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

Sikorsky announced early last month that final assembly of the first production S-76D medium twin has begun in Coatesville, Pa.
Czech-based Aero Vodochody delivered the fuselage on November 19–a one-month delay, according to a schedule released in June (see AIN, July 2010, page 58). The fully assembled fuselage arrived with all electric and cockpit systems having passed acceptance tests, Sikorsky em­phasized. The helicopter is to be delivered next year to the launch customer.
In November, the program entered "certification flight status," the final phase of testing, expected to lead to FAA sea-level certification by the fourth quarter of this year. Two prototypes are flying at Sikorsky's development flight center in West Palm Beach, Fla., and a third one is to join them early next year.
The S-76D program has hit repeated delays–in 2009, certification was still planned for 2010–and the company has declined to be specific on the root causes. The S-76D features a dual-speed main rotor with a quiet mode, Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada PW210S ­turboshafts, a digital four-axis autopilot and a Thales TopDeck avionics suite.

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

Sikorsky S-76D enters production 

Sikorsky announced early last month that final assembly of the first production S-76D medium twin has begun in Coatesville, Pa. Czech-based Aero

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