MAPL Technology Advanced Three Years, Over 90 Orders Already Booked

It was quite a show... At a spectacular unveiling at the opening day of HeliExpo 2005, Bell Helicopter chief executive officer Michael Redenbaugh introduced the all-new Bell 429 light twin helicopter. In ceremonies before a large crowd Mr. Redenbaugh presented two complete mockups of the new aircraft. First was the wheeled corporate version followed by Emergency Medical Service version with a cavernous patient area.

Model Kim Alexis; WUSA's Heather Mitts; and NFL's Feeley (Miami Dolphins), Farmer Take a Trip to Weightlessness During Pre-Super Bowl Flight in Jacksonville With Diet Rite And Zero-G --- And ANN Was on Board!

ANN Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell had a REALLY tough gig this past weekend as he was on board (as usual) for the latest flight of Zero G Corporation's "G Force One."

Lockheed Briefs AOPA On Modernization Plans

"After spending 90 minutes getting an advance look at a 21st century flight service station and asking hard questions, all I can say is, Wow!" said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "On the basis of what Lockheed Martin will deliver under the contract, pilots are going to be much better served and much safer."

It's Home!

Aerocomp reached a significant milestone today after flying its new all-composite, single-engine Comp Air Jet back to the 3,500 foot, Merritt Island airport following months of exhaustive flight-testing at Titusville Airport. Titusville was selected for the initial flight test program because of its long and multiple runways. It's much easier to test aircraft when there is a choice of runways and with four named hurricanes that passed through Florida this year, causing unpredictable winds, it was a perfect location to begin flight tests. Titusville often has light traffic as well. Even with the storms, we managed to log more than 30 hours of flight testing this unique new jet. 

As noted elsewhere in today's news, the new Bell 429 light twin was revealed at ceremonies held at the Bell booth at Heli-Expo 2005.  A large crowd watched at two complete mock-ups of the Bell 429, one corporate and one EMS version, were revealed from behind lighted screening and accompanied by much fanfare and music.

All Aboard Kam Air 737 Presumed Dead

NATO troops in Afghanistan Sunday were unable to reach the crash site where all 104 passengers aboard a Kam Air 737 are thought to have died Thursday.

Orange County Sheriff's Department Selects A-Star B2

Eurocopter tells ANN that helicopters are critically important to the mission of the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD), be it for aiding in suspect pursuits, Search and Rescue operations in Cleveland National Forest, or fire reconnaissance and suppression.

Little Ol' Klyde Can't Help But Poke Fun At The Big Ol' Plane

Report: Last Week's Teterboro Mishap Was Second In 14 Months

General media outlets focused over the weekend over questions about the Bombardier Challenger series of aircraft, in the wake of Wednesday's roll-off-the-runway accident at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.

America's EMS operators are increasingly demanding helicopters that are powerful, reliable, multi-mission capable, easy to maintain, and affordable to operate. As a result, they are increasingly buying Eurocopters.

Weather Blamed For Delay Until At Least Feb. 12th

The date for Steve Fossett's solo 'round-the-world record attempt continues to slip. Now, the Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer team says the weather just won't be right before next Saturday, according to the Salina Journal.

Sergei Krikalev Worried About Risks To Station

Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev has some issues. The man who will command the next crew aboard the International Space Station is worried that NASA's emergency plan for saving the crew aboard a crippled shuttle. It's a plan that calls for the shuttle in distress to make its way to the ISS, where the crew will eventually be rescued by another shuttle flying an emergency mission, will endanger the station itself.

A Very Quick Explanation Of This Helicopter Thing

The Helicopter Association International is a trade association for the civil helicopter industry. It's incorporated as a non-profit in the USA, and works to promote the helicopter in its many corporate roles. Its general members are over 600 civil helicopter operators who fly 2.2 million helicopter hours a year.

Operators Can Soon Use Flight Explorer to Track A/C With AirCell Satcom Systems

AirCell announces the addition of an automated flight tracking capability to its suite of airborne telecommunication systems. With equipment installed in the aircraft, users on the ground can utilize Flight Explorer software to track the position of their aircraft in real time and tap a wealth of additional tracking features and functionality.

CHC Helicopter Corporation ("CHC") has announced the creation of they call the 'world's largest independent helicopter support company, Heli-One.'

Something To Brag About At HAI

Arrow Aviation Company of Broussard, LA, recently took delivery of a new Bell 206L-4 helicopter. Arrow Aviation is a full service helicopter maintenance firm, which also owns a fleet of 11 Bell 206B Series JetRangers and 206L Series LongRangers, utilized on long-term leases throughout the United States. The new 206L-4 will join the lease fleet following the installation of additional mission equipment at Arrows' Broussard. facility. Initially, the new LongRanger will be operated in the US Pacific Northwest.

Backlog Continues to Build with 80% Order Increase

Bell Helicopter says 2004 was a great sales year. Orders at Bell are up approximately 80% over 2003. The backlog was built-up in all models. We expect the growing sales trends to continue in 2005. We are on the path to achieving doubling the business of Bell Helicopter by the end of the decade.

Icing And Turbulence Maps Give Graphical View Of Potential Trouble Spots

Jeppesen is out with two new worldwide weather products, the Icing Forecast Map and the Turbulence Forecast Map. These new offerings are designed to help both pilots and dispatchers plan flights that avoid areas of potentially hazardous weather. Jeppesen is the first and only company to offer such forecast maps on a worldwide basis.

"What we want to do is harness the fact that aircraft fly over some of the same routes that ships take. If they can put a receiver in an aircraft, then they can (receive) a signal that goes up from the ship in all directions.. and then we would know where the ships are." Source: Jeffrey High, the Coast Guard's director of Maritime Domain Awareness, on his idea to have commercial trans-oceanic flights keep an eye on ships as far as 2,000 from the US coastline in an effort to block terrorists. High says America's ports and waterways are especially vulnerable to terrorism and any extra eyes on potential targets would be much appreciated. Aircraft involved in the program might be fit with receivers that would pick up the ships' equivalent of a transponder signal. Data

Goal: Complete 8230.2F By April

EAA's Earl Lawrence was in Kansas City, MO, last week to provide EAA expertise in the review and revision of FAA policy governing issuance of special light-sport aircraft (SLSA) and experimental light-sport aircraft (ELSA) airworthiness certificates.