Story ID: 645
Van Horn Aviation Makes Paris Debut
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: Van Horn's composite rotor blades last longer and are more durable than metal blades. 
Word Count: 169
Exhibiting for the first time at the Paris Air Show, rotor-blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (Hall 3, Stand B43) is highlighting its U.S. FAA-certified composite main and tail rotor blades for the Bell 206B/L and tail rotor blades for UH-1 Huey models. The 206B/L/OH-58 tail rotor blades are also approved by EASA and Transport Canada, as well as in Brazil, India, and Japan. 

Last August, the FAA granted approval for Van Horn’s Bell 206L Long Ranger main rotor blades. The blades are manufactured with carbon-fiber skins and spars, foam cores, and replaceable abrasion strips. The composite blades have “a service life two to four times that of their metal counterparts,” according to the company. 

“Our objective is to provide operators of these legacy helicopters a way to increase performance at a great value,” said Van Horn president Dean Rosenlof. “Operators using our rotor blades benefit from increased service life and performance, while decreasing workload and overall direct operating costs.”