PHI Inc. (PHIIK)

Some helicopters in the Gulf of Mexico -- such as those transporting workers to and from offshore oil rigs -- may soon be able to safely fly much closer together, according to Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. Sikorsky, in partnership with helicopter service company PHI, has announced the development of helicopter signaling technology that allows equipped choppers to reduce the buffer zones between them from 20 miles to as little as five miles apart. An aircraft equipped with the technoloogy automatically transmits its position and other pertinent information to land-based receivers, which then relay the information to the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control center in Houston for tracking and directing air traffic, Sikorsky announced at a recent air show.
The expectation is that the automation will lighten the load on air controllers, translating into improved on-time performance and efficiency for helicopter operators and the oil workers they shuttle to and from platforms in the Gulf.

Feb 23 · 8:17:00 PM · Source: Company Press Release · Related: United Technologies
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by Jeffrey Epstein