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Vertical Mag

Lufttransport orders three AW189s; Japan's National Police Agency adds three Airbus H135s

Lufttransport has ordered three additional Leonardo AW189s, increasing its AW189 fleet to 12, while Japan's National Police Agency placed a follow-on order for three Airbus H135 helicopters as part of an ongoing fleet modernisation programme. Both deals underscore steady demand for medium- and light-twin rotorcraft.

2026-03-19T20:14:30.038399-07:00

Aviation Week

Energy prices and range needs revive demand for H225 and S-92, complicating Bell 525's market entry

2026-03-18T14:44:57.775392-07:00

Aviation Today

Robinson launches 'Robinson Unmanned' and unveils Sikorsky‑autonomy R66 cargo UAS

2026-03-19T07:38:36.059152-07:00

FAA

FAA ends 'see-and-avoid' for helicopters near major U.S. airports, mandates radar separation

2026-03-18T07:00:44.458477-07:00

News Timeline

Vertical Mag

Lufttransport orders three AW189s; Japan's National Police Agency adds three Airbus H135s Lufttransport has ordered three additional Leonardo AW189s, increasing its AW189 fleet to 12, while Japan's National Police Agency placed a follow-on order for three Airbus H135 helicopters as part of an ongoing fleet modernisation programme. Both deals underscore steady demand for medium- and light-twin rotorcraft.

2026-03-19T20:14:30.038399-07:00

Lufttransport orders three AW189s; Japan's National Police Agency adds three Airbus H135s

Aviation Today

Robinson launches 'Robinson Unmanned' and unveils Sikorsky‑autonomy R66 cargo UAS Robinson Helicopter on March 9 launched Robinson Unmanned, a new business unit to develop uncrewed rotorcraft, and detailed an unmanned cargo helicopter offering that integrates Sikorsky’s autonomy flight‑control capability. The initiative extends Robinson’s product line into autonomous cargo UAS and signals OEM entry into rotorcraft logistics missions.

2026-03-19T07:38:36.059152-07:00

Robinson launches 'Robinson Unmanned' and unveils Sikorsky‑autonomy R66 cargo UAS

DVIDS / U.S. DoD

AH‑64E Apaches shoot down drones in Germany, proving air‑to‑air C‑UAS capability during Operation Skyfall The U.S. Army's 12th Combat Aviation Brigade used AH‑64E Apaches at Grafenwoehr during Operation Skyfall to engage and destroy unmanned aerial systems in air‑to‑air combat. Soldiers from 2‑159th Attack Battalion demonstrated the Apache's viability as a counter‑UAS platform using existing weapons.

2026-03-19T06:05:35.933107-07:00

AH‑64E Apaches shoot down drones in Germany, proving air‑to‑air C‑UAS capability during Operation Skyfall

Aviation Week

Energy prices and range needs revive demand for H225 and S-92, complicating Bell 525's market entry Rising energy prices and longer-range mission requirements are driving renewed interest in established heavy twins — the Airbus H225 and Sikorsky S-92. Airbus expects oil & gas and military demand to lift H225 prospects, a shift that complicates Bell 525’s commercial entry and competitive positioning.

2026-03-18T14:44:57.775392-07:00

Energy prices and range needs revive demand for H225 and S-92, complicating Bell 525's market entry

FAA

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FAA ends 'see-and-avoid' for helicopters near major U.S. airports, mandates radar separation The FAA has suspended reliance on visual 'see-and-avoid' separation for helicopters operating in busy terminal airspace (Class B, Class C and TRSAs) and now requires radar-based separation when helicopters or powered-lift aircraft cross airplane approach/departure paths. The rule follows the Jan. 2025 Potomac midair collision that killed 67.

2026-03-18T07:00:44.458477-07:00

FAA ends 'see-and-avoid' for helicopters near major U.S. airports, mandates radar separation

Vertical Mag

How helicopters are adopting AI — big operational upside, clear safety and legal trade-offs Artificial intelligence offers significant potential to improve helicopter operations — from predictive maintenance and mission support to partial automation — but the industry must confront safety validation, certification gaps and legal liability before deployment at scale. Stakeholders face near‑term operational benefits alongside unresolved regulatory and safety questions.

2026-03-18T05:40:39.413735-07:00

How helicopters are adopting AI — big operational upside, clear safety and legal trade-offs

Vertical Mag

How the Helicopter Industry Is Harnessing AI — Opportunities, Safety and Legal Pitfalls

2026-03-18T05:40:39.413735-07:00

How the Helicopter Industry Is

FlightGlobal

Bell completes first SPINE structural and power-system upgrades on USMC AH‑1Z and UH‑1Y H‑1 helicopters Bell has finished the first AH‑1Z Viper and UH‑1Y Venom H‑1 helicopters receiving full Structural and Power Improvements for NextGen Effects (SPINE) upgrades — covering airframe structure and power‑delivery systems — and the initial pair have departed Amarillo to begin flight testing under the U.S. Marine Corps programme.

2026-03-17T22:39:06.474822-07:00

Bell completes first SPINE structural and power-system upgrades on USMC AH‑1Z and UH‑1Y H‑1 helicopters

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Helicopter News

Lufttransport orders three AW189s; Japan's National Police Agency adds three Airbus H135s

Energy prices and range needs revive demand for H225 and S-92, complicating Bell 525's market entry

Robinson launches 'Robinson Unmanned' and unveils Sikorsky‑autonomy R66 cargo UAS

FAA ends 'see-and-avoid' for helicopters near major U.S. airports, mandates radar separation

News Timeline