Based in London, Tony covers European defense programs. Prior to joining Aviation Week in November 2012, Tony was at Shephard Media Group where he was deputy editor for Rotorhub and Defence Helicopter magazines. Tony has covered avionics, unmanned vehicles, the supply chain and cyberwarfare.
The Middle East states have varying degrees of influence in defense programs. The U.S. and Russia are poised to benefit, while manufacturers in Europe have been, for the most part, disappointed.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has certified the search-and-rescue (SAR) variant of the AW189 super-medium helicopter, just months before the aircraft is due to enter service with Bristow on a U.K. government contract.
LONDON—Belgian oil and gas operator Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen (NHV) has completed its acquisition of Scandinavian helicopter firm Blueway. The resulting merger, completed on Dec. 19, turns the newly named NHV Group into one of Europe’s largest helicopter operators. The merger was announced on Aug. 28 and saw NHV purchase stakes in Blueway from Reiten & Co Capital Partners and Helicopter Transportation Group.
