Up and Running

In the wake of an 08 March 2023 announcement that it had developed a new RPM governor for its piston helicopter models, Enstrom Helicopter Corporation—the Michigan-based American designer and manufacturer of piston and turbine-engine helicopters—set forth that it had sold an impressive 12 helicopters at the Helicopter Association International’s (HAI) Heli-Expo 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.

HAI Partners with Helicopter Institute of Fort Worth

The Helicopter Association International (HAI)—a non-profit professional trade association dedicated to the advancement of the civil helicopter industry—announced on 07 March 2023 that it had partnered with the Helicopter Institute of Fort Worth, Texas—a training concern offering FAA-approved curricula to persons seeking rotary-wing pilot certification—for purpose of streamlining and simplifying its members’ efforts to keep their air-crews’ training, testing, qualifications, certifications, and compliance up to date.

Perils of Not Paying the Proverbial Piper

In the wake of significant and profitable action at the Boeing-India confluence, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has canceled the registration of two SpiceJet, Boeing-737 MAX aircraft. The cancellations of the jets’ Indian registration’s were made at the concordant requests of a foreign-based lessor and the Indian aviation regulator.

Also: DOT Investigates SecTrans, Cirrus Engineer Killed in SR22, Delta Contract, WWII Target Drone

The first Learjet to be delivered by Bill Lear’s upstart company to a paying customer has returned to its Wichita birthplace where a group of aviation enthusiasts have set forth their commitment to return the jet to airworthiness. The aircraft, a Lear-23, serial-number 23-003, registration N200Y, was manufactured in 1964 and is the third specimen of the sleek LR-23 to grace this world. DarkAero-1, a single-reciprocating-engine, low-wing, retractable-tricycle-undercarriage, normal category airplane finished February 2023 focused on the sleek aircraft’

A Whump, Whump, Whump in the Night

REB Technologies Inc. of Bedford, Texas—colloquially REBTECH—announced on 06 March 2023 that it had completed a Night-Vision (NVIS) STC modification of a Robinson R-44 helicopter operated by Southern Utah University (SUU). The augmentation occasions the sixth instance in which REBTECH has modified an SUU R-44 for Night-Vision Goggle (NVG) flight. The rotorcraft are utilized by the school’s flight-training academy in Cedar City, Utah.

Improved Hot, High, and Heavy Performance for Bell UH-1H

StandardAero—a highly-regarded and independent provider of aircraft engine and airframe maintenance, repair and overhaul, engine component repair, engineering services, interior completions, and paint applications—announced on 06 March 2023 that it is about the business of completing Phase-2 and 3 of a 3-phase program to upgrade a Bell UH-1H helicopter belonging to Arizona’s Pinal County Sheriff Office (PCSO). The work will significantly improve the venerable Huey’s performance under the hot-weather, high-density-altitude, and heavy-gross-weight operating conditions a police helicopter in South-Central Arizona is apt to encounter.

Also: UND Adds Aerospace Engineering, NBAA Scholarships, Flt School Threatened, John King on MOCA

The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators set forth that the aviation industry is suffering an epidemic of flight-test applicants failing to even qualify for their written tests and check-rides. Attendees of a 2022 OSH meeting of senior [FAA] Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs) and FAA personnel estimated that—owing to incorrect endorsements and/or inadequate pilot experience—one-in-five check-ride applicants never even qualifies to start his FAA Flight Test due to incorrect logbook endorsements. Clay Lacy Aviation has bolstered its commitment to gen

Also: DOT Investigates SecTrans, Cirrus Engineer Killed in SR22, Delta Contract, WWII Target Drone

The first Learjet to be delivered by Bill Lear’s upstart company to a paying customer has returned to its Wichita birthplace where a group of aviation enthusiasts have set forth their commitment to return the jet to airworthiness. The aircraft, a Lear-23, serial-number 23-003, registration N200Y, was manufactured in 1964 and is the third specimen of the sleek LR-23 to grace this world. DarkAero-1, a single-reciprocating-engine, low-wing, retractable-tricycle-undercarriage, normal category airpla

Radar Contact Lost

Used by ATC to inform a pilot that the surveillance data used to determine the aircraft's position is no longer being received, or is no longer reliable and radar service is no longer being provided. The loss may be attributed to several factors including the aircraft merging with weather or ground clutter, the aircraft operating below radar line of sight coverage, the aircraft entering an area of poor radar return, failure of the aircraft's equipment, or failure of the surveillance equipment.

“With the new HAI Flight Training and Checking Program, members can keep their aircrews flying. They will not be grounded waiting for a check-ride or because a pilot does not have the proper type rating or missed recurrent training. It really is a fast pass through all things training and checking.” Source: HAI president and CEO James Viola, chatting about their having partnered with the Helicopter Institute of Fort Worth, Texas—a training concern offering FAA approved curricula to persons seeking rotary-wing pilot certification—for purpose of streamlining and simplifying its members’ efforts to keep their air-crews’ training, testing, qualifications, certifications, and compliance up to date.