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The new Bell Textron facility in Wichita will manufacture and assemble the fuselage for the MV-75 Cheyenne under a US Army contract.

The FAA is accepting comments through Jun. 15 on this proposed airworthiness directive (AD), which would require repetitive inspections of the left-hand and right-hand ejector ducts, including the exhaust bracket reinforcements and reinforcement plates. It would also require replacement of any affected ejector duct, if necessary.

(Defence Blog) – US Naval Systems Command awarded a contract Apr. 28 to Near Earth Autonomy to develop an autonomous resupply aircraft with Bell and other partners that will support high-risk logistics operations for the US Marine Corps. The companies will use the Bell 505 platform for the program.

This FAA airworthiness directive (AD), which takes effect May 14, requires inspecting the rotor hub-shaft for cracks and, depending on the results, replacing any rotor hub-shaft with cracks. The FAA is accepting comments about the AD through Jun. 15.

The Tanzania Fire and Rescue Force will use the Bucher Leichtbau equipment on an Airbus H135 for disaster response, search-and-rescue, and firefighting operations.

The Helicopter Summer Workshop from the training division of Hillsboro Aero Academy takes place Jun. 16–19 in Troutdale, Oregon.

(Unmanned Airspace) – The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published a survey to gain feedback about its plans to simplify Regulation (EU) 2019/947. The change would establish a more streamlined authorization process for low-risk, frequently occurring drone operations. Comments are due by this Friday, May 1.

(Fuel Cell Works) – The company has started “up-and-away” flights of a hydrogen fuel cell–powered version of its R44, with the modified helicopter leaving its base airport in Bromont near Montreal, Canada, for the first time.

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is asking for user input about the enhanced beta version of its case analysis and reporting online (CAROL) system.

In recognition of World Pilots’ Day, which was Apr. 26, Air Methods is honoring Axel Rudolph, senior lead pilot for the Mercy Air service at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) in California.