26-Feb-2025Source: Van Horn Aviation
VHA received FAA Supplemental Type Certification (STC) and Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) for its new AS350 tail rotor in mid-February 2025. Developed entirely in-house at Van Horn Aviation, the new AS350 tail rotor replaces the current spar-and-paddle design with two composite tail rotor blades attached to a steel hub using self-lubricating spherical bearings. This design eliminates... Read more
7-Jul-2021Source: Van Horn Aviation
Composite aftermarket rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation completed a ground run of its newly-developed tail rotor assembly for the Airbus Helicopters H125, previously known as the AS350. The new system features two individually-replaceable composite tail rotor blades attached to a VHA-designed titanium hub using self-lubricating spherical bearings. Since VHA’s H125/AS350 tail rotor blades use... Read more
3-Nov-2020Source: Van Horn Aviation
Arizona-based rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) received a Letter of Acceptance from Transport Canada for the company’s updated composite main rotor blades fitting the Bell 206B JetRanger helicopter. Approved by the FAA in August 2020, the new VHA 206B Version 2 main rotor blades may now be installed for use on Bell 206B... Read more
19-Aug-2020Source: Van Horn Aviation
Van Horn Aviation (VHA) has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certification / Parts Manufacturer Approval (STC/PMA) on its updated composite mainrotor blades for the Bell 206B JetRanger helicopter. The VHA 206B Version 2 main rotor blades contain different carbon fiber ply counts and orientations than the original VHA 206B main rotor blades. This... Read more
7-Aug-2020Source: VHA
VHA recently received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) on its updated composite main rotor blades for the Bell 206B JetRanger helicopter. The last major hurdle prior to receiving a supplemental type certificate (STC), the TIA signifies that the design meets type design requirements and permits FAA pilots to perform final flight tests... Read more
26-Apr-2019Source: Van Horn
While the Van Horn Aviation family continues to mourn the loss of contract experimental test pilot Rucie Moore and VHA engineering manager Stephen Estes in a helicopter accident that occurred on Tuesday, April 16 near Fountain Hills, Ariz., we assure our customers that we continue to stand behind our current composite 206B JetRanger main and... Read more
21-Aug-2018Source: Van Horn Aviation
Van Horn Aviation has received Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SR02684LA from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for composite main rotor blades installed on the Bell 206L LongRanger helicopter. Loosely based on VHA’s composite 206B JetRanger main rotor blades, which were certificated in 2016, the new VHA LongRanger main rotor blades have been approved with a 16,000-hour service... Read more
17-Mar-2017Source: HeliHub.com
Together with Perth’s Heliwest Services, Van Horn Aviation (VHA), Bell Helicopter’s subsidiary Aeronautical Accessories have successfully fitted a pair of composite main rotor blades onto an Australian Bell 206B Jet Ranger. The blades from VHA are guaranteed to extend the service life from 18,000 hours to 20,000. The blades have NASA designed laminar-flow airfoil, carbon... Read more
13-Feb-2017Source: Van Horn Aviation
The VHA engineering and test staff celebrated first flight of our composite 206L main rotor blades on February 8, 2017, completing ground tests, hover flight, forward flight reaching speeds of more than 100 knots, and turns with up to 45 degrees of banking during the test session at Falcon Field in Mesa, Ariz. The tests mark... Read more
13-Apr-2016Source: Van Horn Aviation
Van Horn Aviation (VHA) CEO Jim Van Horn and President Dean Rosenlof traveled to Valley Center, Calif., to witness the first installation and flight of VHA 206B main rotor blades on a customer’s helicopter. Bob Hoag, owner and operator of Hummingbird Helicopters, has been flying VHA tail rotor blades on his JetRangers for several years... Read more
3-Mar-2016Source: Bell
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that its Bell Helicopter Blades repair operation has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to repair Van Horn composite tail rotor blades for Bell 206 Series models. The Broussard, LA based facility has more than 35 years of helicopter blade refurbishment experience. The location... Read more
2-Mar-2016Source: Bell
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that it is now a distributor of several new product offerings, under its Aeronautical Accessories brand, including the new LED Super™ Nightscanner®, Bell 206 series Van Horn rotor blades and multiple products from the Airglas product line. “We continually look for innovative products to add to our product line... Read more
26-Feb-2014Source: Bell
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc (NYSE: TXT) company, announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Van Horn Aviation to develop a composite main rotor blade for the Bell 206 product line. Van Horn Aviation has agreed to design, certify and manufacture the rotor blades with input from Bell Helicopter Engineering. This will... Read more
28-Jan-2014Source: Van Horn Aviation
Van Horn Aviation recently obtained FAA Repair Station Certificate V7JR502Y, establishing its own repair station. The new Van Horn Repair (VHR) is co-located with VHA’s Tempe, Arizona, manufacturing facilities and will specialize on repairing VHA composite rotor blades. “The repair station certificate allows us to better service our customers by providing in-house repair and replacement... Read more
7-Mar-2013Source: Bell
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc (NYSE: TXT) company, announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Van Horn Aviation to develop a composite tail rotor blade for the Bell 212 and Bell 412 product lines. Van Horn Aviation has agreed to design, certify and manufacture the rotor blades with Bell Helicopter Engineering participating... Read more
8-May-2012Source: Van Horn Aviation
Rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) recently received a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for VHA’s 206B/L series composite tail rotor blade. “Operators on five continents are already experiencing the benefits of flying VHA tail rotor blades, including reduced pedal forces and greater tail rotor authority at high... Read more
13-Feb-2012Source: Van Horn Aviation
Rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) will display a prototype of its new Bell 412/212 tail rotor blade here at Heli-Expo Booth No. 9651. Designed by VHA engineers in collaboration with Bell Helicopter Textron representatives, the new tail rotor blade is predicted to increase tail rotor authority while reducing pilot workload and eliminating inspections... Read more
24-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Van Horn Aviation, the manufacturer of helicopter rotor blades, is expanding its presence in Tempe (Arizona) with the purchase of a new facility four times the size of its existing location. The move from a leased unit near Rural and Broadway roads is to a 23,000 sq.ft unit it is purchasing near Elliott Road and... Read more
13-Apr-2011Source: Van Horn Aviation
Rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) successfully completed a series of ground and flight tests of its composite MD 500 main rotor blades during a four-hour test session at the MD Helicopters Inc. (MDHI) facility in Mesa, Arizona aboard a MD 530F® test aircraft. According to VHA president James R. Van Horn, the April... Read more
15-Mar-2011Source: MD Helicopters
MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI), a leading manufacturer of commercial and military helicopters, and Van Horn Aviation, L.L.C. (Van Horn) are demonstrating co-developed composite main rotor blades for the MD 530F® aircraft in Booths 1618 (MDHI) and 1521 at Heli-Expo 2011, held March 5th – 8th at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The... Read more
7-Mar-2011Source: Bell
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Van Horn Aviation LLC for the 206 composite tail rotor blade supplemental type certificate (STC) No. SR02249LA. This STC allows for installation of the Van Horn composite tail rotor blade onto the Bell 206B and 206L series aircraft. ... Read more
12-Feb-2011Source: Van Horn Aviation
Composite rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) recently signed an offer to purchase on a 23,000+ sq. ft. facility in Tempe, Ariz., significantly expanding the company’s available manufacturing space compared to its current location. According to VHA president James R. Van Horn, the expansion is required to accommodate current and future rotor blade programs.... Read more
9-Dec-2010Source: Van Horn Aviation
TEMPE, Ariz., December 8, 2010 – Composite tail rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) recently added two Canadian companies as authorized dealers for its composite tail rotor blades. AOG Heli Services (www.aogheliservices.com) based at Norman Rogers Airport in Kingston, Ontario, and Avialta Helicopter Maintenance Ltd. (www.avialta.com) based at Villeneuve Airport in Edmonton, Alberta, have... Read more
9-Jun-2010Source: Van Horn Aviation
OH-58 helicopter operators now have an aftermarket choice for tail rotor blades. The FAA recently issued an amended Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the Van Horn Aviation (VHA) 206B/L series composite tail rotor blade to include OH-58A+ and OH-58C models after reviewing flight and engineering data submitted by the company. “The City of Pasadena (California)... Read more
27-May-2010Source: Van Horn Aviation
Rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) recently received a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from Transport Canada for VHA’s 206B/L series composite tail rotor blade. Transport Canada issued its STC after reviewing the documents associated with FAA STC SR0229LA issued in February for the same product. “We’ve had several Canadian 206 operators interested in flying... Read more
30-Sep-2009Source: Vertical
The all-new VHA composite tail rotor blade incorporates several performance and maintenance-related enhancements, including a 40% reduction in noise, 15% reduction in centrifugal force, and a 5,000-hour retirement life, which is double the life of the OEM blade.... Read more
