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U.S. Helicopters, Inc. is one of the largest providers of full service, exclusive use Electronic News Gathering (ENG) helicopter programs in the United States. Over the years, the company has built an exemplary reputation as one of the premier operators of news gathering helicopters, and today has over 30 aircraft operating from nearly two dozen cities across the nation.
No other company in the industry combines the years of experience, highly skilled staff, specific market coverage, and dedication to excellence as U.S. Helicopters, Inc.
Whatever your needs, U.S. Helicopters, Inc. is dedicated to providing our customers with the very best in aviation safety and services.
Some of the major services offered by U.S. Helicopters, Inc. include the following:
•Electronic News Gathering Helicopter Programs
•Motion Picture Filming and Aerial Photography
•Aircraft Sales
•Aircraft Charter
•Helicopter Maintenance & Refurbishment
•Gyro-Stabilized Camera System Sales and Service
•Microwave System Sales and Service
•Helicopter Paint and Completion Center
Website created by Country Moon Designs.
U.S. Helicopters, Inc. believes that experience, financial resources, and a strong commitment to safety form the basis of an effective maintenance program.
The company's primary maintenance facility is located at the corporate office in Wingate, North Carolina, with regional maintenance facilities located in Chicago, IL, San Antonio, TX, and Philadelphia, PA. U.S. Helicopters, Inc. maintains a full maintenance support center at the company's corporate office in Wingate, North Carolina. This facility, which is the only privately owned, public use heliport in the state of North Carolina, is also a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved Repair Station.
In addition to being a FAA approved Repair Station, U.S. Helicopters, Inc. is also the only factory approved Customer Service Facility in the Carolinas representing both Bell Helicopter Textron and American Eurocopter Corporation. As a service facility for these manufacturers, U.S. Helicopters, Inc. employs factory trained maintenance personnel, as well as maintaining a complete array of spare parts and special tools, and the latest in computerized maintenance tracking systems. Our trained maintenance staff also has the capability of performing both routine and in-depth maintenance procedures on our aircraft. These include scheduled and unscheduled inspections, as well as the complete overhaul of various systems and components on the helicopter. Our maintenance technicians are also skilled at installing accessory items such as windows and interior trim panels, as well as specialized kits such as sliding doors, air conditoners, heaters, and wire strike avoidance systems, to name just a few.
In addition to our corporate maintenance facility in Wingate, NC, U.S. Helicopters also has maintenance support operations at various cities around the United States, to support the flight operations of U.S. Helicopters, Inc. as well as the flight operations of some of our nationwide customers.
U.S. Helicopters Inc. provides an on-demand helicopter charter program offering our clientele unparalleled service and support.
The on-demand charter department at U.S. Helicopters, Inc. has been providing our customers with an uncompromising level of service for over 25 years. With charter aircraft based in Charlotte, NC, San Antonio, TX and Chicago, IL, we are able to serve a wide geographic region while maintaining the high degree of service our customers have come to expect.
Specialty services include executive transportation, transmission line and pipeline patrol, motion picture filming, aerial photography, and real estate survey. From the company's headquarters in Wingate, North Carolina, the charter department is capable of handling just about any request. From a simple one hour flight transporting real estate developers over a piece of property, to complex, multi-state corporate engagements involving the coordination of multiple aircraft, numerous personnel and very tight schedules, our charter department personnel have the experience to handle nearly any request safely, efficiently, on time, and within budget. Utilizing the Bell 206 Jetranger, Bell 206 Longranger, and American Eurocopter AS350B Astar series helicopters, our charter department is able to handle multiple missions that cross a wide range of sectors. From U.S. Helicopters, Inc. corporate office, the main operational area of our charter program extends throughout the Carolinas, and into Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. While these areas are the most common destinations for our helicopters, U.S. Helicopters, Inc. has the capability to extend far beyond these reaches, and has done so on numerous occasions. Additionally, U.S. Helicopters also maintains helicopters available for charter at our Chicago, IL and San Antonio, TX base of operations, which further expand our geographic coverage.
Our pilots are experienced in all phases of on-demand charter and each flight is tailored to meet the customer's exact requirements. By offering our customers experienced flight crews, mission capable helicopters, and point-to-point flexibility, they have been able to greatly enhance and expand the boundaries of their own businesses, and as a result position themselves ahead of their competitors.
Scheduling a charter is very simple and only takes a few minutes to complete. Please contact our charter department to learn more about our capabilities and to schedule a helicopter charter.
Housed in our separate 12,000 square foot hangar at the Monroe, NC airport, these aircraft will soon be available for on-demand charter.
Motion-Picture Filming
For over 25 years, U.S. Helicopters, Inc. has been working with filmmakers to create some of the most memorable and enduring aerial sequences ever filmed. From simple one-day video shoots to highly complex, multi-week big budget feature film productions, our helicopters and crews have taken part in hundreds of feature films, commercials, and documentaries over the years.
U.S. Helicopters is a full service provider to the film industry, and utilizes the Bell 206 Jetranger, Bell 206 Longranger, and Eurocopter AS350B Astar series helicopters. In addition, the company is also a representative for Tyler Camera System, a leader in aerial stabilization platforms. U.S. Helicopters maintains a Tyler Nose Mount, Tyler Middle Mount, and Middle Mount Gyros at our Wingate facility, as well as factory certified technical personnel for the Tyler Camera mounts. Additionally, the company also provides numerous other support equipment for aerial filming. This includes fuel trucks, support vehicles, air to ground radios, generators, night helipad landing lights, SAG and DGA film pilots, motion picture manuals, special camera operator harnesses, and numerous other items to assist in aerial filming. All of this adds up to a company whose experience and understanding of the film industry allow today's filmmakers greater comfort and versatility when filming demanding shots under difficult conditions. Couple this with a keen understanding of production budgets and one of the best safety records in the helicopter business, U.S. Helicopters, Inc. is a formidable partner to production companies the world over.
A sampling of U.S. Helicopters, Inc. credits include the following:
The Fugitive • Nell • U.S. Marshals • Black Dog • The Real McCoy • Amos & Andrew • The Butcher's Wife • The Gingerbread Man • Hell Raiser III • The Indian Runner • He Got Game • The Last of the Mohicans • Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood • Bandit Series • Sleeping with the Enemy • My Fellow Americans • Stroker Ace • Delta Force II
. . . and hundreds more feature films, television movies, commercials, and documentaries!
Electronic News Gathering
U.S. Helicopters, Inc. is an industry leader in providing turn key, exclusive use ENG helicopter programs throughout the United States. With nearly 30 ENG helicopters operating from over 18 cities, flying in excess of 16,000 hours annually, the company is one of the largest providers of news gathering helicopters in the nation.
U.S. Helicopters, Inc. is one of the leading providers of exclusive use, turn-key Electronic News Gathering (ENG) helicopter programs in the United States. The company currently has nearly 30 ENG aircraft operating in 18 cities nationwide, flying in excess of 16,000 hours annually. Over the years, U.S. Helicopters has developed an outstanding reputation for providing our customers with the very best in operational performance and mission flexibility, while at the same time understanding and working within the budgetary constraints facing today's broadcasters.
Safety is our number one priority, and as such U.S. Helicopters, Inc. operates our fleet of helicopters and crews under the more strict FAR Part 135 Air Taxi guidelines, which not only ensures that our aircraft are flown and maintained to the highest standards possible, but that our flight crews and maintenance personnel must also adhere to much higher standards. The typical helicopters flown for ENG operations are the Bell 206 Jetranger, Bell 206 Longranger, and Eurocopter AS350B Astar series helicopters, which are three of the safest single engine turbine powered helicopters ever produced. U.S. Helicopters, Inc. also utilizes the FLIR Systems, Inc. UltraMedia series of camera systems, and is slated to become the first factory approved service center for the UltraMedia series in the United States. Our ENG aircraft are also outfitted with a variety of other microwave equipment and camera systems, to include microwave transmitters, receivers, GPS directional antenna systems, record decks, talent cameras, specialized audio systems, and a multitude of other equipment found on today's ENG helicopters. As a turn-key solutions provider, U.S. Helicopters, Inc. also provides our clientele with a full range of options to consider when putting an ENG program together. These options include the following:
· Helicopter Type
· Aircraft Liability Insurance
· Helicopter Base of Operations
· Program Hours and Mission Profile
· Paint Scheme Design and Application
· Pilot, Camera Operator, and Maintenance Staffing
· Camera System Selection, Installation, and Maintenance
· Microwave System Selection, Installation, and Maintenance
· Purchase of Customer Aircraft and/or Camera & Microwave System Assets
U.S. Helicopters, Inc. is dedicated to delivering the most comprehensive service in the industry while building long-term relationships with our customers. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can utilize the experience, flexibility, and financial strength of our company to meet your program needs.
AS350 Astar
When it comes to covering a fast breaking story, the AS350 is known for its dependability, versatile, speed, open interior, large load capability, quiet operation and outstanding performance enabling you to carry cameras, equipment and crew. The AS350 has a six-seat capacity (including the pilot) and a normal cruise speed of about 149mph (130 kts) and will carry about 2300 lbs of baggage and people.
Bell 206-L3 LongRanger
The Bell 206 LongRanger has many of the features of its predecessor, the 206 Jetranger, but with a stretched cabin (7 place) more powerful engine, and higher payload. This power margin makes it ideal for hot weather, high altitude and/or heavy load environments. The LongRanger has a normal cruise speed of about 130mph (112 kts). The Rolls Royce turbine engine family utilized in this helicopter has logged over 150 million flight hours.
Bell 206-B JetRanger
The 206-B JetRanger offers one of the lowest operating costs of any single engine helicopter. Known around the world for its ruggedness, reliability and simplicity, this aircraft is the most popular turbine helicopter in production, with one of the best safety records of any helicopter ever built. The JetRanger will accommodate a maximum of 5 people (including the pilot), and has a cruise speed of about 120 mph (105 kts).
Partners
Over the past quarter century, U.S. Helicopters, Inc. has partnered with some of the leading companies in aviation today. These partnerships have allowed our company to expand our own capabilities, while at the same time providing our customers with the knowledge that the services provided by U.S. Helicopters, Inc. are backed directly by the manufacturers' themselves.
U.S. Helicopters, Inc. has been a factory approved Customer Service Center for both American Eurocopter Corporation and Bell Helicopter Textron for over 10 years. These two helicopter manufacturers are the leading producers of single and twin engine turbine helicopters sold in the world today. As an approved repair center for both of these outstanding organizations, U.S. Helicopters, Inc. is committed to providing the best maintenance support possible in order to adhere to the high standards set by both of these organizations.
U.S. Helicopters, Inc. has been affiliated with FLIR Systems, Inc. for nearly a decade, and currently owns over two dozen FLIR UltraMedia series gyro-stabilized camera systems. As the leading manufacture of broadcast quality, gyro-stabilized cameras, FLIR Systems has set the standard by which all other camera systems are judged. In an effort to continually provide the best in customer service and support, U.S. Helicopters, Inc. is poised to become the first factory authorized service facility for the UltraMedia camera line outside of the factory. This designation will not only enhance the speed and flexibility at which we will be able to maintain our own camera systems, but also allow our company to further expand the line of services we are able to provide to our customers.
U.S. Helicopters, Inc. has been a partner with Tyler Camera Systems for over 15 years. The Tyler Camera mount, which provides a high degree of stabilization when conducting aerial filming from a helicopter for commercials or feature films, has been an industry standard for over 30 years. As the only designated representative for Tyler Camera Systems in the Carolinas, U.S. Helicopters maintains a Tyler Nose Mount and Tyler Middle Mount at the company's corporate office in Wingate, NC.
Bell Helicopter
Headquartered in Fort Worth, TX, Bell Helicopter Textron has been manufacturing helicopters for over 50 years, and has an impressive record of innovation and safety. While Bell Helicopter manufacturers a wide array of commercial and military aircraft for all applications throughout the worldwide, the JetRanger and LongRanger series helicopters have historically been the most commonly utilized Bell aircraft at U.S. Helicopters, Inc.
American Eurocopter
American Eurocopter has evolved as a leading manufacturer of helicopters to the world market, and provides support to the U.S. market from their state-ofthe-art facility in Grand Prairie, Texas. The most commonly used Eurocopter helicopters in the U.S. Helicopter fleet are the AS350B Astar series helicopters, which include the AS350B, AS350BA, and AS350B2.
Tyler Camera Systems
Tyler Camera Systems offers the largest variety helicopter camera mounts for all film and video formats. Their services include engineering and manufacturing of custom stabilization platforms. U.S. Helicopters, Inc. has been a distributor for Tyler Camera Systems since 1991.
Nose Mounts are joystick operated, single axis (tilt), statically stabilized systems attached to the nose of the helicopter for straight on shooting. Looking through a color monitor, the camera operator is seeing the Point of View (POV) from the helicopter.
Side Mounts are manually operated, three axis (Pan, Tilt and roll), passively gyro stabilized systems. Viewing is direct through the eyepiece of the camera, with the perspective of a passenger in a helicopter while looking out the side window.
FLIR Systems, Inc.
FLIR Systems, Inc. is a world leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of thermal imaging and stabilized camera systems for a wide variety of thermography and imaging applications, including airborne observation and broadcast, search and rescue, drug intervention, surveillance and reconnaissance, navigation safety, border patrol, environmental monitoring and land based security.
The UltraMedia III and UltraMedia III High Definition is the latest in an award winning series of ultra high-performance broadcast camera systems from FLIR. These camera systems are utilized extensively by U.S. Helicopters, Inc. The UltraMedia III produces:
• Increased Magnification for Greater Standoff Distances
• Unprecedented Stabilization for Superior Images
• Proven Performance Backed by 20 Years of Experience
• Hi-Def Imaging or ability to upgrade to Hi-Def
Contact Us
U.S. Helicopters, Inc.
Post Office Box 625
Marshville, North Carolina
28103 USA
Phone: (704) 233.5000
Fax: (704) 233. 4255
Department Contacts:
Administration: Sandra Threatt - Ext 115 sthreatt_ushelicoptersinc.com
Personnel: Laureen Craven - Ext 111 lcraven_ushelicoptersinc.com
Director of Operations: Joe Sapp - Ext 112 jsapp_ushelicoptersinc.com
Chief Inspector: Greg Parsons - Ext 113
gparsons_ushelicoptersinc.com
Director of Maintenance: Paul Coombes - Ext 106 pcoombes_ushelicoptersinc.com
Chief Pilot: Rudy Ribbeck - Ext 102
rribbeck_ushelicoptersinc.com
President & CEO: Cress Horne
