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(Vertical magazine) – The release of the US government’s National Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Strategy, which calls for initial AAM operations in 2027 and fully autonomous flights by 2035, is an “important signal,” says VAI President and CEO François Lassale. “It makes clear that the next generation of powered-lift aircraft are not a concept. They are a developing operational reality that requires deliberate and thoughtful integration into the existing aviation system as FAA certification and standards advance.”

Our partnership with Cirro by AirSuite provides VAI members with unparalleled access to an advanced safety management system (SMS) included in a full suite of operational tools.

Tucker, chief instructor at Robinson Helicopter Co. and a former FAA-designated helicopter pilot examiner, is a member of the US Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) Steering Committee. He has served as Robinson’s USHST representative since 2010.

The FAA Rotorcraft Accident Dashboard covers various metrics, including total accidents, fatal accidents, average accident rates, and average fatal-accident rates.

This European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) airworthiness directive (AD), ATA 71 – Powerplant – Fuel Draining System – Inspection, takes effect Dec. 31, 2025.

The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) has added the two operators into its Industry Partner Programme.

Bell Textron is taking the helicopter to locations in Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates following its appearance in November at the 2025 Dubai Airshow.

The electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft maker plans to increase output at its facilities in California and Ohio to produce four aircraft per month by 2027.

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has awarded Airbus a contract valued at 30 million euros to provide maritime surveillance services with a fleet of Flexrotor drones starting in 2026.

The FAA is accepting comments through Feb. 2, 2026, on this proposed airworthiness directive (AD), which would require a one-time consistency check of the part number and serial number of the main rotorhead, as well as determining if the main rotorhead has been modified. It would also allow the replacement of the main rotorhead and prohibit the installation of an affected main rotorhead on any helicopter.