Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

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Mark Huber

Leonardo signed sales contracts for nine AW139 and AW169 helicopters at the recent Heli-Expo show. Two intermediate twin AW139s will be delivered to Omni Helicopters International in Brazil in 2024 to support offshore energy transport there. Likewise, an AW139 will be delivered to HeliService International in Germany, also in support of the offshore market.&nbsp;
HeliService also agreed to take a Leonardo AW169 medium twin. Other AW169 customers announced at the show include Global Vectra Helicorp Ltd. (2); UI Helijet (2) in support of air ambulance operations in South Korea; and the Phoenix, Arizona Police Department’s Air Tactical Support Bureau, which ordered a single search-and-rescue/multi-mission configured aircraft equipped with&nbsp;rescue hoist, search light, and FLIR system.&nbsp;
"We are excited about adding the AW169 to our fleet to significantly enhance mission capability, safety, and performance in our hot and high-density altitude environment,” said Paul Apolinar, Phoenix Police Department chief pilot for helicopter operations. This Phoenix order marks the entrance of the AW169 into the North American law enforcement market. It is already utilized in that capacity in Italy, Norway, Brazil, Argentina, Japan, Republic of Korea, Slovenia and Indonesia.&nbsp;
Leonardo also announced recent orders for three of its AW109 GrandNew and Trekker light twins into the South American market. The VIP-configured helicopters were sold to&nbsp;SynerJet Latina SA, a new distributor responsible for Colombia, Peru, Chile and Paraguay. Deliveries of those helicopters is expected in 2024 and 2025. Of the more than 900 Leonardo VIP/corporate helicopters flying worldwide, approximately 25 percent are based in Latin America.

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

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Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

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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.

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New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

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.

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