Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

Editor, AIN monthly magazine

Airbus Helicopters BK117, EC145, and H145 series

Kerry Lynch

Collins Aerospace is a prominent aerospace and defense company specializing in the development and manufacture of advanced technology solutions. They offer a wide range of products and services, including avionics, aircraft interiors, mission systems, and space systems. 

Airbus Helicopters selected Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada and Collins Aerospace to collaborate on a hybrid-electric propulsion system for its PioneerLab technology demonstrator.&nbsp;The OEM is developing PioneerLab based on an H145 medium-twin helicopter to demonstrate the potential fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions savings that hybrid-electric propulsion could bring.
Under the program, the partners are replacing the H145’s existing engines with a hybrid propulsion system comprising a Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada PW210 engine and two Collins 250-kW electric motors and controllers that are linked through a common gearbox.
According to the companies, this configuration will optimize engine performance with the electric motors providing high torque capability during flight stages such as takeoff and landing. The partners anticipate that the changes could improve fuel efficiency by as much as 30%.&nbsp;Test flights are slated to begin in 2027 at Airbus Helicopters' Donauwörth, Germany facility.
"The combined 250-kW motor and controller we're designing for PioneerLab are part of our family of electric motors and controllers that can be scaled up or down to meet the future electrification needs of aircraft across multiple segments," said Henry Brooks, president of power and controls at Collins Aerospace. "By serving as part of hybrid-electric propulsion architectures or helping to electrify onboard systems, these motors and controllers will support the aviation industry's commitment to reduce carbon emissions from future platforms."
Maria Della Posta, president of Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada, added that the companies will draw on the expertise from their growing list of hybrid-electric demonstrator programs, including the RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator, STEP-Tech, and SWITCH.
Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Actions is supporting PioneerLab through its aerospace research program LuFo.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Airbus Helicopters Teams with P&WC, Collins on Hybrid PioneerLab H145 Project

The PioneerLab is expected to test fly hybrid propulsion in 2027

Airbus Helicopters, Pratt & Whitney Canada, and Collins Aerospace are collaborating on a hybrid version of the H145 under a demonstration project.

Airbus Helo Teams with P&WC, Collins on Hybrid H145

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Matt Thurber

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Company’s helicopters employed in law enforcement and utility roles

Bell Scores More Sales at Avalon Australian Airshow

Aircraft will serve in emergency medical services role

New Zealand Search and Rescue Orders H145 Helicopters

The 525 is the first civil fly-by-wire helicopter.

Bell Pilot on Flying the 525 Relentless Fly-by-Wire Helicopter and Program Update

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

Track and balance and diagnostics system can be used on new-technology rotorcraft

Bell Approves GE Rotor Analysis Diagnostic System

The R88 can seat 10 and carry up to 1,800 pounds of payload.

Robinson's New R88 Model Supersizes its Helicopter Family

Geared towards emergency medical services, it offers more interior space and performance.

Airbus Expands its Twin-Engine Helicopter Family With the New H140 Model

Amy Wilder

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

In this article

BK117/EC145/H145

Pratt & Whitney

Collins Aerospace

Airbus Helicopters

More In Rotorcraft

Bell Scores More Sales at Avalon Australian Airshow

Company’s helicopters employed in law enforcement and utility roles

New Zealand Search and Rescue Orders H145 Helicopters

Aircraft will serve in emergency medical services role

Bell Pilot on Flying the 525 Relentless Fly-by-Wire Helicopter and Program Update

The 525 is the first civil fly-by-wire helicopter.

Bell Approves GE Rotor Analysis Diagnostic System

Track and balance and diagnostics system can be used on new-technology rotorcraft

Robinson's New R88 Model Supersizes its Helicopter Family

The R88 can seat 10 and carry up to 1,800 pounds of payload.

Airbus Expands its Twin-Engine Helicopter Family With the New H140 Model

Geared towards emergency medical services, it offers more interior space and performance.

Airbus Logs Commitments for 118 Helicopters at Verticon

Newly unveiled H140 generated interest among emergency medical operators

VAI Presents 2025 Salute to Excellence Award Winners

Annual awards honor outstanding achievements in the helicopter industry

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