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General Aviation/Helicopter News

Discussion in 'Commercial & General Aviation' started by Jet News, Dec 30, 2012.

  1. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    While not a jet, it is the first of its kind and deserves highlighting. Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first private and executive configured H175 helicopter. This variant usually flies in the oil and gas fields offshore. You can get a glimpse of the VIP helicopter in this photo by Anthony Pecchi.

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  2. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    This helicopter has not been pinned publicly to her owner because of confidentiality but the registration is said to be G-DLBR. Airbus Helicopters did mention that the helicopter was going to a client to be used on their yacht. With a registration G-DLBR... it would seem to point to the brand new Lurssen 515-foot "Dilbar" which had two large helipads. The livery of the helicopter also matches the brown on the new Dilbar as well so we can perhaps be safe in saying that the owner is...Mr. U. ;)
  3. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics) has flown the Light Utility Helicopter (LAU) for the first time. The 15 minute flight took place at HAL’s production facility on the outskirts of Bengaluru, says the airframer in a statement. HAL pilots were at the controls, and the company says the flight was “flawless”. The LUH is expected to replace two types in service with the Indian military. These are the Cheetah, which is derived from the Aerospatiale (now Airbus Helicopters) SA 315B, and the Chetak, derived from the Aloutte III. The LUH has a maximum weight of 3,150kg, says HAL. It is powered with a Safran Ardiden-1U engine. (FG)

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  4. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    Advanced Programs Group (APG) performed the first flight test of its new solar-powered unmanned air vehicle in early December and has deemed the trial a success. Work on the scaled SunSpark demonstrator will ultimately lead to the flight of a full-scale model in late 2017, and this maiden flight will accelerate the development of the UAV, the company says. According to Yair Dubester, chief executive of APG, the demonstrator took off and landed using solar power. The programme will now lead to the development of a full scale model that will be 9.7m (32ft) long with a wing span of 30m. “We identified a need for a solar UAV performing different civil missions, including relay missions … when static infrastructure does not exist,” Dubester says. The demonstrator version of the SunSpark is 2.9m long, has a 6m wingspan and a maximum take-off weight of 14kg (31lb). (FG)

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  5. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    Bombardier Commercial Aircraft announced today that it has delivered the first CRJ200 Special Freighter (CRJ200SF) aircraft to launch operator Gulf & Caribbean Cargo, Inc. Dba IFL Group (IFL Group) of Waterford, Michigan. The CRJ100SF/CRJ200SFjets are converted from the passenger version of the aircraft by Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) of Miami who is a Bombardier-licensed Third Party Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) provider. The freighter design includes a large 94 in. x 77 in. (238.7 cm x 195.6 cm) cargo door, hold up to 14,840 lbs. (6,731 kg) of payload on the main deck and offer eight 61.5” X 88” pallet positions for containerization.

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  6. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    Garmin has launched the next generation version of the G1000 flight deck. It is called the G1000NXi and is an update of the 10-plus year old initial version. The Beechcraft King Air B200 will be the first aircraft type flying around with the enhanced flight deck. Garmin also suggests that approval of the flight deck for the B300 and B350 King Air models is imminent. The NXi version has a host of new features, including wireless cockpit connectivity, enhanced situational awareness, visual approaches and map overlay on the horizontal situation indicator. NXi-equipped aircraft will also meet US and European automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B) requirements, says Garmin.

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  7. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, recently announced its Cessna Pilot Center (CPC) network added 24 new partners in 2016, including five international flight schools in Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Germany and Poland. This growth supports the next generation of aviators with the help of the world’s leading training platform, the Cessna Skyhawk 172.“The CPC network makes up the world’s largest and most experienced flight training team,” said Doug May, vice president, Piston Aircraft. “Our commitment to supporting new pilot education and flight training is evident in the enthusiasm we see from our partner flight schools. Throughout 2016 we saw significant growth to the network and we are excited to continue that momentum into the new year.” The growth led to record CPC curriculum sales in 2016, demonstrating the company’s commitment and leadership in flight training support. The network now includes a total of 163 flight schools, and Textron Aviation plans on further growth and expansion.

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  8. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    The third AW609 civil tiltrotor, AC3, by Leonardo recently began flight testing from the company's Philadelphia plant and will soon head to Marquette, Michigan, for cold weather testing and icing trials. The company recently announced this news as the first unit, AC1 returned to Italy for modifications. The fourth test unit, AC4 is currently under assembly in Philadelphia. Manufacture of production aircraft is scheduled to start there in 2018. FAA certification for the AW609 is carded for next year if all goes well.

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  9. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    Dubai expects to see driverless Air Taxis in the near future. The Chairman of Roads and Transport in Dubai suggested that they are going after the idea hard and want to see it take off -literally- in July. A company called Ehang is building the Ehang 184 in China and is based on a lifesized drone-type platform. The new concept will take one passenger about 30 miles using its eight electric motors with a top anticipated speed of around 60mph.

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  10. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    Diamond is officially entering the helicopter market with a prototype called the DART 280 (Diamond Aircraft Rotary Trainer). Maximum take-off weight is envisioned to be 2,500 lbs (1,350KG) and have a payload of around 560 KG. It will carry four persons and compete with the likes of the Robinson R44. Chief Executive of the Diamond Company Christian Dries says, "Why not? Diamond has been in the GA market for 30 years and it’s time to try something new".

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  11. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    The SolarStratos took off last week and as the name suggest it is a solar powered aircraft that uses solar panels embedded in the wings and horizontal stabilizer. There is a 32Kw motor onboard that spins a four-bladed propeller that is just over 7-feet in diameter. The aircraft can carry two persons and while last week's flight only went to around 1,000 feet, the aircraft is envisioned to eventually go to the edge of the stratosphere, around 82,000 ft.

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  12. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    Company Wheels UP is growing fast and they are looking to go public in the near future. The company which bases its fleet on King Air aircraft is looking to have 100 planes by the end of 2018.

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  13. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    Perlan II stratospheric glider has broken the record for a non-engine climb to 52,172-feet over Argentina. In the 6h flight from El Calafate, Argentina, American pilot Jim Payne and Australian pilot Sandercock used the mountain wave to lift the Perlan II up to nearly 40,000ft, then found the jetstream current to soar higher into the stratosphere without engines. Yes, the Perlan II was pressurized for the flight which was not possible during the first Perlan flight.

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  14. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    The New IL-114 engine for the regional turboprop is back in action seen mounted on a testbed IL-76. Russian aerospace firm United Aircraft, through the Ilyushin division, is aiming to restart manufacture of the Il-114 with a modernized variant designated the -300. The flight took place on 12 September at the Gromov institute located at the Zhukovsky airfield outside Moscow.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=55&v=rf_zpq-tuB4
  15. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    Leonardo is almost at their goal in bringing the newAW609 to market. The new tilt-rotor is expected to make entry into service (EIS) in 2019. “Our collaboration with the -International Civil Aviation Organization- and the FAA, coupled with the increasing momentum in flight test and developmental operations, puts the company in the right position to ensure first AW609 deliveries after certification in late 2019 meet customer operational requirements,” said Bill Sunick, AW609 marketing manager for Leonardo. Below is a photo of the third prototype.

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  16. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    The biggest aircraft in the world of its type is testing and in recent days it was seen doing taxi tests. The Stratolaunch is the brainchild of billionaire Paul Allen and is intended to be used to ferry rockets into space. Check out the brief video below of this massive aircraft.

  17. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    In case you didn't know...

  18. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    The world's first 737-800BCF has been delivered to GECAS. West Atlantic Group will be operating the aircraft. “We’re excited to be the first operator of the 737-800BCF,” said West Atlantic’s chief executive, Fredrik Groth. “The additional capacity and Next-Generation efficiency offered by this new aircraft will deliver real benefit to our customers and we’re delighted to be at the forefront of deliveries of this new technology. With the 737-800 BCF, we expect to improve reliability, lower aircraft operating costs, and provide a better environmental footprint.”

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  19. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    The new Airbus Beluga XL freighter is replacing the old A300 Beluga platform and that is anticipated to enter commercial service at some point in 2019. The new Beluga XL is physically larger and more efficient. It is actually 20-feet longer and 3-feet wider than the original A300 version. Additionally, much more efficient engines will permit the XL to take six tons more cargo the predecessor. That translates into two sets of A350 wings per trip rather than only one. Also, more A380 components can be shipped too.

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  20. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

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    Cessna has discontinued production of the Skyhawk JT-A. Essentially, a viable market never really established to justify further production. The Skyhawk JT-A was a light trainer that worked from Diesel. The discontinuation happens a little less than a year after FAA granted it certification. Textron Aviation thought it would had taken off especially at flight schools where AVGAS was not as readily available. The Skyhawk JT-A is the latest to be discontinued by Textron Aviation following on from the discontinuation of the TTx and the Skylane JT-A.

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