Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, celebrates the start of operations at its state-of-the-art Manufacturing Technology Center (MTC) with a small gathering and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Bell leaders and employees, as well as local North Texas community leaders including Fort Worth mayor, Betsy Price, were in attendance. The event marks the next milestone in the center’s development before its grand opening, targeted for this summer.

True Blue Power, the first company to receive FAA TSO certification for lithium-ion batteries, announces the company’s TB17 (17 amp-hour) lithium-ion main ship battery is a standard option on Robinson Helicopter Company’s R44. Weighing only 16 pounds, the TB17 gives R44 operators an additional 13 pounds of useful load compared to the helicopter’s standard lead-acid battery.

StandardAero is recognized by Rolls-Royce during its annual FIRST (Fully Integrated Rolls-Royce Support Team) Network™ Recognition event with the 2021 “Trusted to Deliver Excellence” award. The awards program recognizes significant achievements of authorized maintenance service centers that provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for M250 helicopter engines operated by thousands of customers worldwide.

In partnership with Talon Helicopters, DART Aerospace receives Transport Canada approval for Talon to perform night hover refill operations with its DART AS365 Fire Attack System (FAS). The approval is the first step in pursuing a full FAA STC update to allow night vision goggles (NVG) aided and unaided night hover refill operations on all DART AS365 Fire Attack Systems.

Helicopter Association International (HAI) announces that the organization’s members elected two new members to the HAI board of directors on Mon., Mar. 22, 2021. Both new members will serve a three-year term beginning Jul. 1, 2021.

AeroParts Now™, developer of the aviation industry’s most advanced parts inventory management and sales software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform, announces that Michael Busby has been named vice president of sales. Busby’s position with AeroParts Now will commence immediately.

Helicopter Association International (HAI) announces the University of Maryland UAS Test Site Team, led by director Matt Scassero, and University of Maryland Medical Center’s Dr. Joseph Scalea are the 2021 recipients of the association’s Golden Hour Award. The award recognizes the efforts of an individual, group or organization that, through a particular activity or contributions over time, has advanced the use of helicopters or UAS aircraft in the vital mission of air medical transport.

Helicopter Association International (HAI) announces life-long maintenance professional David Fox is the 2021 recipient of the association’s Maintenance Excellence Award. The award, sponsored by Rolls-Royce, recognizes an individual for long-standing excellence in rotorcraft maintenance, maintenance instruction or supervision, or a single significant contribution to rotorcraft maintenance.

The Tennessee Valley Authority selects GPMS' Foresight MX Helicopter Health and Usage Monitoring System to provide service on current Bell 407GXi aircraft as well as on planned fleet additions, including an MD530 and Bell 429.

Aquiline Drones (AD) meets the increasing demand for "Made in America" drones by opening the first drone manufacturing and assembly plant in Connecticut. The Hartford-based aviation cloud solutions provider and commercial drone manufacturer now produces Drone Volt's Altura Zenith and Hercules 2 drones — re-branded by AD as the Spartacus line of drones: Spartacus MACKS and Spartacus HURRICANE.