7 Months Out, No Need To Go Virtual... Yet.

HAI's much-anticipated Heli-Expo 2021, scheduled for New Orleans, is still about seven months away, but the organization states that this doesn't mean that preparations for the world's largest civil helicopter show and exhibition are lagging. The first stage of the show floor lottery closed in July, and over 300 companies — including most of the major OEMs — have already booked more than two-thirds of the available show floor. Housing for the show just opened this week, and over 10,000 room nights were secured the first day. Some hotels have already sold out. "We fully expect to be able to hold HAI Heli-Expo 2021 in New Orleans," says James Viola, HAI president and CEO. "Our early numbers tel

Flycom Technologies d.o.o. Takes Delivery Of A DA42 MPP GeoStar Special Mission Aircraft

Diamond Aircraft's Special Mission Division has handed over a DA42 aircraft to Flycom and successfully completed the FAT at Diamond’s HQ in Wiener Neustadt. The aircraft is configured to carry various Riegl LIDAR sensors as well as Medium Format Camera payloads, all mounted in the dedicated Nose Pod using the German IGI Flight Management System. This delivery brings one more turnkey solution into the European market to be operated by a highly professional end-user. The entire design, integration, and most important, the certification of the aircraft’s modifications, required to install the mission equipment, was conducted by Diamond’s Special

From 2018: Textron Unveils X5-55 Experimental Platform At AUVSI

Textron Systems unveiled its new X5-55 engineering test bed at AUVSI earlier this month. Textron’s senior vice president and general manager for unmanned systems, Bill Irby, told ANN at the show that the X5-55 aircraft is a blended-wing design that is powered by four independently-controlled rotors. There are no traditional control surfaces on the aircraft, giving it better maneuverability and greater resilience in windy conditions. The aircraft is an electric-powered aircraft, a departure from the company's Aerosonde UAV. It was designed as a VTOL ai

The Helicopter "Started To Settle" And He "Pulled Max Power To Stop The Settling;"

On August 3, 2020, at 1941 eastern daylight time, a Eurocopter EC130-B4 helicopter, N55GJ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Knoxville, Tennessee. One passenger was fatally injured, and the pilot and two additional passengers were not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. After refueling the helicopter, the pilot and his passengers departed McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), Knoxville, Tennessee, about 1826 for a flight in the local area. About 1940 the pilot made a right circling approach over the Tennessee River toward a landing site near the river's edge on his property. He

AD 2020-16-20 Due To Incorrectly Marked And Annunciated Low Oil-Pressure Indication Warnings

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD 2018-04-09 for Pacific Aerospace Limited Model 750XL airplanes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as incorrectly marked and annunciated low oil-pressure indication warnings. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective September 22, 2020.