Britian’s new coalition government has suspended February’s selection of Team Soteria as preferred bidder to deliver search and rescue helicopter (SAR-H) services to the Ministry of Defence and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency while it reviews the £4.6bn (A$7.8bn) program. The coalition is looking at the spending decisions made by the previous Labour administration in three
Helicopter rescue operations provided by the Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad (SPRS), based at Sorrento, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, will cease during mid July because of a reduced number of call-outs, high running costs and the retirement of its chief pilot. SPRS management decided to cease helicopter operations and sell its Bell 206L LongRanger, VH-BLV, during
EADS unveiled a model of a hybrid helicopter concept at the ILA Berlin Airshow on June 8 which it says could cut emissions and fuel consumption in half while improving safety margins. One of several projects that form part of EADS Innovation Works’s eCO2avia program, the helicopter concept would use four diesel-electric motor generator units,
The Queensland government announced as part of its budget on June 8 that it will provide an additional $1.64 million per year to assist Toowoomba Airport based CareFlight South West upgrade its part-time operations to a full time service. CareFlight Group Queensland CEO, Ashley van de Velde, said the new government funding is a major
Boeing has reached agreement with AgustaWestland to licence build the AW101 in the US as its bid for the VXX US Presidential Helicopter replacement program. Boeing says, unlike the previous arrangement between Lockheed Martin and AgustaWestland which resulted in the US101, it is not partnering with anyone, rather it has secured the data and production
The Western Australia Police has ordered a Eurocopter AS365 N3 Dauphin helicopter for delivery in September 2011, to join the force’s existing BK117 and fixed wing Pilatus PC-12 and Cessna 182. “Having two helicopters will increase the capacity of Western Australia Police to provide aerial support to frontline policing, search and rescue, counter terrorism operations