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

Heli Air Design’s Helineo turbine-powered, two-seat helicopter made its first flight on April 26, the company announced last month. In rainy weather, test pilot Stéphane Ligier performed a series of 15 takeoffs and flights in ground effect at Metz Nancy Lorraine airport (<a href="http://www.heliairdesign.com/en/component/content/article/7-pages-fr/34-nos-videos">see video</a>). The helicopter performed as expected, the company said. First flight had initially been pegged for July last year.


Flight-testing will explore the envelope with the goal of obtaining CNSK 2 experimental kit assembly approval. This will be a first step, according to Heli Air Design, a subsidiary of precision manufacturing specialist Serolor, as it seeks financial partners to launch the construction of two more prototypes and the start of a full certification program.


The aircraft is an all-composite design, although the first prototype has some metal in the tailboom. The turboshaft is a 160-shp Solar T62 T-32. The T62 is known mostly as an auxiliary power unit and is available only on the second-hand market.


For the Helineo, <a href="http://www.heliairdesign.com/en/">Heli Air Design</a> claims a cruise speed of 90 knots and an empty weight of 660 pounds. The target price for a complete aircraft is €250,000 ($325,000).

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