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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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.

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Thierry Dubois

Sikorsky is confident its upgraded medium-twin helicopter, the S-76D, will make its first flight in the fourth quarter of next year, vice president Europe Bruce McKinney said here at the show during a press conference on Monday. The program’s schedule slipped at some point because of resources being reallocated to the military CH-53K but the S-76D program is now fully staffed, McKinney told Aviation International News.
Sikorsky engineers are building the all-composite blades for the main rotor. It will feature an anti-ice protection system, derived from that of the bigger S-92. In addition, Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada has been running its PW210S turboshaft engine, which has been designed for the new helicopter version. Three development engines have logged some 200 hours in ground tests. Wind tunnel tests have been performed to check engine inlet icing. Overall S-76 aerodynamics were tried in the tunnel, too.
According to McKinney, development of the Thales TopDeck cockpit is well under way. The new man-machine interface features large LCD screens in a four-abreast configuration. Each pilot has a cursor control device “in a very natural position,” McKinney emphasized. The TopDeck concept has significant growth capabilities–possible integration of synthetic vision, for instance. Other S-76D features include an improved health usage and monitoring system (HUMS), additional fuel, a quiet gearbox and new electric generators.
Sikorsky has received “more than 50” commitments for the S-76D. FAA and EASA certification are pegged for the fourth quarter of 2009.
Production on Sikorsky’s commercial side has been constantly increasing since the early 2000s. It is expected to reach 70 S-76 series and S-92 helicopters next year.

Sikorsky aims for a late ’08 first flight for the new S-76D

Sikorsky is confident its upgraded medium-twin helicopter, the S-76D, will make its first flight in the fourth quarter of next year, vice president Europe 

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