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.

Writer

Thierry Dubois

Manufacturer AgustaWestland and Italian operator Alitalica recently signed an agreement to install a “helicopter hub” at Rome’s Urbe airport. Under the agreement, AgustaWestland will establish a maintenance center for its helicopters. Alitalica will offer “passenger hospitality services, passenger transport and corporate helicopter management services.” The helicopter hub is expected to start operating next year.
The companies chose Urbe for the hub because of its proximity to Rome’s city center–5 sm. More- over, unlike some other downtown airports in Europe, Urbe has no cap on annual aircraft movements. Finally, five helicopters are already based at Urbe.
The goal of the partnership is to spur the growth of the corporate helicopter market (both flights and helicopter sales) in Rome and Southern Italy. The two companies see potential for growth for helicopters at the small airport. According to Alitalica administrator Stefano Fiorni, “The objective is to offer a service at the highest level, thus allowing the potential market to be increased, especially in Mid-South Italy. There, the market is limited by lack of adequate infrastructure,” he asserted.
The hub’s business plan looks modest. Beginning late this year, Alitalica will offer three helicopters for executive charter and expects to fly only 50 to 100 passengers during the first year of operation.
There were some 46,000 aircraft movements–not counting the “Corpo forestale dello Stato,” one of the public fire services–at Rome Urbe last year, including fixed-wing aircraft (many of them light piston singles) and rotorcraft.
Alitalica is scheduled to invest ?3.2 million ($5 million) in building a hangar for the maintenance center, which AgustaWestland will equip and operate. Handling and training, too, will be offered under the hub concept. There are also plans for an additional taxiway.
Alitalica has operated since 1981 as a corporate flight department. It currently operates Agusta- Westland AW109s and AW139s. It also offers some aviation training services.

'Helicopter hub' planned for Rome

Manufacturer AgustaWestland and Italian operator Alitalica recently signed an agreement to install a “helicopter hub” at Rome’s Urbe airport.

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