Helicopter crews are more likely to be dealing with civil emergencies than finding downed military pilots

A 757 replacement would round out the new aircraft offerings

Why OEMs are flocking to the U.S., Mexico and Singapore

Oil and gas operators are driving medium and large helo requirements

Investigators probing the crash of a police helicopter in Scotland are questioning why both engines flamed out despite the aircraft still having 10-15 min. of fuel left. The Airbus—formerly Eurocopter—EC135T2 operated for Police Scotland by Bond Air Services had been on a routine police mission and was returning back to its base at Glasgow City Heliport when it crashed onto the Clutha Vaults public house late in the evening of Nov. 29, 2013. All three crew onboard the helicopter were killed as were six patrons in the bar when the aircraft crashed through the roof.

A low-cost carrier’s aggressive plan that is raising hackles

As poor countries develop, air travel expands much faster than incomes. But as people become richer, that gearing ratio tends to fall: Air travel still grows faster than incomes, but not so much faster. And then the economy itself slows, as its game of catch-up takes it closer to the leading edge of advanced countries. For Chinese commercial aviation, that may be just as well. After experiencing the most powerful episode of airline expansion in history, the country is straining to provide infrastructure for the sector.

More than six months after the end of a nine-month halt to flights over hazardous environments by the Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) EC225, all operators of the heavy helicopters, the majority of which are used to support oil and gas platforms, have returned it to the air having implemented a series of interim fixes certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) last July.