Most Viewed Helicopter Stories 2023

160th Special Operations Aviation

Regiment unveils rotary-wing advanced tactical helmet

Source: Branding Iron Press Release

The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Abn) is procuring a new flight helmet after more than several decades of service with the HGU-56P and SPH-4B helmets. Air missions have become increasingly complex with the need for improved situational awareness in multi-threat environments requiring integration of sophisticated identification, tracking, and targeting technology. USSOCOM and the 160th SOAR (Abn) are being utilized by the Army and greater DoD entities more than ever before while being asked to do so with head borne equipment dating back to the Vietnam era. The need to upgrade head borne equipment for future generations of vertical lift personnel has become critically important.

Decreasing head borne weight is one of the most important challenges facing aircrew missions today. Head borne weight not only causes fatigue and is a detriment to aircrew performance but is also responsible for longterm neck injuries and permanent disabilities, shortening the careers of aviators. A February 2019 report to the Armed Services Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives

“Study on Health of Helicopter and Tiltrotor Pilots” states,

“Knox, et al. (2018) analyzed the U.S. Defense Medical Epidemiology Database (DMED) for cases of lumbar disc herniation among military helicopter pilots from 2006 to 2015 and found its incidence rate to be significantly higher than that of a control group composed of all U.S. military non-helicopter pilot officers. This effect was particularly strong among Army helicopter pilots, who had an incidence rate almost three times more than that of USN and USMC helicopter pilots” and “A business case analysis sponsored by the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment concluded that avoidable costs associated with back and neck pain among DoD helicopter aircrew totaled over $239 million each year, with a significant cost per year in Department of Veterans Affairs payments for flying-related disabilities."

Thanks to the hard work and more than five years coordinated efforts between USAARL, AFRL, SOFWERX, USSOCOM, and the 160th SOAR (Abn), a new helmet system has been developed to address on-going capability gaps with legacy aircrew equipment. The RATH sets a new bar for performance and protection with performance capabilities never before available to the aircrew community.

Black Hills Life Flight opens new air medical base in South Dakota

Source: Air Methods Press Release

Black Hills Life Flight celebrated the opening of its new base at the Hot Springs Ambulance Service station on June 29, 2023, with South Dakota Secretary of Health Melissa Magstadt, crew members, Air Methods leaders, and nearly 50 guests.

“What you’ve got here is not just a “load to go” shell [meaning simply transportation for the patient],” said Magstadt. “What you have here is an entire ICU. Not only do you have something that gets you from point A to point B very quickly, saving lives, but it is also fully equipped with all of the modern technology and capabilities that modern medicine has to take the ICU and emergency care right to the patient, whether it is on a mountain top or down in the valleys.”

The Hot Springs base, which went into service June 7, joins the Black Hills Life Flight program already established in Rapid City, and is part of Air Methods, a leading air medical provider in the United States.

It provides emergency air medical services to Fall River County and the Black Hills area. Additionally, the opening offers quicker response times for emergent and trauma situations and provides interfacility transports for patients needing specialized care.

The new airbase brings a Bell 407 helicopter, staffed with flight nurses and paramedics and pilots with years of experience in the field, as well as skilled aviation mechanics who ensure the aircraft is safe and mission ready.

“We are committed to serving the people of this region with the best trained crews and safest aircraft in the industry and are honored that Secretary Magstadt came today to support us in this mission,” said Darryl Crown, account executive with Air Methods.

“We appreciate her commitment to Black Hills Life Flight and to the health of our citizens. Residents of Fall River County and the surrounding area can trust Black Hills Life Flight to provide exceptional emergency care while transporting them safely.”

A unique partnership exists between Black Hills Life Flight and Hot Springs Ambulance Service. While air medical providers and ambulance services typically work closely together, they don’t often work out of the same facility.

“Our service has worked a long time to have this vital resource return to Hot Springs,” said Jacki Conlon, director of operations for Hot Springs Ambulance Service.

“When time is of the essence, critical patients will have a much greater survival rate by having Black Hills Life Flight available, especially in very rural areas where the transport time to a definitive treatment center is much longer.”

One very special guest at the event was Heather Brehmer, a former Black Hills Life Flight clinician whose daughter was transported by the service following a serious car accident.

The teen was thrown from the vehicle and suffered a break to her C1 vertebrae – an injury that is fatal 95 percent of the time. Thanks in part to the rapid transport and in-flight care from Black Hills Life Flight, the girl made a miraculous recovery.

“Living in rural communities has its drawbacks, especially when the nearest trauma hospital is hundreds of miles away,” said Brehmer. “My daughter was involved in a serious end-to-end rollover vehicle accident in a remote location resulting in severe head trauma.

“Thank God we had the ability to access Black Hills Life Flight’s air ambulance service! My daughter is alive and thriving today because of the quick response of the Life Flight crew. Without Life Flight, this would have been a very different outcome for our young daughter and for many others in our communities. Life Flight is truly a life saver!”

Slack Davis Sanger lands $10M settlement after fatal crash

Source: Slack Davis Sanger Press Release

Ladd Sanger, Dallas aviation partner with Slack Davis Sanger, and Joe Fiorante, partner at the Law Offices of Camp, Fiorante, Matthews and Mogerman, in Vancouver, British Columbia, recently obtained a $10 million settlement for the family of a 49-year-old helicopter pilot employed by Yellowhead Helicopters, Ltd, who was killed in 2021 while conducting forest fire operations in Alberta, Canada.

The fatal Bell 212 helicopter crash occurred when a critical part failed during flight. A pin with only 20 hours of service failed, initiating a catastrophic separation of the helicopter’s rotor blades and the main rotor head. The pin, manufactured by Fore Aero and its related entities in Haltom City, Texas, was not made using the proper material required by the manufacturer’s engineering specifications. After the crash, The Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada jointly grounded the entire fleet of Bell 212, 204B, and 205 helicopters until they were inspected, and the defective pins were removed and replaced. In all about 400 aircraft were affected by the grounding.

“A critical component was manufactured from steel that was weaker than that required by the specifications,” stated Sanger, a licensed helicopter pilot. “Because these pins were made from a weaker type of steel, the pin sheared under ordinary flight conditions resulting in the catastrophic failure of the main rotor assembly.” Sanger noted that a pin made from the proper material would have been able to sustain a shear force 300% greater than the pin which failed.

According to the accident investigation report, one of the main rotor blades separated from the rotor head assembly as the pilot was landing to pick up a group of firefighters. That caused the catastrophic sequence in which the other rotor blades and the entire main rotor head assembly rapidly separated from the helicopter causing it to crash. Investigators discovered that the main rotor hub strap retaining pin of the first blade assembly to fail was defective and initiated the fatal failure sequence.

“Our client was a very skilled pilot and had safely flown in far more dangerous conditions,” said Sanger. “The defective shear pin and the lack of quality control in the manufacturing process resulted in the death of a very experienced pilot and family member under routine flying conditions. This tragedy should have never happened.”

Since 1993, Slack Davis Sanger has been serving clients nationally and internationally, with a combined experience of more than 250 years. Slack Davis Sanger has extensive experience in litigation involving a diverse array of airplane, helicopter, and balloon accidents such as major airline disasters, sightseeing and tour flights, air ambulance operations, and charter flights. For more information or to speak with Mr. Sanger, please contact

Marketing Manager

Stephanie Eitrheim Slack Davis Sanger 512-225-5322 seitrheim@slackdavis.com

Airbus Helicopters finalizes acquisition of ZF Luftfahrttechnik

Source: Airbus Helicopters Press Release

The acquisition of ZF Luftfahrttechnik by Airbus Helicopters has now been finalized, as all the necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained. With over 100 years of experience in the aviation industry, the company will now operate under the name Airbus Helicopters Technik GmbH as a wholly-owned subsidiary located in Kassel-Calden.

The world-leading manufacturer of dynamic components for light and medium helicopters including related services with a global customer base is also a national leader with regards to the MRO for dynamic components of military helicopters.

With this addition to Airbus Helicopters’ portfolio, the company is broadening its range of MRO capabilities and secures additional competences in the area of dynamic systems.

“With this new entity, we will be able to improve our service offering for our customers including key partners like the German Bundeswehr, thus addressing their MRO needs faster with an increased level of integration” said Christoph Zammert, Executive Vice-President Customer Support & Services at Airbus Helicopters. “Incorporating this new entity into the Airbus family opens up new opportunities in a very dynamic market.”

Prior to the acquisition, the company was a subsidiary of the ZF Friedrichshafen AG. The company has delivered more than 10,000 gearboxes all over the world. It is a supplier of the H135 main gear box and has a share in the H145 programme.

In 2021, the company achieved revenues of € 94 million and employed more than 450 people. Airbus had a long history of successful partnership with ZF Luftfahrttechnik going back many years to the initial collaboration on the Alouette II and BO105.

Today, Airbus intends to build on these strong foundations, continuing to invest in this new entity, and reinforcing its position as an MRO service partner for the majority of the German Bundeswehr helicopter fleet.

Safran signs SBH support contract with Coldstream Helicopters

Source: Safran Helicopter Engines Press Release

Safran Helicopter Engines has signed a contract with Coldstream Helicopters Ltd. to support Makila engines powering its AS332L1 Super Puma fleet. This Support-By-theHour (SBH®) contract formalizes a long-term Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and services agreement supporting Coldstream’s Makila 1A1 engines.

Coldstream is the global launch customer for this SBH® program, which Safran has specifically designed for utility operators of the Airbus Super Puma family.

This contract will be managed by Safran Helicopter Engines Canada, in Mirabel, Quebec, which provides North American customers with support services for the Arrius, Arriel and Makila engines as well as repair and overhaul of engines, modules and accessories.

Safran Helicopter Engines Canada CEO Stewart Noel said: “We are proud of this testimony of confidence from Coldstream Helicopters Ltd. in Safran Helicopter Engines and its SBH® support contract."

Coldstream Helicopters is a leading heavy utility helicopter operator, operating in diverse and challenging environments. Robert Gallagher, Coldstream President and CEO, states “Ensuring security of supply and predictability of costs is paramount in ensuring Coldstream’s ability to provide its customers with outstanding service and performance. This strategic relationship with Safran for SBH® support will be key piece to Coldstream’s continuing success.”

SBH® is Safran Helicopter Engines’ support-bythe-hour program. It makes engine operating costs predictable, eliminates cash peaks and allows flexibility for scheduled and unscheduled MRO coverage.

SBH® is part of EngineLife® Services, Safran’s range of solutions for helicopter engines.

Leonardo & Morson Projects announce partnership in U.K.

Source: Leonardo Helicopters Press Release

Leonardo and Morson Projects have signed a long-term Strategic Partnering Agreement (SPA), which will enable the UK’s only onshore helicopter manufacturer to offload engineering work to augment the company’s existing highly skilled engineering capacity.

Further to the contract signing on 3 March, Morson Projects will be managing engineering work at Leonardo’s UK helicopter facility in the South West of England through sub-contractors or through the management of fixed-price packages at one of Morson Project’s UK design offices in Northern Ireland and the North of England, covering Belfast, Manchester, and Hull.

Adam Clarke, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters UK, commented: “This Strategic Partnering Agreement enables Leonardo and Morson Projects to not only strengthen relations between the two companies, but it also secures engineering work and supply chain resilience across the UK.

Furthermore, if we are successful on large contracts like the UK MOD New Medium Helicopter programme, we will have a number of skills available to us to support UK prosperity and our engineering ecosystem.”

Gareth Beck, Operations Director at Morson Projects, added: “The Prime Supplier Status award is the culmination of many successful years of Leonardo and Morson Projects working collaboratively and is testament to the hard work, passion, and commitment of everyone involved. Morson Projects is delighted that we can continue to work with Leonardo’s industry leading products and be at the forefront of capability enhancement.”

Best known for its onshore production of UK military helicopters and cutting-edge electronics on-board Royal Air Force aircraft, Leonardo is one of the biggest suppliers to the UK Ministry of Defence. Leonardo already employs over 8,000 people in the UK and recently opened a new site in Newcastle.

This SPA will enable Leonardo to support engineering projects, as required, across the UK beyond its existing company sites. Furthermore, the agreement continues the long-term relationship between Morson Projects and Leonardo into its third decade.

Black Widow Helicopters and XP Services Inc. Join Forces to Launch New Lima+ Black Hawk

Source: Black Widow Helicopters Press Release

Ina joint announcement, Black Widow Helicopters and XP Services Inc proudly introduced the next evolution of the Black Hawk: the Lima+. A product of unparalleled experience and innovation, this UH-60 Black Hawk variant is poised to redefine industry benchmarks globally.

Black Hawks have become the industry standard for aerial firefighting and utility operations. The Lima+’s marketing strength is based on the Black Hawk’s over 15 million flight hours and proven safety record, an established legacy support system for the model, and an infusion of upgrades and design changes to the avionics, engines, and mission equipment.

The Lima+, which includes the upgraded -701D engines and IDGB gearbox that gives the Lima+ a 9000 lbs lift capacity, will be standardized with the state of the art, FAA IFR Certified, Genesys NVG digital glass cockpit with HeliSAS autopilot for ease of navigation, a reconfigurable new cabin that accommodates up to 13 occupants and their equipment during emergency operations and it will also be equipped with the Aerometals Inlet Barrier Filter as well as light weight exhaust system and the GPMS Foresight Predictive HUMS.

The integrated health monitoring system (HUMS), could give operators a significant advantage in maximizing dispatchability while minimizing down-time and maintenance costs. After each flight, accurate diagnostics and early problem detection is available, enabling preventive maintenance measures to be taken before any catastrophic failures can occur.

Offered in three distinct build models –Commercial Utility, Public Safety, and MILSPEC, the Lima+ ensures adaptability, tailoring each build to mission-specific requirements.

“The UH-60 is a rugged and reliable platform for military and special mission operators and bringing these legacy aircraft out of military retirement and adding the latest innovation has to offer by adding capabilities like three axis autopilot, synthetic vision (SV), highway in the sky (HITS), improved datalink weather, or localizer performance with vertical guidance (LPV) approaches, extends their utility and reliability to a level on par with — if not better than — new helicopters” said Rod Allison, CEO of XP Services.

The significant improvements of the Lima+ variant will make it better at all of those missions while also easier on the pilot workload. The Lima+ will be type certified with XP Services for commercial restricted category operators.

“We are thrilled to bring an industry-leading and cost effective upgrade to the Black Hawk which the market has been demanding for quite some time,” said Todd Dunphy, Chief Operating Officer of Black Widow Helicopters.

“We will be displaying a Lima+ technology demonstrator at HAI 2024 in Anaheim, CA. Together with XP Services and Primehawx, we are ready to build Lima+ models immediately as we have a fleet of 28 Sikorsky UH-60L available for modifications” Dunphy continued.

With the Lima+, the iconic Black Hawk seamlessly transitions into the 21st Century, exemplifying the perfect marriage of heritage and innovation.

The Lima+ will be built and modified with custom mission configurations in Tullahoma, Tennessee and Camarillo, California.