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(YouTube) – Go behind the scenes of the successful first-ever run of the GT50, the engine that will power Hill Helicopters’ HX50 aircraft. Watch footage from this major milestone, hear from the team that made it happen, and discover what comes next for the development program.

(Vertical Plus) – As workforce shortages continue to pressure operators across the helicopter industry, maintenance leaders say attracting and retaining technicians will require more than simply filling vacancies. The challenge is developing maintainers who understand the pace, accountability, and technical demands of rotary-wing operations, and who are prepared to build long-term careers within them.

(Helicopter Investor) – GD Helicopter Finance (GDHF) has ditched plans to buy rotary operator and maintenance and training business NHV Group following the Belgian government’s decision to block the proposed deal.

“Delivering the 5,000th R44 Raven II reflects the enduring trust operators around the world place in Robinson,” said David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Co., in an announcement about the OEM’s milestone. “The R44 remains the most widely sold and flown light civil helicopter on the planet because it delivers unmatched reliability, low direct operating costs, and multimission versatility.”

The Boeing Co. and Archer Aviation announced Aug. 10 that they have signed definitive agreements in which Archer will acquire Boeing’s Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu subsidiaries. The deal will combine complementary capabilities in aviation autonomy, electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and unmanned aircraft systems. In conjunction with the transaction, Boeing and Archer are entering into a collaboration and technology-sharing arrangement through which Boeing will retain access to the Wisk core autonomous flight technology for its current and next-generation commercial and defense aircraft.

(DroneLife) – Cleveland Clinic has debuted a drone delivery program for prescription medications, becoming the first US health system to establish a long-term drone delivery service for patients. The program, operated in partnership with Zipline, is already making deliveries to eligible patients in the East Side suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio.

(Urban Air Mobility) – The FAA is forecasting that by the end of year one of advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft entering into service, there will be a total of seven aircraft flying, operating 24,600 departures. The agency projects that each aircraft would conduct 28 trips a day, on average.

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

The approval authorizes Rotortrade’s FAA Part 145-certified Latrobe, Pennsylvania, facility to perform maintenance, inspections, repairs, modifications, and retrofit work on Mexican-registered helicopters, including models made by Airbus, Bell, and Leonardo.

The FAA’s new Aviation Medical Examiner–Assisted Special Issuance pathway for anxiety, depression, and related conditions “shifts responsibility toward self-monitoring and collaborative decision-making between the treatment provider and airmen,” notes the Pilot Mental Health Campaign (PMHC). VAI congratulates the organization for its strong work in continuing to push this important issue forward.