Rotorcraft
New Rotorcraft 2010
Both product support and research and development have taken hits in the helicopter industry as cash flow and current sales shrink, while future orders

Both product support and research and development have taken hits in the helicopter industry as cash flow and current sales shrink, while future orders are clouded by important changes and growing uncertainty in key customer sectors.
In helicopter EMS (HEMS), stricter patient transport protocols in some markets have significantly reduced flight operations, and new FAA Part 135 rules governing HEMS will include equipment mandates that are expected to drive up costs, perhaps resulting in additional operator and program consolidations.

Certification and delivery deadlines slip to the right for new helicopters. Offshore operators have seen oil prices nearly halved from record highs of $145.29 per barrel on July 3, 2008, while natural gas prices have plunged even more precipitously. Collapsing property and other tax revenues have strained governmental budgets, particularly at the state and municipal levels, and the overall economy has crimped air-tour and charter operators.