Robinson Helicopter Company Strengthens Operation Helo's National Disaster Relief Efforts With an R44 Helicopter and Flight Training Program
TORRANCE, Calif., April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robinson Helicopter Company (RHC), the world's leading manufacturer of civil helicopters, entered an agreement with Operation Helo, a leading humanitarian organization specializing in rapid-response helicopter missions, to enhance disaster relief efforts. Robinson Helicopter has underwritten a portion on an R44 to Operation Helo to support the organization's relief efforts and will provide increased flight safety training for their pilots.
Leveraging Robinson's reliable and easy-to-maintain aircraft and in-house training resources to support the organization's critical humanitarian work, the two will improve humanitarian flight operations in the United States. Operation Helo was established in the wake of Hurricane Helene, uniting volunteer pilots and helicopter owners for relief missions.
With the support of Robinson Helicopter, Operation Helo will launch a first-of-its-kind disaster response aviation training program. The purpose-built training program is designed to prepare pilots to operate effectively in the most challenging and unpredictable disaster environments following the immediate aftermath of floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires. While Robinson helicopters will be a key focus, the training will encompass a range of aircraft to ensure pilot versatility in diverse scenarios.
'The heroic work of Operation Helo in the wake of Hurricane Helene showcased the versatility of Robinson aircraft and the incredible role private aviation plays during relief efforts,' said David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company. 'At Robinson Helicopter, we understand the unique capabilities of helicopters to reach the most vulnerable in the aftermath of a disaster. The world needs more pilots and helicopters, and we support Operation Helo in their mission to leverage helicopters for good, safely and effectively.'
Robinson Helicopter and Operation Helo will be exhibiting at the SUN 'n FUN Aerospace Expo in Florida from April 1-6, 2025. Learn more about Operation Helo at booth FF-006 and FF-007. Robinson Helicopter will be in Booth NE-13-NE15.
'This partnership with Robinson Helicopter Company marks a significant milestone in our mission to provide swift and effective disaster relief,' said Matt McSwain, co-founder of Operation Helo. 'By integrating Robinson's state-of-the-art helicopters with our dedicated network of pilots and volunteers, we're poised to reach even more communities in need, ensuring that no one is left behind during times of crisis.'
About Robinson Helicopter Company
For more than 50 years, Robinson Helicopter Company has been at the forefront of the helicopter industry by delivering safety-enhancing technologies, including OEM-designed crash-resistant fuel cells, 4K cockpit video cameras, autopilot systems, impact-resistant windshields, and NVG-compatible cockpits. Robinson is committed to developing, manufacturing, and supporting the most reliable and efficient manned and unmanned helicopters in the industry. For additional information, visit www.robinsonheli.com.
About Operation Helo
Operation Helo is a humanitarian organization dedicated to delivering rapid-response aid to communities affected by disasters. During Hurricane Helene, Operation Helo led one of the largest civilian-led disaster response efforts, successfully executing over 4,000 missions to deliver millions of pounds of life-saving supplies to the hardest-hit areas. Our teams rescued more than 450 people trapped by floodwaters and destruction, while also deploying 523 Starlink systems to restore communication in isolated regions. Utilizing a vast network of volunteer pilots, veterans, and first responders, Operation Helo continues to conduct critical missions, including evacuations, supply deliveries, and communication restorations, embodying the spirit of hope and resilience.
Contacts:
Robinson Helicopter CompanyRobyn E. EaglesRobyn.eagles@robinsonheli.com323-547-5102
Lee-Anne Aranda lee-anne.aranda@robinsonheli.com 310-539-0508 x294
Operation HeloJennipher Harrillmedia@operationhelo.org 704-472-4940
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ba8562d3-7e34-4b2f-a2e6-39eed4ce3748
This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.Sign in to access your portfolio
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bal Harbour Shops' Roving Mini Mall on the Road Again
It may be costly and depend on some complicated logistics, but Bal Harbour Shops continues to take its portable mini-mall concept on the road to different markets. Currently, a Bal Harbour Shops Access Pop-up mini mall is operating at Tanger Outlets in Asheville, N.C., among the southern cities recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene and a decline in tourism. More from WWD Boots to Open Stand-alone Fragrance Store Children's Shoe Retailer Amiga Shoes In Liquidation Mode Former Amazon Employee Arrested for Allegedly Stealing 2,000 Pairs of Shoes From Timberland, New Balance + More Wind and flooding from the hurricane hit North Carolina in September 2024, primarily in its western Appalachian region. More than 100 deaths were reported. To help with the continuing recovery, between 1 percent and 10 percent of the sales from Access Pop-up, depending on the day and different events, are being donated to charities working on the issue. Bal Harbour Shops' unique two-and-a-half-year-old roving format is expected to soon pop up in other areas, including, Nashville, and locations in south Florida, provided permissions and permits are granted by landlords and local authorities. 'We have a list of markets where we are working to get approvals,' said Matthew Whitman Lazenby, president and chief executive officer of Whitman Family Development, the family business that owns the 450,000-square-foot Bal Harbor Shops open-air, luxury shopping center housing more than 90 fashion brands, six restaurants and an open-air courtyard of palm trees and ponds filled with koi fish and turtles. Whitman Family Development is also the codeveloper of the retail components of Miami's Brickell City Centre. 'Bal Harbour Access Shops is a strategy designed to have a multiyear run,' said Lazenby. 'We can't say precisely when the next one will open, but we intend to keep it going.' Bal Harbour Shops Access Pop-up debuted in Raleigh, N.C. in November 2023, and subsequently appeared in Sarasota, Fla.; South Walton, Fla.; Greenville, S.C.; West Palm Beach, Fla.; Charleston, S.C., and, Asheville, which opened on June 13 and is scheduled to run through Aug. 10. The concept has been appearing in four markets annually, with each site staying open for eight weeks. In Asheville, the temporary format occupies 30,000 square feet of Tanger's parking lot, with 6,000 square feet of retail space for several small luxury shops including Tiffany, Valentino, Balmain, Assouline, Etro, Golden Goose, Eleventy and Johanna Ortiz. Additionally, there's The Whitman, an upscale restaurant that has indoor and outdoor seating. Though the set up is in an outlet center, the shops are regular-priced. It has a lush, tropical, al fresco environment reminiscent of Bal Harbour Shops in Miami. As Lazenby said, the format strives to be 'a faithful recreation' of Bal Harbour Shops, though on a much smaller scale. While each Access Pop-up is not necessarily a profit-maker, Lazenby said the benefit really comes from establishing 'emotional connections' with the luxury consumers that don't live close enough to frequent Bal Harbour Shops in Miami, but learn about the center by visiting one of the Access Pop-ups. Many then begin shopping Bal Harbour Shops remotely via a personal shopper, or the center's e-commerce website. Some have even begun to show up at the center. 'There are all these different avenues we can [use to] attract new shoppers,' Lazenby said. As Access Pop-up continues its journey, it tweaks how it operates and challenges become less so. 'In each market, we are learning,' Lazenby said. But the amount of business being generated, he acknowledged, does not offset the costs of the logistics, the design, putting the format up, taking it down, and reassembling it in another locale. 'We didn't expect that it would, but one day we might break even,' Lazenby said. 'We are 'moving mountains' to drive revenue and find new ways to operate a bit more efficiently.' Of all the Access Pop-ups that have operated so far, 'Asheville has the greatest conversion rate per customer,' Lazenby said. 'People here have been starving for this kind of concept.' Lazenby does have a strong sense of the market since he has a home in Asheville. It's situated high above the Asheville River and escaped the flooding in the area. 'Asheville is one of the most special places in the world to me,' he said. 'This is home. After everything the city has been through, I felt a deep responsibility to do more than write a check. I wanted to bring something here that would drive energy, traffic, opportunity and optimism.' At the Asheville Access Pop-up, more than 100 luxury brand shops are housed in shipping containers designed to be transported. The shops are custom-built, air-conditioned and fitted with furniture, vitrines and shelves. The shops typically range from 250 square feet to about 700 square feet, depending on if the brands use one, two or three containers. The movable format can be assembled in as little as a week. 'The brands can thoughtfully do more with less,' Lazenby said, adding that they tend to make only minor modifications at each Access Pop-up, such as with new branding, displays or carpeting. The portable mall format has never been done before, Lazenby said, adding that it does require a major commitment of time interfacing with the brands, and even more time with prospective landlords and cities for approvals, Lazenby said. 'The strategy has been successful based on conversion of folks in markets that would not have otherwise become Bal Harbour shoppers. I do wish there was a way to do it more efficiently. There's just this gargantuan cost, but this year we are spending less than last year, and getting better at it each time.' 'We also spend a fortune getting the word out and promoting the experience, but every landlord has seen it is as a huge boon. Generally, we aren't a big rent payer. Rather, we drive traffic to their sites and get them qualified customers that they wouldn't otherwise get.' Best of WWD In Commercial Real Estate, Experience Matters Striving for Retail of a Different Ilk in Boston's Seaport Box Equities Forms Joint Venture With Artemis Sign in to access your portfolio
CNET
a day ago
- CNET
Save Up to 49% on the Baseus Qi2 Power Bank and Stay Powered on the Go
Power banks are great for staying charged on the go, and it gets even better when you don't have to deal with cables or bulky bricks. A MagSafe-compatible power bank snaps right onto the back of your iPhone, and right now, you can score one at a solid discount. For a limited time, Amazon is offering the Baseus Qi2-certified power bank for just $50 to non-Prime members, after a 29% discount. Use the code NO9Y4HVI at checkout, and you can save an additional 10%, which drops the price down to $45. It's great, but Prime members can do even better. The same power bank is listed at $40 for Prime shoppers. That's a decent 43% discount on its own, but applying the same code at checkout drops the final price to just $36 -- that's nearly half the original $70 price, but it might not last long. This sleek power bank supports both 15W wireless charging and 22.5W fast charging with a USB-C cable. You get a 10000mAh battery capacity -- that's enough juice to charge an iPhone 16 Pro Max to 37% in just 30 minutes when using the USB-C port. Despite all this, at just 2.7 inches wide and 0.7 inches thick, you can easily slide the Baseus Qi2 power bank into your pocket or toss it into your bag without adding bulk. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. No magnetic case? No problem. The magnetic design of this power bank makes it easy to snap it onto the back of your iPhone (models 12 through 16), even without one. Plus, the pass-through charging feature allows you to charge both the power bank and the iPhone at once. Overall, it's a solid choice for frequent travelers or anyone who prefers not to deal with cables. Just don't forget to use the discount codes at checkout for maximum savings. Why this deal matters No one likes running out of battery, especially when they are on the go but reliable, large capacity power banks aren't always budget-friendly. This deal offers both non-Prime and Prime members to save big on a portable, efficient, and easy-to-use option for a limited time. Just make sure you get your orders in before the deal expires or the stock runs out.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Brazil's VERT Debuts Tokenized Credit Platform on XRP Ledger With $130M Issuance
VERT, a Brazilian securitization and fund manager, said on Wednesday it debuted a blockchain-based platform to handle private credit transactions on the XRP Ledger (XRP) and its Ethereum-compatible sidechain, bringing more tokenized real-world assets to the ecosystem. The platform's first transaction was the issuance of a BRL 700 million, or $130 million, Agribusiness Receivables Certificate (CRA), a regulated instrument used to finance agricultural production, according to a press release. The CRA pools future cash flows owed by agribusinesses such as loan repayments into securities for investors. Agriculture accounts for over 20% of Brazil's GDP, making the sector a key testbed for digital financial tools. The issuance underscores the accelerating trend of real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, using blockchain rails to handle transactions with traditional financial instruments like bonds, credit and funds. The process promises faster and more efficient settlements and broader investor access compared to traditional banking channels, especially in emerging economies with less developed capital markets. XRP Ledger's role as a tokenized RWA hub has been growing, with Dubai selecting the network for its ambitious real estate tokenization plan to put $16 billion of property deeds on-chain by 2033. By recording the asset's issuance and lifecycle events directly on-chain, VERT said its system improves transparency and traceability for structured credit operations. The platform integrates with Brazil's regulated financial infrastructure and uses off-chain redundancy to meet compliance standards, the firm said. "It is a concrete step towards the evolution of tokenization as a structural pillar of the modern capital market," Gabriel Braga, digital assets director at VERT, said in a statement. "Tokenization also addresses the demand for greater transparency of operations, coming mainly from foreign investors." Ripple, a key contributor to the XRP Ledger, also contributed in the project. "Agribusiness plays an essential role in Brazil's economy, and improving how credit is structured and tracked in this sector is a meaningful advancement," said Silvio Pegado, Ripple's managing director of the Latin America region. "This milestone demonstrates how blockchain technology, through the XRP Ledger, can serve as reliable infrastructure for modernizing financial markets that are foundational to national growth." VERT said future plans include to expand the platform to additional asset classes and structured credit deals worth over $500 in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
