Mil2Civ: Mentoring and Advice

or the first time in over 80 years, the FAA has created a brand-new aircraft category—powered-lift. Designed to support the continued development and integration of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft into the US National Airspace System, SFAR 120: Integration of Powered-Lift: Pilot Certification and Operations offers direction for pilots and operators of future VTOL aircraft.

As technology advances and new regulations clear a path, unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) are joining helicopters in a variety of operations. One area where mixed helicopter and UAS fleets are proving their compatibility is public utilities. At our Oct. 10, 2024, webinar, two managers from Pacific Gas and Electric Southern California Edison shared how their utilities are integrating UASs into their inspection programs.

For our Sep. 12, 2024, webinar, we dove into our archives to highlight one of the most dynamic stories we’ve heard during our four years of producing our webinar series. We revisited an October 2021 webinar in which we featured two pilots from the California Army National Guard who had conducted a rescue mission under grueling conditions, rescuing hundreds of people from a forest fire high in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

The FAA recently mandated safety management systems (SMSs) for a large portion of helicopter operators. To help demystify the new rule, VAI brought together a team of experts at our Aug. 8, 2024, webinar to explain who needs to comply, how to fully implement a formal SMS, and how to submit a SMS declaration of […]

The time between receipt of your FAA certificates and your dream job can feel daunting. But with focus, patience, and smart networking, you can get there. At the Jul. 11, 2024, VAI webinar, experts from around the vertical aviation industry shared their knowledge to help new pilots and maintenance technicians navigate this journey.

Do you have your own way of doing things in the hangar? A mindset of “this is how we’ve always done it” can be a liability in an aviation business, especially when procedures aren’t regularly checked against the rules or regulations. In our Jun. 13, 2024, webinar, Mark Tyler of Precision Aircraft Services explained how […]

Piasecki Aircraft Corp. is designing flight-worthy hydrogen fuel cell technology for the PA-890, the eVTOL aircraft the company hopes to have to market by the end of the decade. At our May 9, 2024, webinar, Piasecki program manager John Scott explained the company’s process for building the fuel system as part of the fuselage and […]

As aviation technology gets more sophisticated, so do nefarious efforts to compromise it. Advanced air mobility (AAM), with its autonomous capabilities, is particularly vulnerable to cyberattack. To tackle this issue, NASA has brought together top aerospace industry and academic leaders to form the Secure and Safe Assured Autonomy (S2A2) project for AAM. At our Apr. […]

In June 2022, Paradise Helicopters pilot Tim Hunter took five passengers for a sunset flight over Hawaii’s Big Island. Twenty-six minutes later, their world was literally turned upside down as the aircraft began to spin uncontrollably. At our Mar. 14, 2024, webinar, Hunter shared his harrowing experience and what he’s sure saved the lives of […]

Boeing has supported the civil rotorcraft community for more than 50 years. And in the more recent past, Boeing expanded that support through its Boeing Global Services (BGS) business unit. At our Feb. 8, 2024, webinar, three representatives of the organization shared how BGS is helping enhance operational excellence in vertical aviation with a comprehensive […]