Author: Admin
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Jun
28
2026
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Posted by Admin
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In the helicopter industry, we spend a tremendous amount of time arguing about autorotations: full down or power recovery? straight in or 180-degree? Hover entry or low altitude? RPM decay rates… rotor inertia… training frequency… simulator fidelity….
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My 2 Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
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Jun
28
2026
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Posted by Admin
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Airbus Helicopters recently introduced an uncrewed version of its proven H145, the U145, during ILA Berlin airshow, where the company has displayed a full-scale mock-up of the new model. The U145 complements Airbus’ helicopter and uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) offering. A maiden flight with a safety pilot onboard is planned for the end of 2026, with entry into service at the beginning of the next decade.
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Airbus Helicopters
H145
Military Matters
U145
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Jun
28
2026
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Posted by Admin
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Quality has a cost. In aviation maintenance, quality often goes unnoticed when it is present — but it is always noticed when it is absent. The real question is: what is the return on your investment?
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Maintenance Minute
Mark Tyler
The Cost of Quality
Categories:
Maintenance Minute
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Jun
28
2026
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Posted by Admin
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What could I possibly be talking about this month with a title like that? Well, simply put, a misnomer is a name or term that is, or has become, inaccurate or misleading, even though it continues to be widely used. Let me show my age with a couple of examples: When was the last time you “dialed” a phone number? Or, better yet, how many times a day do you “cc” (carbon copy) someone on an email? Back in the day, yes, we actually dialed on a rotary dial phone, and long before email, carbon copies were made with carbon paper.
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Misnomer?
Rotorcraft Checkride
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Rotorcraft Checkride
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May
11
2026
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Posted by Admin
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My friend Buddy Evans used to call helicopter mechanics “Mack Daddy.”
And the first time you hear that, you might laugh a little…
because the world has its own definition of that term.
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Maintenance Minute
Mark Tyler
Categories:
Maintenance Minute
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Apr
30
2026
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Posted by Admin
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I graduated from high school in 1983, inspired to become a pilot by the popular books and movies of the time. Like Craig Thomas’, Firefox Down and Tom Wolfe’s, The Right Stuff and their movie adaptations. In The Right Stuff, Gordon Cooper, played by a young Dennis Quaid, repeatedly asks, “Who’s the best pilot you ever saw?” His predictable reply: “You’re looking at him.” It’s a memorable line, filled with swagger, charisma, and a little cringe. Most of us have flown with someone like that.
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Chris Hill
Safety SITREP
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Apr
30
2026
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Posted by Admin
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For decades, helicopter operators have demonstrated the real-world value of vertical lift—from emergency response and medical transport to offshore operations and disaster relief. As electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft begin moving from prototype to operational testing, AUVSI is working with industry and government to safely integrate this new era of aviation technology into the existing national air space.
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AUVSI
Uncrewed
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Apr
30
2026
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Posted by Admin
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There is a hard truth in life and business that most people learn the slow way: some people are only close to you when they need something from you. The moment the need is gone, so are they.
The helicopter industry has more than its fair share of this type of person. Ours is an industry that likes to talk about relationships, trust, mentorship, and reputation. We describe it as a small community. We speak of loyalty, professionalism, and looking out for one another. We shake hands at events, share stories in convention halls, and talk as though this business is built on something deeper than opportunity. But if you stay in it long enough, you start to see another layer beneath all of that.
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My 2 Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Apr
30
2026
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Posted by Admin
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Bell Completes Critical Design Review on DARPA SPRINT X-Plane Program, Receives Official X-Plane Designation
Following the completion of CDR, Bell will now begin building a brand-new X-plane with first-of-its-kind stop/fold technology.
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Military Matters
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Apr
30
2026
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Posted by Admin
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“I’ve worked in shops where quality was a slogan… and I’ve worked in shops where quality was a decision.
In aviation, quality is often described as everyone’s responsibility. It is. However, for the aircraft mechanic, quality is not a shared responsibility — it is personal responsibility. It is Job One.
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Maintenance Minute
Mark Tyler
Categories:
Maintenance Minute