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

Airbus Helicopters has delivered a&nbsp;UH-72B&nbsp;to the U.S. Army National Guard from its production facility in Columbus, Mississippi. It's&nbsp;the first of 18 currently on order from the Army.&nbsp;

 


The UH-72B incorporates all the technologies in Airbus's latest corresponding civil helicopter, the H145. They include a five-bladed main rotor, the Fenestron shrouded tail rotor, Safran Arriel 2E engines, and the Airbus-designed Helionix avionics suite with a dual-duplex, four-axis autopilot that provides flight envelope and over-limit protection, automated takeoff, and fully&nbsp;coupled approaches to hover.

 


The Army first ordered the UH-72A Lakota in 2006 as part of its Light Utility Helicopter program.&nbsp;Airbus has delivered 463 UH-72A Lakota helicopters in nine configurations to the U.S. Army, Navy, and National Guard. The final UH-72A model was delivered in September 2020. The Army began using the UH-72A as its primary rotorcraft training aircraft in 2016 and eventually built its training fleet of Lakotas to 204 aircraft. The move to the more complex UH-72A was controversial, but the Army defended it, saying it provided the opportunity to integrate simulators into primary training, allowed students to stay with the same airframe longer, and better prepared them to fly more sophisticated twins such as the UH-60 Black Hawk, AH-64 Apache, and CH-47 Chinook.

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

Army Accepts First Airbus Helicopters UH-72B

The UH-72B incorporates all the technologies in the latest H145. 

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

Helicopters Play Crucial Role in Himalayan Flood Rescues

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 

Singaporean eVTOL Conducts Test Campaign In Germany 

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

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Lightweight white-phosphor NVG have a 94-degree field of view

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Vertical Lift Groups Extend Trade Show Partnership

European Helicopter Association and Vertical Aviation International extended their alliance

Sikorsky Is Upgrading the Black Hawk Helicopter for Evolving Military Needs

Armed forces will be able to outfit Black Hawks with new armament and equipment.

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