Resource Hub

(HeliHub) – The $107,289,338 contract supports the development, integration, and qualification of an improved main-rotor blade design to increase aircraft power margin and enhance operational performance of the VH-92A Presidential Helicopter.

Villanti brings extensive experience in the OEM’s rotorcraft business, having held senior leadership positions within Leonardo Helicopters for the past 10 years, including leading sales, marketing, and contracts for more than 3 years.

(DroneLife) – Avidrone Aerospace demonstrated an unprecedented payload-to-weight ratio for heavy-lift drones at the DARPA Lift Challenge in Dayton, Ohio, on Aug 9. The competition challenged teams to build a drone weighing 55 lb. or less capable of lifting a payload equal to four times the drone’s weight and carrying it over a fixed, 5-mile course. Avidrone’s vehicle came close, with a payload-to-weight ratio of 3.84:1.

The punitive measure would have singled out “nonessential” operations.

(Asian Sky Quarterly) – There were 168 Bell 505 helicopters in service in the Asia-Pacific at the end of Q2 2026, with the largest fleets based in South Korea (45), mainland China (44), and Japan (27).

Discover how VAI scholarship recipients have turned opportunity into achievement—and how you can do the same—in this exclusive VAI Weekly series.

Submissions are now due by Friday, Sep. 11, 2026, for nominating your peers, mentors, and heroes for exceptional industry service.

Join us for the 2026 VAI Aerial Work Safety Conference, taking place in Boise, Idaho, Nov. 16–18! Hear presentations from the US Forest Service, the US Wildland Fire Service, the FAA, and others, and learn about industry updates, safety enhancements, protocols, risk management, and more.

VAI and the Australian Helicopter Industry Association (AHIA) on Sep. 1, 2026, announced the signing of a letter of intent (LOI) and initial engagement agreement, marking the first step toward developing a new, internationally credible vertical lift industry event for Australia and the broader Southeast Asia region.

The 2026 VAI Air Tour Safety Conference is now open for registration. The event, which takes place Oct. 6–7 in Anaheim, California, brings together air tour industry operators, regulators, OEMs, and other safety stakeholders to address today’s most pressing vertical aviation safety challenges. Sign up before Sep. 4 and receive the early registration rate! Click on the headline above for more information.