QinetiQ study into poor viz ops makes 8 recommendationsBETTER cockpit design and more relevant guidance for pilots are two of eight recommendations to come out of a study into accidents by helicopters when flying in Degraded Visual Conditions (DVE).The cockpit structure is vital in maintaining visual cues, says the study. And simple things such as having an IFR chart holder and an attitude indicator can help.The study was commissioned by th ... more

Army pilot Ron Watkins and the Gazelle he flies with Jeff James. BRITISH team coach Ron Watkins and Jeff James, flying a Gazelle, came fifth in the German Open Helicopter Championship was held in Eisenach from 31 August to 2 September. The British pair were invited by the German organisers to compete. Eisenbach is where next year's world championships will be staged and this was seen as a familiarisation exercise.The core squad for the ... more

TIGER TROPHY SHERBURN 22 SEPBY NICK BUCKENHAMChief JudgeTHE Tiger Trophy, a magnificent and greatly prized bronze Esso Tiger on a decorated plinth, is the British Aerobatic Association's oldest trophy. It was first won by John de Milt Severne in 1959 and subsequently by most of the names in British aerobatics. These days, the trophy is won by the pilot with the highest percentage scored in an Unknown sequence carefully set for each level - ... more

BRITISH AERO CHAMPIONSHIPS, ADVANCED AND UNLIMITED SYWELL, AUGUST 30-SEPTEMBER 2Mark Jefferies is British Unlimited Aerobatic Champion for the fourth time - his third consecutive win. Here, he receives the trophy from Michael Bletsoe-Brown, operator of Sywell Aerodrome.BY NICK BUCKENHAMContest DirectorMARK Jefferies has won his fourth British Unlimited Championship, beating close rival Tom Cassells by less than 100 points out of a total of ... more

BRISTOW is buying a Frasca full-flight state-of-the-art simulator for training pilots on its fleet of Eurocopter EC225 and Sikorsky S-92 aircraft.The new simulators will be located in Aberdeen, Scotland and will be among the first of their type to be deployed anywhere in the world. Bristow introduced the EC225 to its fleet in 2005 and now has six operating in the North Sea. It's also about to deploy six new S-92s."As Bristow Group cont ... more

BELL has stepped up the pace of flight-testing of its new 429 light twin with a second test aircraft. Both prototypes were due to set off for 'hot and high' testing in Colorado and Arizona in September. More than 200 orders have already been placed for the 429, which will be manufactured at Bell's Quebec plant. Joint US and Canadian type certification is planned for 2008. W: www.bellhelicopter.com ... more

SERVICES AHEAD!The CAA reviews traffic information for pilotsA HAZY area of knowledge for many GA pilots is the use of Air Traffic Services Outside Controlled Airspace (ATSOCAS). This is a pity, as we spend most of our time flying outside controlled airspace (Class F and G airspace) and it would be nice to know what services are available.In fairness, confusion regarding ATSOCAS is not entirely the pilot's fault. Over the years, different i ... more

ALMOST 15,000 light helicopters will be delivered during the next ten years, according to a new report by market researchers Forecast International.'The Market for Light Commercial Rotorcraft 2007-2016' forecasts 14,200 helicopters will be delivered, broken down as 6891 piston-engine aircraft and 7311 turbines. Total value of this production will be $30.46 billion, turbine $28 billion and piston $2.4 billion.  Robinson Helicopter is pr ... more

Rally driver ace killed in helicopter accident RALLY driver Colin McRae was killed last month when his Eurocopter AS350B2 'Squirrel' helicopter crashed near his home in Lanarkshire, Scotland.McRae, 39, was confirmed as one of four who died in the accident. The others were his five-year-old son Johnny, and his friends, six-year-old Ben Porcelli, of Lanark, and friend Graeme Duncan, 37.Strathclyde police said the damage to the helicopter ... more

THIS is the Aerokopter AK1-3, a new helicopter from a Ukrainian company based in Kharkov. The company was set up eight years ago to design and build a new light helicopter, with the prototype making its first flight in 2001, and a second, improved version two years later.Ukrainian type certification was achieved last year, and the factory says the aircraft conforms to US FAR Part 29 airworthiness regulations. EASA type certification is bein ... more