ANN Readers First To Be Invited to Track The Progress of the Eclipse 500 It's been a long, hard road for the Eclipse 500. It was bad enough that this bird challenged conventional thinking in terms of what it would cost and who might buy it, but it also wound up taking a lot of industry flack from nay-sayers who (frankly) didn't take the time to look closer at one of the most revolutionary aircraft development projects since the original Learjet.

Bell Helicopter Chief Executive Officer Mike Redenbaugh has announced that Bell will develop and manufacture a fully certified Bell model 210 Medium Utility Helicopter. The new aircraft will provide a significant increase capability over comparative models at greatly reduced direct operating costs. Much of the Bell 210 is based on the highly successful Huey II program. Many of the modifications and upgrades that result in the Bell 210 are the same that go into the Huey II. The success of the Huey II program, with more than 100 conversions currently flying worldwide, confirms the viability of the certified Bell 210 in the US market. The primary differences between the Bell 210 and the Huey II are the inclusion of different actuators, nose assembly and a new electrical system and th

Helicopter transportation company Petroleum Helicopters, Inc. took delivery of the first production Sikorsky S-92 Monday in a somewhat pyrotechnic public ceremony at Heli-Expo. The delivery marks the first of two S-92 aircraft slated to enter service with PHI in 2004 to support deepwater drilling and production activity in the Gulf of Mexico.

Announces 2003 Dealer of the Year

Enstrom Helicopter Corp. opened HAI 2004 by awarding its annual Dealer of the Year honors to Kevin McCutcheon of Flight Solutions in Gallatin (TN). McCutcheon started his first aviation business in 1991. In 1997, he changed his company's name to Flight Solutions. His company has received the "National Business Aviation Association Safety Award" for thousands of hours of safe flying as well as being awarded "Charter Company of the Year" by the entertainment industry. The company has also been featured in various publications for its exceptional service and dedication to its customers. With more than 13 years of experience and over $150 million worth in aircraft sales and counting, Flight Solutions is a premier aircraft sales company. Enstrom al

At the HAI Expo's opening, Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. said it expects deliveries of PW200 and PT6 turboshaft engines to increase by 30 percent this year thanks to the company's exceptionally strong showing in helicopter competitions in 2003. The company claims PW200 engines are being selected by a large majority of operators to power their new light-twin helicopters. From December 2003 to February 2004, PW200 engines were selected on 47 new light-twin helicopters. P&WC's PT6B/C/T engine models also chalked up significant wins in 2003, powering the Agusta A119 Koala, Agusta Bell AB139 and Bell 412 helicopters.

New Interior May Revive Caravan Sales

A nine-month-old program that's allowing Cessna Aircraft Co. to sell more of its Caravan single-turbine-engine airplanes is also helping three Wichita companies grow revenues and add employees. Yingling Aviation, Millennium Concepts Inc. and Global Engineering and Technology Inc. officials say their work in Cessna's Oasis executive interior program for the Caravan has pushed them to add 19 workers between the three companies. And for Yingling, Oasis sets the stage for a new component to its business, aircraft completions and refurbishment. Until now, Yingling's business has primarily been providing maintenance, fuel and de-icing services for transient aircraft as well as pilot training and aircraft hangars. At Global, which is responsible

The opening day of this year's Heli-Expo saw the unveiling of the first EC 145 to go into service with a US EMS operator, Lee County. The event takes place exactly one year after Eurocopter first demonstrated the aircraft to American customers and prospects at Heli-Expo 2003. With interest in its latest light twin accelerating, Eurocopter attaches utmost importance to the stateside market and especially its EMS operators. A total of five EC 145s have been sold in the US, to date.

Bell Helicopter has secured a firm purchase order for its 600th Bell 407. The aircraft will be delivered in 2nd Quarter 2004 to a customer in South Africa. National Airways Corporation (NAC), Bell's sole representative in Southern Africa, secured the sale. The aircraft will be used for corporate transportation in the region.

Acquisition of a third Sikorsky S-70 FIREHAWK helicopter has been authorized for the California's Los Angeles County Fire Department. The county's Board of Supervisors authorized the Consolidated Fire Protection District of Los Angeles County to begin the acquisition process for the purchase of an additional FIREHAWK aircraft after the busy 2003 wildfire season.

AD NUMBER: 2004-05-28

MANUFACTURER: Eurocopter France SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-05-28 SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) model helicopters that requires installing a tail rotor blade (blade)-to-torsion baratt attachment tuning weight assembly on each blade of the Quiet Fenestron tail rotor and replacing each blade attachment bushing.

AD NUMBER: 2004-05-29

MANUFACTURER: Eurocopter France SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-05-29 SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Eurocopter France Eurocopter) model helicopters that requires installing a tail rotor blade (blade)-to-torsion bar attachment tuning weight assembly on each blade of the Quiet Fenestron tail rotor and replacing each blade attachment bushing.