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Aero Expo Panama Pacifico opens its doors in April 2016

MEBAA 2017 to take place in Marrakesh

Organisers of the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) 2017 have announced a new location at Marrakesh Menara Airport, from 12-13 September. The 2015 edition saw 2033 visitors over its two-day run, viewing offerings from 57 exhibitors including the leading players in...

Embraer Executive Jets to exhibit Legacy 500, Legacy 650 at Abu Dhabi Air Expo

Embraer is showcasing two of its executive jets at the fourth edition of Abu Dhabi Air Expo, slated for March 08 to 10 in the United Arab Emirates capital. The event will be held at the Al Bateen Airport, which handles executive flights, featuring manufacturers, airlines, pilot schools, executive av...

Air Force Thunderbirds prioritize diversity in cockpit amid puzzling decline in applicants

The Air Force’s vaunted Thunderbirds jet fighter aerobatics team is not diverse enough inside the cockpit. Brig. Gen. Christopher M. Short, commander of the 57th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, said in an email last month that of 15 pilot applicants for three openings, 14 are white. He asked fighter wing commanders to stir up more candidates who “don’t necessarily lo...

Finnish Border Guard receive their first H215 from Airbus Helicopters

Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first of two H215s to join the Finnish Border Guard fleet, announced today at the Heli Expo Trade Show, where an H215 can be visited on the static display. The first H215 arrived in Finland on February 28 following a training session at the Airbus Helicopters headquarters in Marignane, France. The second is set to arrive upon completion of a second training...

Airbus Helicopters is taking care of its customers on every flight with HCare

One year following the launch of HCare, Airbus Helicopters continues to improve its HCare Customer Service offer, providing customers with the highest levels of service and support. Customer Service is an essential part of Airbus Helicopters’ offer and represents nearly half of the company’s yearly turnover. In the year since its creation, HCare has grown in each of the 5 domains that...

Sikorsky nears full EASA approval for VIP S-76D

Sikorsky is “probably about several months away” from clearing up outstanding certification issues covering the VIP configuration of its S-76D with the European Aviation Safety Agency. The aircraft received initial approval for the varaint from the European regulator in February 2015, but Dana Fiatarone, vice-president of Sikorsky commercial systems and services, said at Heli-Expo o...

The rugged and economic H215 ready for the U.S. market

Airbus Helicopters’ H215, the twin-engine, versatile, economic and robust helicopter designed to meet for a wide range of utility missions, will embark on a US-wide demo tour following its appearance on static display at the 2016 Heli Expo international trade show. Beginning on March 4, the H215 will perform demonstration flights in Louisville (Kentucky), Huntsville (Alabama) and then on...

Enstrom suffers set-back on TH180 trainer

Light rotorcraft manufacturer Enstrom Helicopter arrives at Heli-Expo with its display shorn of a key exhibit after its new TH180 piston-single trainer was severely damaged during flight-testing. "A piece of test equipment failed last week and totalled it," says Pierre du Pont, director of product support at the Menominee, Minnesota-based manufacturer. Rather than being able to sho...

Robinson begins taking orders for R44 Cadet

Robinson has begun taking orders for its new twin-seat derivative of the Raven, the R44 Cadet, as it closes on US Federal Aviation Administration certification. The piston-single trainer features at Robinson’s booth at Heli-Expo. It sells for $339,000 and is powered by the Lycoming 0-540-F1B5 piston engine. Company president Kurt Robinson said, speaking at Heli-Expo today, thatEASA cer...

Air Zermatt signs as launch customer for Marenco SKYe SH09

Marenco Swisshelicopter has secured a launch customer for its developmental SKYe SH09 light single, with Swiss firm Air Zermatt placing a firm order for a single example of the 2.6t rotorcraft. Delivery to the operator is due begin in 2017, on the back of European Aviation Safety Agency certification, says Marenco chief executive Martin Stucki. Although initially only for one aircr...

Glass-panel Replacements Offered for Twin-turbine Helos

There are few options for replacing electromechanical attitude indicators and heading indicators on medium and heavy helicopters, but Astronautics has figured out a simple solution that takes advantage of existing wiring and panel architecture while adding modern glass cockpit capabilities. The Astronautics RoadRunner, announced at Heli-Expo 2016, is a simple upgrade for electromechanical ins...

Finmeccanica Stressing Lighter Product Offerings

Finmeccanica Helicopters is stressing the lighter portion of its portfolio of AW models here at Heli-Expo in the wake of continuing softness in the offshore energy market. “We want to show the versatility of our product portfolio and have invested in new products at the right time that have come to market in a timely fashion. There is a general worry about the oil-and-gas down...

HELI-EXPO: Bell rules out future conventional military helicopter developments

Mitch Snyder, the chief executive of Bell Helicopter, does not imagine the company offering any future conventional clean-sheet helicopter to the US military after completing delivery of the AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom. Snyder, speaking on the eve of the Heli-Expo convention, is putting his faith in tiltrotor technology and other “future of flight concepts” to address long-term mili...

Middle Eastern women pilots keep their eyes on the skies

Alia Twal, a first officer who flies for Royal Jordanian Airlines, is a trailblazer in her home country of Jordan. From an early age Twal found her true calling: she knew she would learn to fly and become a pilot. “I was 16 years old when I decided I wanted to be a pilot,” she recalled for Runway Girl Network. “We had a career day in school and I chose to attend...

Upcoming events

SAF Global Summit 2026

22/09/2026 - 23/09/2026
United Kingdom, London

NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition 2026

20/10/2026 - 22/10/2026
United States, Las Vegas

Essential news

Ten years of Riga Aviation Forum — insights from Zigmars Vestfals on growth, milestones and the road ahead

As the 10th edition of the Riga Aviation Forum was getting ready to open, 50SkyShades — a long‑standing Media Partner of the event — took the opportunity to sit down with Zigmars Vestfals,...

Air Charter Expo achieves third consecutive year of record‑breaking attendance

Global trade body The Air Charter Association (The ACA) celebrated another record‑setting edition of Air Charter Expo (ACE’26) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, delivered in partnership with Busines...

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Air Charter Expo Regional Europe set for first appearance at AERO Friedrichshafen 2027

AERO 2027 (April 14–17) saw the formal announcement of Air Charter Expo Regional – Europe by show organisers The Air Charter Association and Business Air News, made during ACE26 at Lo...