Articles for category Opinion-Editorial
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May
12
2025
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Posted by Admin
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We catch Gretchen Johnson in a rare hour of relatively free time. She was in Orlando, having headed south from her metro-Atlanta home, when she said in a cultured, soft Southern accent that would make Scarlett O’Hara sit up and take notice, “Thank you so much for choosing to spend an hour with me; I’m flattered. Hopefully, something I say will be worth repeating. It’s wonderful being down here in Florida because now Miss Georgia can’t decide whether she’s winter or spring.”
Make up your cotton-pickin’ mind, Miss Georgia!
It would be wrong to base an assumption on Johnson’s accent and Southern manners that she’s some antebellum belle. The CEO and founder of DaVinciSKY was in Orlando for a “Women in Power” symposium—and that could be a clever pun because Johnson’s flagship company and its subsidiaries feature helicopters in power-line construction, inspection, and maintenance.
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Tags:
DaVinciSKY
power line patrol helicopter
Utility Helicopter
Categories:
Opinion-Editorial
Human Interest
Company Profiles
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Apr
28
2025
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Posted by Admin
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The helicopter industry is continuing to face a pilot shortage that threatens to impact operations across sectors, such as emergency medical services (EMS), firefighting, law enforcement, offshore transport, and tourism. As seasoned pilots retire and fewer new aviators enter the workforce, companies are struggling to maintain flight schedules and meet increasing demands for aerial services.
Several factors contribute to this shortage. One of the primary challenges is the high cost and long duration of helicopter pilot training, which can exceed $100,000 and take several years to complete. Unlike fixed-wing aviation, which often benefits from more direct career pathways and funding opportunities, the vertical-lift industry lacks sufficient structured programs to attract and retain new talent.
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Tags:
Helicopter Pilot Shortage
Categories:
Career Development
Opinion-Editorial
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Mar
17
2025
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Posted by Admin
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It’s a bright and sunny autumn morning at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey. While on the adjacent ramps it is still quiet, the ramp of HMLA-773 (-) is already packed with Bell UH-1Y Venom and Bell AH-1Z Viper helicopters being prepared for the day’s flying by the busy maintenance crews. Although being a Marine Reserve Unit, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773 plays a key role in the organization and operations of the United States Marine Corps.
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Categories:
Opinion-Editorial
Company Profiles
Helicopter Sectors
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Feb
10
2025
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Posted by Admin
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A few weeks ago, a longtime friend and fellow flight instructor reached out to me regarding a regulatory issue surrounding logging night vision goggles (NVG) and night flight time consecutively. Many in the NVG industry, including FAA staff, believe they are to be logged independently. However, this is not correct. It is indeed permissible to log NVG and night flight time consecutively, but don’t take my word for it. Please follow this link and scroll down the pages to Section #29. You’ll find the answer around the third paragraph of that section: [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/08/21/E9-19353/pilot-flight-instructor-and-pilot-school-certification]
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Tags:
FAR Preambles
Flight Instruction
NIght Flight Goggles
Categories:
Opinion-Editorial
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Feb
03
2025
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Posted by Admin
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For units of the New York Army National Guard, the year could not have started busier. In early May, Bravo Company of the 3-142nd Assault Helicopter Brigade (B. Co 3-142 AHB) deployed four Sikorsky UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters to Gulfport, Mississippi, to participate in the MARSOC 24-4 exercise. Meanwhile, Alpha Company of the 3-142 Assault Helicopter Brigade (A. Co 3-142 AHB) was deployed with four UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters and 45 personnel to Barbados to take part in the multinational exercise named “Tradewinds 24.” This annual exercise, organized by the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), took place from May 4 to May 16 with the participation of 25 countries. The focus during this 39th iteration of the exercise was mainly on improving interoperability and effectively executing both maritime and land operations, but it also dealt with humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
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Tags:
Helicopter Bridage
MARSOC 24-4
New York Army National Guard Aviation Unit
Tradewinds 24
Categories:
Human Interest
Company Profiles
Opinion-Editorial
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Jan
27
2025
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Posted by Admin
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A few weeks ago, a longtime friend and fellow flight instructor reached out to me regarding a regulatory issue surrounding logging night vision goggles (NVG) and night flight time consecutively. Many in the NVG industry, including FAA staff, believe they are to be logged independently. However, this is not correct. It is indeed permissible to log NVG and night flight time consecutively, but don’t take my word for it. Please follow this link and scroll down the pages to Section #29. You’ll find the answer around the third paragraph of that section: [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/08/21/E9-19353/pilot-flight-instructor-and-pilot-school-certification]
[Read More...]
Tags:
My T wo Cents Worth
Categories:
Opinion-Editorial
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Jan
07
2025
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Posted by Admin
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Helicopters play a pivotal role in the energy sector, offering unique advantages for construction, inspection, and maintenance tasks. Their versatility, speed, and ability to access hard-to-reach locations make them indispensable in supporting energy infrastructure projects, particularly in remote or challenging environments.
Winco Powerline Services (owned by parent company Quanta Services) bills itself as a power-line construction specialist. But before we dive into the details of this 33-year-old, highly specialized helicopter operator, let’s take a high-level look at how helicopters are used in the broader energy sector.
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Categories:
Opinion-Editorial
Company Profiles
Helicopter Sectors
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Dec
23
2024
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Posted by Admin
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As we close another remarkable year, it’s clear that 2024 has been pivotal for the helicopter industry. From technological breakthroughs to shifts in market demands, this year has showcased the resilience and innovation that define our industry. In this Editor’s Letter, I’d like to highlight some of the key developments shaping the rotorcraft world today.
First and foremost, sustainability has taken center stage. With global aviation under increasing scrutiny for its environmental impact, the helicopter industry is accelerating its push toward greener technologies. Hybrid-electric propulsion systems and hydrogen fuel cells have moved beyond prototypes, with several manufacturers conducting successful test flights this year. These advancements promise to reduce carbon emissions significantly and align with international goals for sustainable aviation.
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Tags:
Helicopter Industry 2025
Rotorcraft Industry 2025
Categories:
Opinion-Editorial
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Dec
09
2024
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Posted by Admin
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The aviation industry has consistently been a beacon of technological innovation that leads to greater safety, efficiency, and capabilities in air travel. Helicopter aviation, a crucial branch of this industry, is now experiencing a profound transformation thanks to artificial intelligence (AI). From predictive maintenance to autonomous navigation, AI is revolutionizing operations in ways that would have been considered science fiction only a decade ago.
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Tags:
AI and helicopters
Categories:
Opinion-Editorial
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Oct
25
2024
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Posted by Admin
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The European helicopter market not only represents a large portion of the global industry, but has always been a vital region for our industry, serving diverse industries such as emergency medical services (EMS), offshore energy, defense, and corporate aviation. As 2024 unfolds, the landscape of the helicopter market in Europe is evolving rapidly, with a mix of both challenges and growth opportunities shaping the future.
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Tags:
European helicopter market
Categories:
Opinion-Editorial