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The article provides a summary of the 80th Annual Grand Awards Ceremony held by the Vertical Flight Society (VFS) in Montréal, Canada. The event recognized the achievements of VFS members and leaders in vertical flight, with a focus on advancing vertical flight for organ transplants. Various awards were presented to individuals and teams for their contributions to vertical flight technology, including research on aeroelastic stability. The article also introduces four individuals who hold positions on a committee or panel, likely providing expertise and guidance in decision-making. [Extracted from the article]

LIFT Aircraft LIFT Aircraft of Austin, Texas, delivered two production versions of its single-seat HEXA eVTOL aircraft and a flight simulator to Springfield-Beckley in late January to support its AOI-2 Phase II development and flight-testing contract with Agility Prime. In June 2020, the Air Force developed a technical airworthiness authority (TAA) plan for eVTOL aircraft, required in order for privately owned eVTOL aircraft to fly within military facilities and ranges under Air Force direction. All the companies that were accepted into the first tranche of Air Race participants were required to go through a threephase review process: a "solution brief" or written submission; a "company engagement", which includes a site visit by Air Force personnel to inspect an aircraft and learn about its systems; and a By Kenneth I. Swartz With the US Air Force's Agility Prime now underway for more than a year, Vertiflite looks back at the beginning and the most recent accomplishments. But when you take an aircraft that converts between a winged aircraft and a hovering aircraft, and you compound that with an entirely new propulsion system and an entirely new control system, the flight test sequence and the build-up looks and smells quite a bit different than a traditional aircraft. [Extracted from the article]

THE VERTICAL FLIGHT SOCIETY Society Update Christophe Hermans Director, German-Dutch Wind Tunnels (DNW) Christophe Hermans, the Director of the German-Dutch Wind Tunnels (formally registered as "Stichting DuitsNederlandse Windtunnels" or DNW), died of a heart attack on Jan. 24, 2021. Howlett's most significant contribution, however, is undoubtedly his role as chief architect of Sikorsky's bladeelement flight dynamics simulation model known as GenHel (for "General Helicopter Dynamics Simulation Model"). James "Jim" Howlett Sikorsky Handling Qualities Leader Jim Howlett, a 46-year employee of Sikorsky Aircraft, passed away from cancer on March 18, 2021. [Extracted from the article]

The article features the University of Toronto's AeroVelo team, winner of the AHS International's Igor I. Sikorsky Human Powered Helicopter Competition for meeting AHS International's technical standards through its helicopter AeroVelo Atlas. Topics discussed include AeroVelo's use of an aerostructural optimization method after a configuration evaluation in January 2012, the initial flight tests at the Ontario Soccer Centre in August 2012 and the factors that contributed to its success.

The article offers news briefs related to helicopter industry as of May 1, 2013. Over 50 helicopters were signed by Milestone Aviation Group LLC at Heli-Expo 2013 in March. The AW189 helicopter of AgustaWestland undergone flight testing in March at the Prescott Municipal Airport in Prescott, Arizona. Product uprades were unveiled by Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. at Heli-Expo 2013 like the 412EPI version.

The article discusses the design, fabrication and development of the CH-53K heavy lift replacement helicopter by Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. for the U.S. Marine Corps. It states that the CH-53K parts are first designed in a virtual environment, a method which speeds up assembly, to make it survivable, affordable and able to carry three times the payload. It notes that the CH-53K ground test vehicle is scheduled to light off its engines by third quarter of 2013 before the initial flight in 2014.

The article presents news briefs related to the American Helicopter Society (AHS) International as of February 2013. A flight testing has been conducted by Carter Aviation Technologies LLC for its Slowed Rotor/Compound (SR/C) aircraft. A contribution of $34,000 has been granted by the Hampton Road Chapter to the AHS International. An AHS Student Chapter has been established by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur in India.

The article reports on the completion of the demonstration tour of the American Eurocopter Corp.'s X3 helicopter in the U.S. It states that the helicopter completes 40 demonstration flights as part of its Demo Tour in the country. It states that the company's president and vice president Marc Paganini and Steve Mundt highlighted the helicopters capabilities and how it could be adapted for the military market.

The article presents abstracts on vertical flight technology including flight testing, rotorcraft handling and flight control and reviews the book "Aircraft and Rotorcraft System Identification, Engineering Methods With Flight-Test Examples" 2nd Edition, by Mark B. Tischler and Robert K. Remple.

The article offers news briefs at the helicopter industry in the U.S. as of February 2013. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has purchased 15 Boeing Chinook CH-47F heavy-lift helicopters to be used for transporting troops and delivery of cargoes. Four Eurocopter UHT Tigers from Germany have been upgraded to Afghanistan Stabilization German Army Rapid Deployment-Full standard. The Slowed Rotor/Compound (SRC) VTOL gyrocopter demonstrator of Carter Aviation Technologies has been tested in November 2012.