Aerospace Diary

by   Neelam Mathews  -  December 18, 2014, 12:24 PM Russian president Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi(Photo: Indian Prime Minister’s Office) India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quick to reaffirm friendly ties during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Delhi on December 11 by signing defense agreements that include possible licensed production of the Kamov Ka-226T helicopter. But Russia’s policy tilt toward Pakistan, with the lifting of an embargo on the supply of military hardware and the start of talks with Islamabad for the sale of Mi-35 helicopters, seems to have rung alarm bells in Delhi. The Ka-226T is a competitor for the Reconnaissance Surveillance Helicopter (RSH) requirement that has been postponed twice in the past decade. The new Indo-Russian defense agreement could result in scrapping of theRFP for 197 RSHs for the Indian Army and Air Force. The Airbus Helicopters AS550 C3 Fennec and the Bell 407 ...

ROTORHUB 03rd October 2014 - 13:48 by  Neelam Mathews  in New Delhi  Within a month of cancelling the 197 Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopters (RSH) tender, the new Indian government has released a request for information (RfI) for new helicopters. In a case of the Ministry of Defence not living up to its past that embodied a policy paralysis, the government aims to ‘urgently replace with modern design’ its present fleet of more than 200 ageing license-built  Chetaks  and Cheetahs. Responses are due by 11 November and the new RFP is expected to be released within seven months.  While the quantity has not been mentioned, it is likely to be around 300. It has been estimated that India alone will require around  .......Read more on Shephard Media

MEBA CONVENTION NEWS  »  DECEMBER 12, 2012 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Air Works recently commissioned a paint hangar under its Air Livery brand at the Bratislava airport in Slovakia. The facility is booked with work up to next May. December 11, 2012, 1:45 PM Business for general aviation providers in India is generally slow as the economy shows signs of slackening, yet 60-year-old Mumbai-based  Air Works Engineering  is looking at innovative ways to expand its business in India and abroad. “We are now looking at doing heavier checks in India–one of the first in the country–as we will get certification, one-by-one, for the Bombardier series, Bell Helicopters and Hawker Pacific,” managing director Vivek Gour told  AIN . The “deep level of heavy maintenance” will encourage customers to get 8-, 10- and 16-year checks in India rather than at facilities abroad, Gour said. While taxes in India are high, labor is che...

EBACE Convention News » May 16, 2012 by  Neelam Mathews May 15, 2012, 10:30 PM Bell Helicopters (Stand 7091) has delivered six of its newest aircraft–Bell 407GX and Bell 429 –in Europe and Ukraine, it announced at EBACE. “The Bell 407GX is attracting interest from corporate, private and utility operators due to its speed, range and state-of-the-art Garmin G1000H flight deck, which maximizes pilot situational awareness,” said Danny Maldonado, executive vice president of commercial sales and marketing. Bell is showcasing the 429 outfitted for corporate missions at EBACE. The aircraft is midway through a European demo tour. Upcoming stops include Belgium, Czech Republic, UK and Serbia.

Posted by- Neelam Mathews Feb 1, 2012 In a ruling issued on January 30, the Federal Court of Canada ruled that Bell Helicopter intentionally infringed a patent of Eurocopter and awarded punitive damages and an injunction to Eurocopter. The patent covers an innovative helicopter landing gear design that Eurocopter developed and implemented on its EC120 and EC130 models, says Eurocopter. The EC press release reads: In its findings, the Court determined that Bell leased a Eurocopter EC120 helicopter equipped with the patented landing gear, studied the design of the gear, and created a “ slavish copy ” to be used on its new 429 model. Remarkably, when Bell employees raised concerns internally regarding similarities between the Bell landing gear and Eurocopter’s patented design, Bell’s management instructed engineers simply to “ carry on .” The Court held that “ This is a case of willful blindness or intentional and planned misappropriation [by Bell] of the…invention .” Significant...

Neelam Mathews Sept 22, 2011 The chronic lack of helicopters, significantly hampers the ability of India’s police force operations in certain areas and terrain. It is not clear if the police force in India has any helicopters in its assets, but the time has come to start evaluating its requirements, say officials. The need for helicopters in India is increasingly being felt in the arenas of law enforcement and Emergency Medical services (EMS). “The recent attacks in Mumbai have proven a need for helicopters with hover capability,” says Rishi Malhotra, General Manager India Bell Helicopters. “The Bell 407 AH (Attack Helicopter) is light, agile and has the capability of being close to buildings. It is also easy to maneuver,” he adds. Bell is believed to be in discussions with the Ministry of Home Affairs on the need for around two helicopters at least in Mumbai and Delhi for use in patrolling.