Thierry Dubois
Writer

Thierry Dubois is a freelance writer specializing in helicopters, business aviation and aerospace technology. He earned a degree in fluid dynamics from an engineering school in Toulouse, France in the mid-1990s. At an unexpected crossroads, he found his first job in journalism. In 1997, he started working for French aerospace weekly Air & Cosmos in Paris. This lasted until 2000, when he moved south to Lyons. He then became a freelancer, working for various aerospace publications and has been part of the AIN team since late 2000. In addition to writing about business aviation, Thierry shares responsibility for the rotorcraft section. He also is a regular on-site writer for AIN’s daily editions at international airshows such as the Paris, Farnborough, Dubai and Singapore shows, as well as at EBACE in Geneva.

In 2007, he won the Honeywell award for “Best systems or technology submission” at the Aerospace journalist of the year awards. In 2013, he won an Aerospace Media Award for the "Best Safety, Training & Simulation Submission."

In other activities, Thierry moderates international conferences on aviation technology topics. Thierry is married and has three children, who seem to begin enjoying the mountains–as their parents do.

Latest from Thierry Dubois

Industry Perspective: Eurocopter’s CEO focuses on timely deliveries

Under pressure from its competitors, Eurocopter–still the number-one manufacturer in the civil helicopter market–is working hard to cope with a rapid produ

X-Hawk city dweller packs serious firepower

Bell Helicopter has initiated an engineering study with a number of partners for a rather unconventional aircraft that designers say would be especially we

ICAO experts mulling changes for helo IFR and heliport rules

Expert groups at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) are designing new rules for helicopter IFR procedures and heliport construction.

Eurocopter EC 175 to lock horns with AW139

Eurocopter and its Chinese partner Harbin Aircraft are designing a new medium twin helicopter, dubbed the EC 175, to fill the gap between the EC 155 Dauphi

AgustaWestland’s Orsi bullish on new products and customer-support growth

AgustaWestland often is overshadowed by that “other” major European helicopter manufacturer, cross-continent rival Eurocopter.
Rotorcraft

Flying Bulls press BO 105s into aerobatics routines

Several European helicopter pilots recently formed the Flying Bulls, the only civil helicopter aerobatic team in Europe.

New rules proposed for heliport layout

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is drafting new rules for heliport layout and construction in a revised Annex 14.
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Rotorcraft

Agusta challenges fairness of French police helicopter tender

Agusta S.p.A., the Italian element of AgustaWestland, is suing the French procurement agency, the DGA, claiming that an unfair tender essentially eliminate
Rotorcraft

More Time for Air-tour Operators

The FAA on February 9 released its final rule on proposed changes to the rules governing air-tour operators, who must demonstrate compliance within six mon
Rotorcraft

Turbomeca Plans New French Factory

Turbomeca officials in late January broke ground for a new, more modern factory at the company’s headquarters in Bordes, southwest France.
Rotorcraft

AgustaWestland and Eurocopter Bullish on Indian Prospects

AgustaWestland last month announced that its sales in India are growing, with seven deliveries last year (not all new rotorcraft), four planned this year a
Rotorcraft

Turbomeca To Test Ardiden 1H

Turbomeca and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will soon be flight testing their codeveloped 1,200-shp Ardiden 1H (or Shakti, under its Indian designati
Rotorcraft

Eurocopter Posts Record Orders

Late in January in Paris, Eurocopter disclosed that it took orders last year for a record 615 helicopters worth €4.9 billion ($6.4 billion).
Security

FAA Issues Hydraulic Safety Alert

The FAA has issued a Safety Alert For Operators (SAFO) regarding the functional testing of helicopter hydraulic systems before flight.
Accidents

Fokker 100 crashes on takeoff

A Fokker 100 flown by Air France subsidiary Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne crashed immediately after takeoff on January 25 in Pau, southwest France
Rotorcraft

Research group studies airbags for helicopters

European-funded research project Helisafe, led by Marignane, France-based Eurocopter, is studying airbags and harnesses as a possible means of enhancing th
Safety

Private air-rescue foundation provides new financing model

Swiss air-rescue provider Rega is ready to help any similar organization that would like to set up a membership-based financing plan.
Accidents

Pilots blamed in Brest CRJ crash

The June 2003 fatal crash of a Bombardier CRJ100 operated by Brit Air (a subsidiary of Air France) near Brest airport in France, was caused mainly by the p
Aircraft

OEMs using new technology to speed up aircraft assembly

With the Falcon 7X, French-based manufacturer Dassault has cut in half the time it takes it to build the first example of a new top-end business jet.
Avionics

Thales taps business aircraft market with Top Deck cockpit

Thales Avionics is in the final development phase of a new avionics suite, dubbed Top Deck, for regional and large business jets.
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Charter & Fractional

Laid-off airline pilots start successful Euro charter firm

Scores of professional pilots found themselves unemployed after the fallout from 9/11.
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Aircraft

Pilot incapacitation eyed in Brit Air crash

Pilot incapacitation at the end of the approach phase might have caused a Brit Air CRJ100 to crash about a mile-and-a-half short of the runway at Brest Gui
Engines

PW307A on target for Falcon 7X, says P&WC

Pratt & Whitney Canada is striving to keep fuel burn on target for its PW307A engine, which will power the Dassault Falcon 7X.
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Regulations and Government

With stroke of a pen, EASA issues 1st type certificate

The newly formed European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued its first-ever type certificate on December 11 in Brussels, Belgium.
Rotorcraft

Copterline sues Sikorsky over S-76 crash

Helsinki, Finland-based operator Copterline in late December filed a lawsuit in the U.S.
Rotorcraft

UK air ambulance group lobbies for infrastructure

Ten months ago all 16 of England’s and Wales’ air ambulances created the Association of Air Ambulance Charities (AAAC) to lobby the government to consider
Rotorcraft

Airgreen founder dies in crash

Giuseppe Airaudi, 52, and his passenger died in the crash of an Agusta Bell AB412 on November 27 in the Italian Alps.