Perth based fire-fighting Squirrel helicopters dropped their 15,000th load of water during the summer bush fire season. The AS350 B3 Squirrels have been operated by HNZ Australia out of Perth Airport since 2005. Patrolling a 120km radius around the WA capital, the four Helitacs work in conjunction with fixed-wing water bombers, with the more manoeuvrable
The American Helicopter Society has given its top design award to Eurocopter’s X3 hybrid demonstrator. The presentation of the group’s Howard Hughes award comes as Eurocopter prepares a US tour for the unusual rotorcraft, which it hopes to market for a range of civilian and military uses including long-distance search and rescue, border patrol, special operations,
Friday May 4 was long-serving Australian Aviation deputy editor and more recently sister-mag Australian Defence Business Review editor Andrew McLaughlin’s last day at Phantom Media. The team at Phantom Media wishes Andrew all the best, and thanks him for his hundreds of great stories, his knowledge and his enthusiasm. He will be missed.
Turboprop maker ATR has delivered its 1000th aircraft, an ATR 72-600 for Spanish airline Air Nostrum. The Franco-Italian company is coming off a record 2011 in which it sold 157 aircraft. High fuel prices have contributed to a resurgence in popularity for turboprop aircraft on regional routes, with ATR saying its aircraft accounted for more
Defence has released a tender for deeper maintenance of the RAAF classic F/A-18 Hornet fleet, with the new contract expected to take effect from April 2013. “This contract will provide all deeper maintenance requirements for the 55 single-seat and 16 dual-seat aircraft and associated systems. This includes operational fight trainers, computer‑based training systems, maintenance training
The Australian Army’s new Shadow 200 Tactical Unamnned Aerial System (TUAS) has officially commenced operations in Afghanistan, providing an enhanced Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ITSAR) capability to the International Security Assistance Force. The Shadow 200 replaces the ScanEagle which has been in operation since mid-2007. Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Ash Power
