Enstrom Helicopter reports it has completed training of pilots and mechanics from the Peruvian navy. They will be flying and supporting the six Enstrom F-28F piston trainers that service ordered this year. The Peruvians trained on the first two of the service's aircraft, which are to be shipped from the company's Menominee, Mich. factory shortly. The helicopters are to be used primarily for flight training, but also will fly search, surveillance and cargo missions.

For more than 40 years, the Helicopter Heroism Award has honored crews who have performed life-saving missions and, in the process, tested the limits of their flying skills and courage. Rotor & Wing is now accepting nominations this year's award , which covers missions performed in calendar year 2007. We also have expanded the group of awards we are presenting this year. Click here for a nomination form.

An AgustaWestland AW139 operated by Sasemar, the Spanish Marine Safety Agency. The agency recently ordered three more of the medium twin, which it uses for a range of missions, including search and rescue and water pollution detection. The new orders will bring Sasemar’s AW139 fleet to eight; it previously ordered three in 2006 and two in 2007. It is operating three AW139s have been delivered and are operating from bases in Reus, Gijón and Tenerife.

An Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma flies past the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92), right, and the frigate USS Curts (FFG 38) April 5, 2008 as it transports supplies from the U.S. Military Sealift Command combat stores ship USNS Niagara Falls (T-AFS 3) to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), which was under way in the Pacific Ocean on a seven-month deployment. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Geoffrey Lewis, U.S. Navy.

The ultra-rigid main rotor blades of the X2 Technology Demonstrator prototype, which Sikorsky Aircraft unveiled at Heli-Expo 2008 in February, are a blend of Sikorsky proprietary airfoils and are manufactured by Eagle Aviation Technologies. They are double-ended close to the hub to reduce rotor-hub drag and address engineers' prediction that the retreating blade of the coaxial main rotor aircraft will see upwards of 80 percent of its flow reversed when the X2 is flying at 265 kt.

Highlighting the range and history of Agusta's product line, an AB47 and Bell/Agusta Aerospace Co. BA609 flight test prototype fly by employees and guests marking the centennial of Agusta during ceremonies Sept. 21 at AgustaWestland's headquarters in Italy.