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SMFL Helicopters has launched operations after Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co. (SMFL) acquired and merged LCI with Macquarie Rotorcraft.

This FAA airworthiness directive (AD), which takes effect Apr. 7, requires a one-time inspection of the position of the bonding braid on the socket of the pilot cyclic stick and, depending on the results, correcting the positioning of the bonding braid and installing a binding clamp.

(Vertical magazine) – The Ontario, Canada–based air ambulance provider launched an IFR/night rating reimbursement program in January 2025. So far, four pilots have completed training through the program, with others currently in progress.

(AirMed&Rescue) – Charley Shimanski, president of the Air Rescue Commission at the International Commission for Alpine Rescue, shares 19 essential considerations for high-altitude helicopter operations from a paper published in the High Altitude Medicine & Biology Journal.

(Divernet) – Officials from the Hawaii Board of Land & Natural Resources fined Trident Adventures $10,000 for conducting unauthorized commercial drops of divers from a helicopter into Shark’s Cove in the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District during June 2025.

The company has appointed Eetu Peuraniemi to the role. He succeeds Martin Berner, who remains with Coptersafety as a Leonardo AW139 type rating instructor and type rating examiner.

The Canadian Commercial Corp. (CCC) and Curtiss-Wright will provide recover assist securing and traversing helicopter landing systems for US Navy ships under a four-year contract with the US Department of Defense.

The FAA is accepting comments through Apr. 17 on this airworthiness directive (AD), which requires inspecting the horizontal stabilizer and the tightening torque and measuring the attachment holes, bracket, and tube assembly. The AD takes effect Mar. 18.

Lake Fusion Technologies (LFT), LFT Airborne, and Timberline Aerospace will collaborate to deploy a light detection and ranging (LiDAR)–based situational awareness system for helicopters, including the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and the Airbus H145 and H125/AS350 series.

The VAI Vertical Aviation Industry Career Fair, sponsored by Air Methods and supported by Rotor Pro, takes place Tuesday, Mar. 10, at VERTICON 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. It will include discussions about resumes and presentations from the air tour, offshore, and air ambulance sectors. If you’re planning to attend the career fair as a job seeker, please treat your participation as a job interview: bring an up-to-date resume, dress appropriately, and be prepared to discuss your accomplishments and goals with recruiters.