VERTICON TAKES OFF


Previous spread:


Robinson attracts a crowd for the


unveiling of its new premium R66 trims.


Bell is still awaiting final type certification


for its highly anticipated Bell 525, positioned to serve the offshore market. The OEM announced a partnership with Omni Helicopters Guyana to perform an operational evaluation of the aircraft in the field. Sikorsky highlighted its new S-92 Phase IV


main gearbox and redundant lubrication system as part of its S-92A+ variant. In ground tests, the gearbox has exceeded 7.5 hours of operation with a simulated oil-lubrication failure, far longer than the aircraft’s previous recorded endurance. Sikorsky anticipates certification for the variant later this year, says Leon Silva, the company’s VP of global commercial and military systems. Airbus Helicopters saw its North American


Lisa Atherton, Bell president


and CEO, shares with VERTICON


attendees the next


step in the Bell 525’s certification.


market share continue to grow in 2024, par- ticularly in the helicopter air ambulance space, driven by a 28-helicopter order from Global Medical Response in November 2024. “We saw an increase in North American market share from 2023 to 2024 of about 30%, quite a significant spike,” shares Bart Reijnen, president at Airbus Helicopters and head of the company’s North


America region. “This was our best year in terms of bookings in a decade.” Since Ryan Weeks was promoted last June


to president of MD Helicopters from his position as VP of aftermarket service and support, he’s refocused the company’s energy on after market support. Under Weeks, who in January also assumed the CEO position at MD, the company is seeing many of its long-lead parts come in, which is allowing the manufacturer to make good on its promise of maintaining inventory for all high- demand parts and assemblies. Weeks says work toward the Super D and


MD 530N upgrade supplemental type certifi- cates (STCs) is progressing, and kit deliveries are expected to begin in the third quarter. “Four of the STCs are expected this year: the


530N with a C30 engine upgrade, the Super D20R, the Super D20B, and the Super D30,” Weeks says. “Operators are also asking for a kit that allows them to install the C30 engine in a 500D and 500E …, which will provide better per- formance in hot and high conditions, so we plan to release those upgrades after the Super Ds and


42


POWER UP JUN 2025


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