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

Dart Aerospace&nbsp;is partnering with United Rotorcraft to develop a firefighting system for the Airbus Super Puma family of helicopters including the H225 and AS332. The system will feature an external belly-mounted water tank with a 1056 USG capacity and cockpit system controls. United Rotorcraft also will develop multi-mission equipment packages for operator-specific requirements. The companies are aiming for certification via STC approval from the FAA, EASA, and Transport Canada.
Separately, the companies both produce similar aerial firefighting capabilities for other Type 1 helicopters. The new Super Puma system will provide the market with additional wildfire attack capability for Type 1 rotorcraft, where there is an estimated 25 percent capacity gap globally.&nbsp;Working together, the companies will identify and meet additional market requirements for targeted users including government agencies and commercial operators.
“Our purpose at United Rotorcraft is to provide emergency responders the tools needed to save lives, and protect property and the environment—something that we share at our core with Dart Aerospace,” said United Rotorcraft President Larry Alexandre. Air Methods unit United Rotorcraft currently produces the Firehawk modification for the Sikorsky S-70, an aircraft in use with a variety of operators worldwide including Cal Fire. Dart currently manufactures aerial firefighting equipment for Airbus, Bell, Boeing, and Leonardo helicopters.

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

Dart and United Rotorcraft develop firefighting kit for Airbus helicopters

The new multi-mission package aims to close a gap in capability for Category 1 aircraft

Dart and United Rotorcraft are developing firefighting packages for the Airbus Super Puma family of helicopters. 

Dart and United Develop Super Puma Firefighting Kit 

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Neelam Mathews

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

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.

Nepal’s army and private operators have deployed rotorcraft across the flood zone

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Charlotte Bailey

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Pentagon permission facilitates sale of Bell 412EXP and 407M

U.S. Approves $800M Bell 407/412 Sale to Iraq Military

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.

Fire and disaster management agency to use aircraft in aerial reconnaissance role

Japan Orders Its First H160 for Emergency Response

Flights with two scaled technology demonstrators will inform potential future iterations 

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Matt Thurber

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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