Author: Admin
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Nov
03
2025
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Posted by Admin
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The longevity of the growing international aerospace mission equipment company could be in their philosophy of “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Just ask their 600+ employees, many with decades at the company.
DART Aerospace, a worldwide company with over 600 employees, has provided helicopter mission equipment, parts, and accessories directly to operators, OEMs, MROs, and strategic partners for over 50 years. Their success has been a result of their vision in the design, manufacture, and installation of mission-critical helicopter equipment, as well as augmenting services through the acquisition of key partner companies. Now, they are looking to the future of the vertical lift industry, with not only innovative helicopter solutions but also drones, and vehicles like electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, a testament to their unwavering commitment to innovation.
Since its founding in June 1975, the company has been dedicated to solving customer challenges, according to Aerial Firefighting Business Unit Manager Michael Lee.
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Tags:
DART 50th Anniversary
DART Aerospace
Categories:
Company Profiles
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Oct
27
2025
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Posted by Admin
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As we navigate the complexities of 2025, the European helicopter sector stands as a beacon of resilience and innovation amid global uncertainties. It’s a compelling, if complex, story defined by geopolitical tension on one side and sustainable innovation on the other.
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Tags:
Editor Lyn Burks
Rotor Pro Editor's Letter
Categories:
Opinion-Editorial
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Oct
19
2025
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Posted by Admin
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Many times, while flying a UH-60 Blackhawk while stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, I thought about how great this job is! There were also many times I thought about potential job prospects that would be available to me as a helicopter pilot in the civilian world if I decided to leave the military. To be honest, I overvalued my military experience and how it would transfer to the civilian aviation market. I thought: What company wouldn’t want to hire me? I flew one of the most advanced military helicopters at the time and I was well trained. I flew VIP’s, conducted many sling-load, firefighting, disaster relief, IFR and NVG operations. I was a catch! I would easily walk into one of those corporate aviation departments I heard so much about, and walk out with a job offer. I was wrong.
[Read More...]
Tags:
Michael Toth
Military to Civilian Aviation
Categories:
Career Development
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Oct
13
2025
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Posted by Admin
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The 2916th Aviation Battalion ‘Raptors’ at the United States Army National Training Center play a vital role in preparing combat units for tomorrow’s fight.
Located in San Bernardino County, California, and surrounded by the hills of the Mojave Desert, the National Training Center at Fort Irwin is one of the largest training areas in the U.S. Measuring roughly 1,000 square miles, the area has the approximate acreage of Rhode Island. The harsh environment with high temperatures, occasional strong winds, and rugged terrain makes this area the ideal setting for training Armored Brigade Combat Teams and units from other services and allies.
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Tags:
Raptors
The 2916th Aviation Battalion
United States Army National Training Center
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Oct
06
2025
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Posted by Admin
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The terms “air medical service” (AMS) and “cool” just seem to naturally go together when it comes to rotorcraft advances. Here’s what’s happening on the rotorcraft AMS front now…
Pivotal eVTOL: Proving Itself for AMS
Pivotal’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft (pivotal.aero) is an eight-motor, single-person vehicle that takes off and lands vertically yet flies horizontally like a fixed-wing aircraft. It has already impressed the general aircraft critics by winning the Gold 2025 Edison Award in The Future of Personal Flight & Drive. The Pivotal eVTOL has also impressed the San Bernardino County (Cal.) Fire District by showing off its skill during a public demonstration on 23 June 2025.
“The demonstration highlighted the potential of eVTOL technology to dramatically reduce response times and overcome traditional barriers like traffic congestion, natural terrain, or rural distances,” stated an SBCFD news release after the event. “Our goal was to evaluate if this aircraft could deliver a paramedic safely, with gear and whole blood, to improve patient outcomes in the real world. This aircraft represents a powerful new tool in time-sensitive trauma care.”
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Sep
26
2025
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Posted by Admin
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RPMN: What is your current position?
I am the CEO of Aerotoscana, a Chilean helicopter company. I serve as the chief pilot, flying a Robinson R66 primarily for agricultural operations, including frost control and fruit drying, with a special focus on Chile’s cherry growers. I carry out this work alongside my wife, a team of engineers, and strong accounting support, allowing us to perform each operation with the highest level of dedication and professionalism.
[Read More...]
Tags:
Aerotoscana
Felipe Reitz Lobo
Helicopter Cherry Drying Chile
Helicopter tours Patagonia chile
Heliglamping chile
Categories:
Company Profiles
Human Interest
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Sep
22
2025
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Posted by Admin
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Air medical providers across the U.S. are united in their dedication to safe and reliable service for the communities they serve. Unfortunately, even highly dependable organizations are making compromises to their in-service rates, fleet composition, response times, and coverage areas as they face workforce instability, system fragmentation, and financial pressures. These are some of the operational challenges confronting the modern air medical system requiring attention. Fortunately, there are policy and practice opportunities that can help improve air medical operations.
Rotor Pro took the opportunity to seek the insights of three individuals in the industry with differing backgrounds and perspectives in order to learn more about the challenges and opportunities facing the air medical services industry. We jumped at the chance to learn more from:
Brett Reeder, president of the National EMS Pilots Association (NEMSPA)
Kyle Danielson, founder and principal consultant for Flightline Strategy
Steve Soliz, HEMS segment manager for Bell Flight
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Tags:
Air Medical Services Challenges
Air Medical Services Legistlation
Air Medical Services Opportunities
Air Medical Services Pilot Shortage
Categories:
Helicopter Sectors
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Sep
15
2025
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Posted by Admin
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Optima Aero and its founding CEO have been having a “moment”—for approx. 15 years. Toby Gauld founded his business in 2010 from zero in Quebec, Canada, and his company has been adding numbers in front of that 0 by providing refurbished and certified parts, components, and engines to helicopter operators, maintenance centers, and OEMs worldwide. By “adding numbers,” we mean growing Optima Aero at a 38% annual rate (with 60 employees now) and putting a 42 in front of six zeroes to add up to $42 million (USD) in sales this year. Optima Aero expanded its Beloeil, Quebec, headquarters for engine maintenance and component repair to 30,000 square feet, plus has equally sized centers in Tarnos, France, for part-out activities, and Grand Prairie, Texas, for MROs. Expected this August is an Asian landing in Singapore to further spread Optima’s reach. The globally ambitious Gauld is also looking for acquisition opportunities around the world.
[Read More...]
Tags:
helicopter-industry carbon emissions
Optima Aero
Toby Gauld
Categories:
Company Profiles
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Sep
08
2025
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Posted by Admin
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With no fewer than 12,000 calls per year, the familiar yellow trauma helicopters are a frequent site in the Netherlands’ skies. Onboard is a Mobile Medical Team (MMT), consisting of a pilot, a doctor, and a paramedic, racing to any medical emergency where seconds count.
Although we’ve become accustomed to helicopters responding to serious accidents, this form of emergency medical service is still relatively new in the Netherlands. In Germany, however, doctors were already sounding the alarm in the late 1960s due to a rapidly increasing number of traffic fatalities. To improve survival chances, it was essential not only to reach accident scenes more quickly but also to transport patients to trauma centers faster. The ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club) took the initiative to conduct trials using rented MBB Bö-105 helicopters. The results were so promising that, in November 1970, the first permanent civilian rescue helicopter was stationed in Munich. In the years that followed, the number of locations grew significantly. Partly thanks to the success of the German network of military and civilian rescue helicopters, interest in establishing a similar service in the Netherlands grew in the mid-1980s—especially as traffic in the Randstad region became increasingly congested.
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Tags:
ANWB Medical Air Assistance
EC-135 helicopter
MBB Bö-105 helicopters
Netherlands Helicopter Air Ambulance
Categories:
Company Profiles
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Sep
01
2025
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Posted by Admin
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The global helicopter air ambulance industry stands at a critical juncture, balancing life-saving innovation with complex challenges. As demand for rapid medical transport grows, particularly in remote and rural areas, the sector continues to evolve, driven by technological advancements and increasing healthcare needs. However, it faces hurdles that require urgent attention.
Helicopter air ambulances are indispensable, providing swift access to emergency care where ground transport falls short. Advanced avionics, night vision systems, and medical equipment have enhanced operational efficiency and patient outcomes. The global market, valued at approximately $7 billion in 2024, is projected to grow steadily, fueled by aging populations and rising trauma cases. North America leads, with nearly 1,000 medical helicopters in operation, while Europe and Asia-Pacific are expanding rapidly due to healthcare infrastructure investments. On page 48 we highlight ANWB, an air ambulance service which has grown dramatically in the Netherlands.
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Tags:
Rotor Pro Editor's Letter
Categories:
Opinion-Editorial
Helicopter Sectors