helps improve overall mission effectiveness by decreasing the pilot’s workload.

• READ MORE: Auto Flight for Rotorcraft

“We are very excited to now offer a four-axis, IFR flight control system for the helicopter market,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin’s vice president of aviation sales and marketing. “This technology will provide IFR operators with advanced automated flight capabilities and bring added protections to one of the most challenging flight categories in aviation. We’re confident AW109 Trekker operators will be impressed with the performance of GFC 600H.”

The GFC 600H includes a console-mounted, push-button mode controller and display compatible with night vision goggles. High-performance digital servos and new linear actuators that Garmin developed provide crisper, more powerful responses than previous systems, resulting in smooth handling in all phases of flight.

• READ MORE: Garmin Receives GI 275 STC for Airbus Helicopters

The new system supports a range of autopilot modes, including altitude acquire, altitude hold, heading select, attitude hold, approach auto-level, radar height hold, vertical speed, and indicated airspeed. The system also can fly approaches using inputs from navigation systems.

Garmin said its system’s smart servos eliminate the need for two linear actuators and flight control computers for each axis. The result is a lighter, cost-effective system that retains the redundancy needed for IFR flight.

The IFR configuration of the GFC 600H has received European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval on the AW109 Trekker helicopter. Garmin said it expects FAA approval later.

The post Garmin Offers IFR Flight Control System for Helicopters appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

There is hardly any helicopter pilot out there who hasn’t spent time behind the stick of a Robinson R44. The FAA has approved the new empennage design for R44 aircraft which includes a symmetric horizontal stabilizer and tail cone.

The design is now standard on all newly manufactured R44 helicopters registered with the FAA. It follows on the heels of the FAA’s prior approval of the same configuration for the Robinson R66 Turbine in September 2023.

The Robinson R44 was developed in the early 1990s and today is flown all over the world.

• READ MORE: Robinson Helicopter Service Bulletin Targets Governor Controller Upgrades

According to Robinson, the new empennage design provides “enhanced handling characteristics during high-speed flight.”

“Robinson continues to invest in engineering enhancements that make our aircraft more accessible and easier to fly,” said Kurt Robinson, president of Robinson Helicopter Company. “Our aim is to deliver unrivaled safety and reliability so pilots can accomplish their mission with confidence.”

For the R44s in the field, Robinson Helicopter Company also offers the KI-285-2 retrofit kit, originally priced at $7,050, available at a discounted rate of $3,600 until the end of December 2024.

The kit can be purchased through a Robinson Dealer or Service Center, or by calling Robinson Helicopter customer service. According to the company, “The retrofit kit allows for the installation of the new symmetrical stabilizer on the existing tailcones in the field without the need for a complete tail cone replacement.”

Robinson Helicopter Company is also working with civil airworthiness authorities around the globe to secure foreign validations for this empennage configuration. The company noted, “After these regulatory approvals are obtained, foreign-registered R44 helicopters will be delivered with the new empennage as standard.”

The post New Robinson R44 Empennage Design Approved appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Helicopter Association International (HAI), a professional trade association for the global helicopter industry, is marking its 75th anniversary on Wednesday.

Founded by 16 individuals on December 13, 1948, HAI now represents more than 1,100 companies and more than 16,000 people. The organization’s mission is “to provide opportunities for current and future forms of vertical aviation to flourish through advocacy, connection, and collaboration while elevating safety throughout the global industry.” 

According to HAI, its members, which include operators, pilots, maintenance technicians, manufacturers, and suppliers in at least 65 countries, log approximately 2.9 million hours in more than 3,700 helicopters and remotely piloted aircraft annually.

“Seventy-five years ago, a small group of visionaries had the foresight to establish an organization that would become the beacon for the vertical aviation industry,” said HAI president and CEO James Viola. “Today, HAI stands as a testament to their vision and the collective efforts of our members, volunteers, and staff. We are thrilled to celebrate this momentous occasion, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to promote vertical aviation worldwide.”

Alongside its advocacy work, HAI offers educational programs and content, provides scholarship opportunities, and leads safety programs such as the Vertical Aviation Safety Team and U.S. Helicopter Safety Team. It also runs working groups to “facilitate collaboration and the exchange of ideas.”

In addition, HAI hosts an annual trade show, Heli-Expo, which it calls “the world’s largest trade show, conference, and education event for vertical aviation.” The 2023 event welcomed more than 12,400 industry professionals from 97 countries, featuring 639 exhibitors and 49 aircraft. Heli-Expo 2024 is scheduled for February 26-29 in Anaheim, California.

• READ MORE: HAI to Bring First Flights, Broad Range of Rotorcraft to Heli-Expo 2022

“Looking to the future, HAI remains committed to the industry while embracing the expansion and development of new aircraft, infrastructure, and uses for vertical flight,” said Viola. “Our core mission is and will remain: to support our members and promote vertical aviation’s critical role in creating safe, prosperous, and connected communities around the world.”

The post HAI Celebrates 75 Years appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Helicopter air tour operators continue to push back against new rules affecting how they conduct tours of national parks.

Members of the Helicopter Association International (HAI), a trade group representing the global helicopter industry, gave testimony before Congress, asking lawmakers to encourage the FAA and National Park Service to reconsider rules that limit or forbid air tour operations over certain national parks.

“The rushed and misguided process limits and, in some cases, eliminates tours of our national parks by air without consideration of the operational, environmental, and access issues for the public and air tour operators,” said Mark A. Schlaefli, president of Rushmore Helicopters, Black Hills Aerial Adventures, and Badger Helicopters, and vice chair of the HAI board of directors.

• READ MORE: Helicopter Tour Operators Fight Proposed National Park Restrictions

Discussion of air tour management plans (ATMPs) has been going on for some time, with air tour operators concerned that new rules will restrict airspace over parks to the point where their businesses will suffer.

In June, the HAI asked its members and supporters to comment on the proposed ATMPs four parks in two states: Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and Haleakalā National Park in Hawaii, and Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. Now the group is asking Congress to take action to reduce planned restrictions.

The NPS and FAA completed ATMPs for Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial that require air tour operators “to conduct all air tours beyond one-half mile from the park boundary or fly at 5,000 agl or higher when over the park. The agencies said the rules “are designed to protect the park’s natural and cultural resources, Tribal sacred sites and ceremonial areas, and visitor experience, within the ATMP boundary.”

• READ MORE: Aviation Associations Fight NY Legislation To Restrict Helicopter Flights

Tour operators seek more discussion, noting that plans for Badlands and Rushmore were made hastily and could make their operations uneconomical.

“Congress and stakeholders, working together, created the road map for the development of air tour management plans (ATMPs), which is now being ignored in the rush to complete all the plans within two years,” said Jake Tomlin, president of Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters and Grand Canyon Scenic

Airlines, who also testified during the Congressional hearing. “Not involving crucial stakeholders like air tour operators in this procedure led to plans for the initial parks that raise significant safety issues,” Tomlin added.

Among the safety issues tour operators have attributed to the ATMPs are tour routes that conflict with nearby airports and military installations, aircraft being permitted to fly within 500 feet of one another, no consideration for weather, and no coordinated radio communications in the areas.

So far, Congress appears sympathetic to the air tour operators. In a memo, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations discussed downsides to the latest ATMPs including potential adverse economic effects.

“ATMPs across the nation have either completely eliminated air tours over certain National Park units, or effectively eliminated them by drastically limiting the number of flights allocated, making air tour operations in these regions uneconomical. Such actions are short sighted, as they do not account for the numerous services that air tour companies, their pilots, and their vehicles provide for the surrounding communities. They also do not account for the economic impacts of ATMPs, resulting limitations on access to the National Park System, and their minimal impact to the environment,” the memo stated.

In its conclusion, the subcommittee said, “Further action is needed by Congress to correct the ATMP process.”

The post Air Tour Operators Ask Congress to Restore Their Access to National Parks appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Schweizer, the Fort Worth, Texas, company that manufactures Schweizer S300, S300CBi, and S333 helicopters, said it received an FAA Part 145 repair station certification, allowing it to repair and overhaul its aircraft and components under an FAA-approved quality system.

• READ MORE: Schweizer Finishes First Factory Refreshed S300CBi Helicopter

“We are extremely grateful to our partners at the FAA who helped us earn this additional level of quality assurance and capability as we continue to build back the trusted Schweizer brand,” said David Horton, president and CEO of Schweizer. “We are pleased to provide this level of certification to our customers and are now in the process of applying for similar EASA approval to further expand our support for Schweizer owners and operators.”

• READ MORE: Schweizer S-300 Production to Resume after Sale by Sikorsky

The new repair station certificate allows Schweizer to raise its level of services to include performing transmission overhauls and other labor-intensive repairs in its own factory. The change will help to reduce delays and expenses often associated with relying on third parties to perform the work, the company said.

The post Schweizer Receives FAA Part 145 Repair Station Certificate appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Schweizer has finished the first of its factory refreshed S300CBi helicopters. The new program will put certified pre-owned rotorcraft in the hands of customers for well below the price of a new model, according to the company.

The OEM Certified Helicopters Program replaces several key components, including the engine, blades, and interior, applies new paint, and introduces other low-time parts to the finished product.

“The former owners of the Schweizer brand did not maintain parts availability, leaving a number of aircraft to be cannibalized,” said Schweizer president and CEO David Horton. “We created our new OEM Certified Helicopters Program to help bring the fleet back to life and provide a more affordable way for customers to get into helicopter ownership or upgrade to a new helicopter.”

• READ MORE: Schweizer S300 Production to Resume After Sale by Sikorsky

According to the company, the program is the only one of its kind in the light rotorcraft industry segment. To feed it, Schweizer now accepts used helicopters “regardless of their airworthiness” for an extensive inspection, repairs, and replacement of those components listed above. 

“Customers can trade in their older Schweizers for either a discount equal to the value of the aircraft on a new helicopter or receive a percentage of their aircraft’s sale price when Schweizer sells it after it completes the program,” said the company in a release.

Once in the program, the S300CBi-series aircraft take one of two tracks: “refreshed” or “refurbished.”

Refreshed aircraft start with a low-time aircraft “requiring few repairs and/or part replacements.” The finished product includes “an intensive OEM inspection,” with parts and components needing replacement or nearing life limitation replaced, and carry full 400-hour, 800-hour, annual, and 24-month inspections. 

The aircraft are also professionally detailed with any blemishes repaired.

• READ MORE: Learn to Fly: Rotorcraft

Refurbished aircraft follow a similar model but involve those S300CBis needing more work. “These aircraft receive new or overhauled engines, new blades, component replacements where needed to ensure overall low-time components, a completely new interior, and fresh paint,” said Schweizer. “Avionics are entirely customizable to a customer’s request. The aircraft also undergo full 400-hour, 800-hour, annual and 24-month inspections.”

Both come with a one-year/1,000-hour warranty on parts replaced or repaired by Schweizer.

• READ MORE: Which Aircraft Do You Want to Fly?

The post Schweizer Finishes First Factory Refreshed S300CBi Helicopter appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Airbus Helicopters unveiled the PioneerLab, a twin-engine technology demonstrator, during the German National Aviation Conference in Hamburg.

The company said the purpose of the demonstrator, which is based on its H145 helicopter platform, is to test technologies that reduce helicopter emissions and make use of bio-based materials—both in its fuel as well as structural components.

• READ MORE: Airbus Helicopters’ Diesel H120 First Flight Test Successful

“With PioneerLab, we continue our ambitious strategy to test and mature new technologies on board our helicopter demonstrators,” said Tomasz Krysinski, head of research and innovation programs at Airbus Helicopters. “PioneerLab, which is based in Germany at our Donauwörth site, will be our platform to test technologies specifically dedicated to twin-engine helicopters.”

One of the company’s goals with  the PioneerLab is to reduce fuel consumption by as much as 30 percent compared with a conventional H145. The expected reduction reflects the demonstrator’s hybrid-electric propulsion system and a number of aerodynamic improvements.

• READ MORE: SMS for Helicopters

The company also plans to use the demonstrator to flight-test structural parts that are made from bio-based and recycled materials to reduce the aircraft’s environmental footprint. Airbus Helicopters said it intends to produce the new parts using processes that consume less material and energy while improving recyclability.

The test program will also include integration of the latest digital light control technologies aimed at increasing autonomy and safety during takeoff, landing, and other critical phases of flight.

The PioneerLab’s flight test program has begun at the manufacturer’s largest German site in Donauwörth. A rotor strike alerting system was the first item aboard the demonstrator. The next testing phase will include an automated takeoff and landing system.

The post Airbus Helicopters Unveils PioneerLab Sustainability Platform at Aviation Conference appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Robinson Helicopter Company has received FAA certification for a new empennage configuration for its R66 turbine model. 

Robinson Helicopters, based in Torrance, California, has been building helicopters for the civilian market since 1973. According to the company, the new empennage configuration “replaces the existing 2,000-hour TBO horizontal stabilizer with a 4,000-hour TBO symmetrical horizontal stabilizer mounted on the tail cone and positioned forward of the original.”

The change is designed to provide enhanced roll stability during high speed flight.

• READ MORE: Robinson In Control

According to the company, Robinson will begin delivering FAA-registered R66 production aircraft with the new empennage and tailcone commencing with R66 S/N 1279.

In addition to FAA certification, Robinson is working with civil airworthiness authorities around the world to obtain regulatory approvals for foreign-registered R66s.

• READ MORE: Robinson Celebrates Certification of Turbine R66

The Robinson R66 is a six-place design powered by a Rolls Royce RR300 turbine engine. The Robinson R66 was certified by the FAA in 2010. The R66 has been described as a slightly larger and faster machine than the piston-powered Robinson R44 from which it was derived.

The post FAA Approves Robinson R66 Empennage Configuration appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on AVweb.com.

A California partnership says its fly-by-wire two-seat helicopter can be flown away by anyone with $188,000, a driver’s license, medical and 30 hours of training as soon as the new MOSAIC regs come into effect. 

Advance Tactics and RotorX say the ATRX-700 will be easy to fly thanks to the computer on the other end of the controls, and it will carry 650 pounds 300 miles at 100 MPH. 

• READ MORE: FAA’s MOSAIC Preview Has Major Implications for Helicopters, eVTOL

The new Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) has added eVTOLs and helicopters under a new regime that expands the current Light Sport Aircraft designation.

The ATRX-700 is based on a RotorX A600 kit helicopter but with modernized controls based on the control systems Advance Tactics has developed for pilot-optional military airlift multicopter vehicles. Under the MOSAIC umbrella, the 1,700-pound helicopter will be factory built and the 30 hours of training will be offered at the factory in Torrance, California. 

• READ MORE: One-Seat eVTOL Needs No Certificate to Fly—and It’s Ready for Piloted Tests

MOSAIC was announced on July 19 and is in the comment stage.

• READ MORE: A MOSAIC Study Guide

The post ‘Light Sport’ Fly-By-Wire Helicopter Unveiled appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Attention all aspiring female helicopter aviators: The 2024 Whirly Girls International scholarship season has begun. 

Members are invited to apply for more than $500,000 of helicopter training and educational scholarships made possible by the Whirly-Girls Scholarship Fund.

The awards are funded by donations from private individuals and industry leaders, including Airbus, Bell Helicopter, Robinson Helicopter Co., CAE, FlightSafety International, and Garmin. 

• READ MORE: FLYING Media Group Launches Internship Opportunities

To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants  must be a female member of the Whirly-Girls organization in good standing. Funds are available for both experienced and newly certificated pilots and helicopter maintenance technicians as well as those seeking initial ratings.

Scholarship awards cover training expenses for courses including turbine transitions and advanced aircraft certificate, commercial flight training, software use, and advanced ratings and certificates.

In addition to financial need, scholarship winners will be selected based on a wide variety of criteria and achievements in aviation, reliability, motivation and commitment to success, dedication, and the ability to accept responsibility.

Whirly-Girls was founded in 1955 by Jean Ross Howard Phelan, who together with 12 other women helicopter pilots wanted to create an organization where female pilots could share information and camaraderie. The organization offered its first scholarship in 1968.

Applications for 2024 scholarships may be found here. The deadline to apply is October 1.

The post Whirly-Girls Accepting Applications for Helicopter Training Scholarship appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

As we’re walking out to the 1996 Eurocopter AS350 B2 perched on the pad outside Garmin AT’s offices in Salem, Oregon, I naturally head for the right seat. Because to my fixed-wing pilot brain, that’s where the observer sits, the copilot. And as one with only a handful of hours in rotorcraft in total, that’s what I guess I had expected to do on this demo flight—my introduction to Garmin’s GFC 600H for the AStar.

So when Garmin flight test engineer—and experienced rotorcraft instructor—Jack Loflin gestures me into the right seat, I don’t hesitate. Then I do.

He’s putting me on. Is this wise?

But as it turns out, I’m not only ready for my first AS350 lesson, I am going to have the best assistant I could possibly have. The GFC 600H turned me—for a couple of amazing hours—into a helicopter pilot.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

If you’re not already a subscriber, what are you waiting for? Subscribe today to get the issue as soon as it is released in either Print or Digital formats.

Subscribe Now

Featured

I’m not saying this is its intended application—or even a good one—but it’s an indication of just how incredible the advances in autoflight have come to the rotorcraft world, that I can even fathom what I’mabout to see and do in the AStar.

Takeoff—And a Cross-Country

The AS350 is also equipped with the Garmin G500 TXi flight display system for rotorcraft, along with the GTN 750 Xi and GTN 650 Xi, allowing for a host of other features—including H-TWAS—to supplementour short cross-country flight. Loflin has planned for us to fly from the Salem Municipal Airport (KSLE) up to the Portland Downtown Heliport (61J)—a gem in that it is one of the few public heliports located in a major metro area in the U.S. We’ll utilize it—it sits on the top of a multistory public parking lot—to pop in for lunch at Loflin’s favorite Lebanese place downtown.

From there, we’ll take off and head back southwest towards the Willamette Valley, dropping in to practice hovering and other spot landings both on-airport and off, on a sandbar in the Willamette River.

From the briefing, I know what to expect of the GFC 600H—now it’s time for Loflin to give me dual on our departure after leading me through the engine start and initial rotation from the pad outside Garmin AT’s flight ops hangar.

Garmin sales manager Pat Coleman has joined us—on our way out to the helicopter, he showed us a few projects inside the Garmin skunkworks in the hangar. Originally certificated in the AS350 in 2019, additions to the GFC 600H’s supplemental type certificate approved model list (STC AML) loom ahead. You can already find the autoflight system in the Bell 505 under a Garmin-owned STC, which came out in mid-2021. 

As we lift off and Loflin hands the controls over to me, I feel a sense of low-level anxiety, reflecting on my minimal time in the category. But that quickly melts away as I test out the three axes of flight in small increments as I follow the magenta line that leads us up to Portland proper.

Along our initial flight path, I feel only the barest sense that the autoflight system’s silent hand carries me in the background. It monitors the envelope, speeds, and other parameters to stabilize my relatively level flight. I come down to 500 feet msl to track into the city; we’re indicating about 95 knots.

We are approaching from the south-southeast—the city lies along the Willamette, making for a pleasingly situated downtown, with the heliport we’re aiming for on the western bank. Loflin points out several key obstacles as we approach—at this altitude, nearly everything becomes an obstruction, but the TXi highlights only the most critical at the moment on the multifunction display. The screen shows normal terrain shading with a yellow “obstacle” annunciation as we come up on a series of bridges.

The same obstruction shows on the Garmin GI 275 electronic flight instrument located in the center stack. It has many of the same functions available as those brethren STCed for airplanes—a PFD with attitude, airspeed, altitude, and vertical speed, plus MFD, traffic, terrain, and engine information.

A web of red lines depicts the location of powerlines and other high wires that threaten a helicopter’s path. In order to get the most out of the aircraft’s capabilities, you need to take it into confined areas that would be fatal to fixed wings. It’s a whole different way of looking at the world—and the obstruction data on the MFD goes from towers popping up during an otherwise uneventful flight to an entire maze to navigate down low.

Loflin coaches me so that I take us within about a quarter mile and 100 feet of the landing pad, then takes over to position the AS350 into the relatively confined space. I say “relatively” because there’s plenty of room on the heliport to accommodate at least three helicopters, maybe four, depending on how well they are parked.

He slows us to 35 kias on short approach, bleeding down to hover over the space we’ll leave the AS350 parked in while we grab lunch. It feels surreal—yet just like another one of those “only with GA moments” as the four of us take the elevator down to the street and walk out onto the rather quiet city streets.

Hover Test

We remember the code to get back to the fifth floor of the parking garage—the heliport restricts access to pilots and their guests or customers for clear reasons. It’s time to fire up again and head out to play—and really test the GFC 600H’s mettle against the best amateur rotorcraft pilot moves I can throw at it.

We follow the river out of town, over connecting lakes, and into the valley which is world-renowned for its pinot noir and chardonnay. It’s the very best view of the vines as we pass over them at a neighborly altitude. Often helicopters a reused for frost protection and other agricultural ops over the vineyards—but that is not our mission today.

Our first stop has us joining the traffic pattern at the McMinnville Municipal Airport (KMMV). To me, the airport is famous because it’s home to the Evergreen Aviation Museum—and home to the famous Spruce Goose, the Hughes Hercules eight-engined mammoth that sits barely encased in glass so its enormity can be appreciated even if you never step foot in the museum. We don’t make a stop there today—but both the Gooseand the Boeing 747 in Evergreen livery out front create easy landmarks for me to follow in the pattern.

After the approach, Loflin instructs me through slowing the AS350 down into a hover over a far reach of the taxiway. We have plenty of ramp space here to give me the leeway I need to perform my first AS350 hovering—at first highly assisted by the GFC 600H, in both attitude and yaw hold modes. Then, Loflin turns the magic off. And all of a sudden, the work that the autopilot has been performing behind the scenes becomes dramatically apparent. He takes back the controls periodically to help me along.

We step taxi over to a field northwest of the runway, an open area where we can play a little more. I get to test with and without the GFC 600H and see again just how much it is assisting me as a newb. Now, the benefit to the seasoned pilot lies in the dramatically reduced workload—just like any autopilot—taking the physical work of flying the aircraft from the pilot’s hands so they can focus on something else. And if you think about it, that’s a big change for a helicopter pilot who nearly always has to have both hands engaged with the flight controls during a flight,with only momentary transitions to change radio frequencies or manage checklists.

ESP, Rotor Style

The envelope stability protection that we enjoy in the fixed-wing versions of Garmin’s autoflight systems takes on a new cast in the GFC 600H. H-ESP, as it’s called here, provides both low speed and overspeed protection, as well as limit cueing to help the pilot keep the helicopter upright.

When the pilot maintains f light with the rotor blade plane tilted less than 10 degrees from level, the ESP system sits in the background, monitoring the flight dynamics. When it first senses the rotor plane approaching the beginning of the limit arc either up or down, ESP engages and applies the nudge that’s familiar to those of us accustomed to flying with ESP in other aircraft. If the pilot powers through that nudge and continues to tilt the rotor plane towards the upper limit of the arc, the GFC 600H applies up to a maximum level of force, opposing the pilot’s action and striving to return the rotor plane to a level state.

In the case of a low speed limit approaching, the yellow “LOWSPD” annunciation appears on the pilot’s primary flight display. Similarly, if a maximum speed limit is anticipated, the yellow “MAXSPD” highlights. A LVL mode returns the helicopter to a zero fpm vertical and zero bank angle lateral attitude when actuated.

Flying the Approach

Coming back into Salem, we opt for another one of the system’s enormous safety benefits—the ability to fly a coupled approach. The AS350 we’re in is placarded “VFR Only,” and many helicopter pilots do not possess an instrument rating. It’s not that they wouldn’t ever need the skill, but it comes up less often than it does for airplane pilots.

That is, until it takes on critical importance. Recalling the accident that took Kobe Bryant’s life and those of his family and friends in January 2020, it’s sobering to contemplate what would have been different if the pilot had been able to maintain situational awareness.

The GFC 600H, when integrated with the NXi, allows even a non-rated pilot to engage an approach as a safety tool in lowering visibility. We had set up the RNAV (GPS) approach to Runway 31 at KSLE and I engaged the AP through a similar mode controller as other Garmin autoflight systems in the series. Though I cannot tell you how many times I’ve watched the approach proceedings unfold on an MFD over the course of my career, it’s wild to see it happen in a helicopter. Our speed on the approach isn’t too slow—though it’s slower than what most of us are accustomed to—but the outcome is the same. We’ve returned to a safe position from which to hover-taxi to our final landing point on the airport.

That’s when it really hits me—the GFC 600H makes the helicopter as easy to keep in level flight or a stabilized approach as an airplane. I mean, Coleman had said it in our initial conversations, but it turns out not to be just a marketing line. The autopilot shadowing me allowed me to manipulate the controls in a way more akin to my ingrained skill controlling an airplane. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my rotorcraft lessons before, but flying a helicopter without this felt like pirouetting on the head of a pin—a delicate balancing act full of nuance and retraining my muscle memory.

While this isn’t a panacea—what happens to the pilot who flies with it on all the time when it breaks, and they suddenly have to hand-fly? But that’s a question we ask in the fixed-wing world too—and we make sure to train both VFR and IFR flight without the automation as a result, to keep those skills sharp.

The other piece is that it made the rotorcraft rating feel approachable—and one less barrier to entry, perhaps. But most of all, the real capability of the GFC 600H changes the game for safety.

This article was originally published in the March 2023 Issue 935 of FLYING

Genesys Autoflight for Helicopters

Genesys helicopter’s speed range, with altitude-command and altitude-hold functions. Fly-through system engagement is available in all flight regimes, from startup to shutdown, and the system features rugged, redundant flight control computers. Total weight installed is less than 35 pounds, and it operates in a fail-operable manner. The GRC 3000 is currently certificated on the Airbus EC-145e and the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk.

Aerosystems (formerly S-TEC) entered the autoflight arena in 2014 with its HeliSAS two-axis VFR autopilot and stability augmentation system for light rotorcraft on the AS350 as well as the EC 130, followed by the Bell 206B/L and 407, and the Robinson R44 and R66. A three-axis option is available for the Bell 505. The company has delivered more than 1,000 units to date.

The HeliSAS incorporates the ability to track heading and nav functions (VOR, LOC, GPS), with course intercept capability, and manage forward speed, vertical speed, and altitude.

With units weighing less than 15 pounds, the HeliSAS also features an auto-recovery mode to return the helicopter to a neutral attitude when the pilot loses situational awareness. And according to the company, its system has also allowed pilots with no prior rotorcraft experience to maintain the helicopter in a hover “with very little practice.”

Genesys also makes an IFR autoflight system, the GRC 3000. The two- or three-axis autopilot includes auto-recovery to near-level flight attitude throughout the

This sidebar was originally published in the March 2023 Issue 935 of FLYING.

The post Auto Flight for Rotorcraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

When you were a child, did you ever hear this from a parent: “Clean up your room, or I will clean it up for you!” This usually was not a good thing, as the parent method of ‘cleaning up your room’ is more scorched earth than Mary Poppins.

A similar situation exists in the aviation industry as commercial helicopter operators are crafting safety management systems (SMS) for their businesses before the FAA makes one for them.

In 2015, the FAA established the SMS requirements for Part 121 operators, giving them less than 40 months to develop and implement their own safety programs. According to the FAA, 100 percent compliance was achieved by 2018.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

If you’re not already a subscriber, what are you waiting for? Subscribe today to get the issue as soon as it is released in either Print or Digital formats.

Subscribe Now

Featured

Now the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are pressing for an expansion of SMS requirements for commercial helicopters operating under Parts 91 and 135.

Four Components, Three Questions

HAI identifies an SMS as a “formal approach to managing safety and risk, including organizational structures, accountabilities, policies, and procedures to identify and control risk.” The four components of SMS are safety policy, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion. When these four are combined, it results in a ‘safety culture.’

“The purpose of an SMS is risk mitigation,” explains Chris Hill, senior director of safety for HAI, “and this begins with risk assessment and developing a safety culture.” When a company is focused on the day-to-day operations, identifying risk can be a daunting task, says Hill, but “it comes down to three basic questions. We ask, ‘What keeps you up at night?’, ‘What are you going to do about it?’, and ‘How do you know (your course of action) is working?'”

• We Fly: Rainbow Helicopters Airbus AS350 AStar

The ability to ask and answer these questions forms the foundation of SMS and the creation of a safety culture where employees feel empowered to speak up when they see a risk, he says, as this is far better than asking the question, ‘Could this have been prevented?’ after an accident or incident. “We ask, ‘If you had to scribble down two or three things that you think would cause the next accident or incident that could hurt property or cause injury or worse, what would you predict the next accident could be?’ This can be very informative for the leadership of an organization if they are willing to do that internal self-assessment,” says Hill.

HAI Provides Guidance

Both safety culture and risk management are founding principles of HAI, which was established in 1948 as a means of bringing together industry leaders “within the helicopter community to develop, support and promote industry best practices through concentrated safety program participation.”

Surveys done by HAI indicate some commercial helicopter operators have not adopted an SMS because there is no mandate to do so at this time, and therefore the decision-makers of the business don’t see the benefit of spending the time and money to make it happen.

It can be a challenge to keep track of all these things, hence software options have been created and are available through providers vetted by HAI, some for as little as $50 a month, depending on the size of the business and the product selected. The SMS which include support packages are scalable to the size of the business.

Third-Party Involvement

Creating an effective SMS involves cooperation between the operator and a third party that will help the operator assess potential risks. Third-party oversight is crucial because it can be difficult to see the issues within a business as familiarity breeds complacency, or else the business can be driven by financial goals that can result in poor aeronautical decision making—such as pushing on in deteriorating weather.

Hill notes rotorcraft operations can be more chal-lenging than those involving fixed-wing aircraft be-cause although they share the same airspace, priority is often given to fixed-wing aircraft. Rotorcraft operators are often put at a lower altitude where they may not be able to get in touch with ATC, or because of the ability to land vertically, the pilots, pressured to do the flight, scud run.

“You don’t want to be trapped into having to perform,” he explains. “Just chasing the dime is not sustainable; there needs to be a strong push toward aeronautical decision making so that the pilots do not end up in these situations. The safety culture needs to be supported from the top down and the ground up.

An SMS Must Evolve

An SMS needs to address more than flight operations, says Tim Tucker, former chief CFI for Robinson Helicopters at Zamperini Field in Torrance, California. Robinson has been building civilian rotorcraft since the 1970s. The two-seat R22 rolled out of the factory in 1975 and soon, it and the four-place R44 became the backbone of the rotorcraft training fleet. “Our SMS continues to evolve and expand to take in the entire industrial facility and every department,” saysTucker. “For example we have 30 to 40 forklifts that move around and 40 or 50 big machine shops, and we’re in the process of developing SMS for each department identifying the risks based on their activities.”

The risks associated with flying are dependent on the mission, he continues. “We do production test flying, we do experimental test flying, we fly to take photos for marketing, we have ferry flights. The pilot’s experience comes into play, as the two biggest risks are weather and aeronautical decision making.”

Over the years, Tucker, because of his extensive experience as a helicopter pilot, has been involved in incident and accident investigations. Very often, he says, they can be attributed to a pilot’s decision to fly into deteriorating weather when the pilot overestimates their abilities and skill.

“We see bad decision making—it is not the helicopter breaking or ATC, it’s just decision making on the part of the pilot—you look back at the accident chain and just shake your head at some of the decisions that have been made,” he says. “It’s more than what caused it, it’s what can be learned from it, and can we turn it into teaching points so it doesn’t happen again.”

Tucker is encouraged that the latest version of the airman certification standards for rotorcraft currently in development includes risk management for each task pilots are required to perform.”This should help pilots develop risk assessment and management skills,” he says.

HAI-Recommended SMS

The membership of HAI runs the gamut from one-ship-one-pilot operators to businesses with hundreds of aircraft and hundreds of employees, and as such, they have evaluated multiple SMS providers—15 in all—and selected four collaboration partners: Air Charter Safety Foundation, Aircraft Electronics Association, Baldwin Safety & Compliance, and WYVERN. Each one has software to ease the burden of assessing risk, tracking and resolving hazards, and verifying current and future regulatory compliance. For more information, visit safety@rotor.org.

This article was originally published in the March 2023 Issue 935 of  FLYING.

The post SMS for Helicopters appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Rainbows arc over Hawaii like a big Aloha to the world. They symbolize the welcoming nature of the islands, and beckon pilots to fly around. So it’s no wonder that when entrepreneur and helicopter pilot Nicole Battjes came to Hawaii 14 years ago, she decided to name her business after the rainbows gracing the mountains and valleys of O’ahu. 

Battjes not only called the company Rainbow Helicopters, but she’s had her fleet of touring and training R44s and Airbus AS350 AStars painted in schemes to match. We caught up with Battjes to take a tour of the islands and gain insight about what it’s like to fly one of the most popular working rotorcraft in the world, in one of the world’s most beautiful places.

• We Fly: Airbus AS350 B2

The post We Fly: Rainbow Helicopters Airbus AS350 AStar appeared first on FLYING Magazine.