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.

Contributor

Mark Huber

Helicopter rideshare service Blade, which began local service in India late last year in partnership with Hunch Ventures, has begun operating daily flights between Mumbai and Pune with a per-seat price of $200. According to Blade India, the flight time on this route is just 45 minutes as opposed to four hours via ground transportation.

 


Blade India, which flies a fleet of Bell 407 and Airbus H130 helicopters, said it will soon launch per seat service from Bengaluru and intra-city service in Mumbai. Private charter is currently offered from Mumbai, Pune, and Shirdi and anywhere else in India via service partners at rates beginning at $1,276 per hour.

 


Per-seat customers can purchase discounted seasonal packs of 10 and 30 flights, valid for one-way travel with one date change allowed. Ground congestion in India is estimated to cost in excess of $22 billion annually. Blade India is following strict Covid-19 protocols including touchless temperature checks, mandatory wearing of PPE and masks, and electrostatic aircraft decontamination before each flight.

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

Blade India Launches Mumbai-Pune Service

Blade India using Bell 407 and Airbus H130 aircraft to slash travel times. 

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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