FROM THE DESK OF THE PUBLISHER


A WELCOME CHANGE


No one will argue that the rotorcraft industry has been under a great deal of economic stress over the past few years. Business was down nearly across the board, access to credit was very limited, and the visionaries had no clue as to when it all would end. Not that anyone can truly call an end to this most recent financial melt- down. But if the events of the past six weeks are any indicator, we just may be at the beginning of the end.


SALES REBOUND


Finally the sales numbers for non-military aircraft took a strong move upward. Every major manufactur- er has reported significant sales in just the past few weeks. Agusta Westland announced the sale of ten AW- 139 aircraft, over 150 million dollars worth, to off- shore giant PHI. These helicopters will be delivered and put to work in the offshore Gulf of Mexico over the next three years. Considering it has been nearly two years since a significant equipment buy has been reported for the domestic market, this is a very big deal.


Transportation Conference, held in sunny Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.


Then comes AMTC, the annual Air Medical This get together, usually


focused on the medical side of the air medical busi- ness, was a hot bed of new helicopter sales activity. Agusta Westland, Bell, and American Eurocopter all announced sales of multiple aircraft during the three- day exposition. The largest of which, in total airframe count, was an order for sixteen Bell 206L-4 aircraft to Air Evac Lifeteam. Followed very closely by an order for fifteen assorted American Eurocopters by Metro Aviation.


PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Ron Whitney


ron@rotorcraftpro.com


ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Darian Weaver


darian@rotorcraftpro.com


COPY EDITOR Ashley Dempsey


ashley@rotorcraftpro.com


ONLINE EDITOR Lyn Burks


lyn.burks@rotorcraftpro.com


VICE PRESIDENT/CFO Clay Branum


clay@rotorcraftpro.com


VICE PRESIDENT/CAO Rick Weatherford


rick@rotorcraftpro.com


DIR. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Butch Cole


butch@rotorcraftpro.com


MANAGER, ONLINE ACCOUNTS Lynette Burks


lynette@rotorcraftpro.com


CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dana Maxfield


dana@rotorcraftpro.com


CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Pam Fulmer


pam@rotorcraftpro.com


LEGAL COUNCIL Casey Duncan


casey@rotorcraftpro.com


RISK MANAGEMENT Steve Lawrence


steve@rotorcraftpro.com 3 ROTORCRAFTPRO.COM


A few days following the close of the AMTC event it was announced that the State of Maryland has agreed to purchase six Agusta Westland AW-139’s, at an esti- mated cost of 72 million, to replace it’s aging fleet of Eurocopter medical helicopters.


So, in the space of under six weeks, sales of an estimated 500 million dollars worth of new helicopters have been announced. That is a fine shot in the arm, one long overdue.


I’m looking forward to the HAI


show, things are bound to get very interesting. CURRENT EVENTS


By now most of you have heard the announcement


of the FAA’s most recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, (NPRM). This announcement, an apparent regulatory maneuver intended to stem the rash of accidents we have experienced in the past few years, is summarized later in this issue. With a ninety day comment period ending on January 10, 2011, operators in the air medical business may be faced with significant capital outlays should what has been pro- posed actually become a regulatory requirement. We are very interested in your opinion on this NPRM, send us an email and let us know what you think.


All the Best,


RON WHITNEY PUBLISHER


Rotorcraft Professional® is published twelve times a year and


mailed out on or around the 20th of the month being covered by Oak Mountain Media, LLC, 3100 Lorna Road, Suite 201, Hoover, Alabama 35216. Rotorcraft Professional®


ified subscribers. Non-qualified subscription rates are $57.00 per year in the U.S. and Canada and $84.00 per year for foreign sub- scribers (surface mail). U.S. Postage paid at Birmingham, Alabama and additional mailing offices. Rotorcraft Professional®


is distributed to qualified readers in the


helicopter industry. Publisher is not liable for all content (including editorial and illustrations provided by advertisers) of advertisements published and does not accept responsibility for any claims made against the publisher. It is the advertiser’s or agency’s responsibility to obtain appropriate releases on any item or individuals pictured in an advertisement. Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher.


POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Oak Mountain Media, LLC, 3100 Lorna Road, Suite 201, Hoover, AL 35216


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