Industry on an upswing?

I came back from the Heli-Expo show in Orlando, FL feeling quite bullish on the future of aviation. New helicopter models – everything from turbine powered Robinsons to the counter-rotating rotor/pusher propeller combo Sikorsky X2 – designed for high forward speed and vertical lift, and even a new variation of the popular Bell 407 — the 407AH, the first Bell-qualified armed (see weaponry!) commercial aircraft across the market. 

Only a few days back, a damper had seemed to fall on the world with the tsunami/earthquake/nuclear disaster. Falling stock prices, rising oil and fuel prices, and more reasons to be nervous about the economy threaten to bring the industry into yet another economic slump.

Or does it? If the last 10 years have done anything for business, it has certainly taught us how to be resilient, and how to run lean. You don’t find too many companies today that have huge overhead and room to cut back.

In fact, none of the companies above have cancelled research and development on these products. On the contrary — the industry continues to move forward with a “glass half full” attitude. After all, helicopters will be needed for tsunami rescue efforts and new technology will reduced operating costs and fuel consumption.

That’s one thing I like about the helicopter community. Even at the depths of the current recession, the Heli-Expo was one of the best-attended, upbeat and optimistic shows you could find.  

And that’s the point of this column — in any recession, downturn, world catastrophe, you can find reason to be optimistic.

Last year, when we went to launch HeliMx, our new publication targeted at more than 5,000 helicopter maintenance professionals, a few people told us that it was perhaps a bad time to be launching a new publication. Taking a page from the optimism of the rotor community, we decided there was no better time. Sure enough, HeliMx magazine is a raging success only three issues out of the box.

As well, I continue to see some of our advertisers with the same attitude. West Star Aviation, for example, has launched a parts business (see their ad in our Parts Bin section) and continues to expand. Ship It AOG continues to grow by leaps and bounds. New businesses such as Enhanced Aircraft Systems (see our classified section and the Conversion Air ad) continue to pop up left and right.

In the same vane, D.O.M. has now launched a new monthy newsletter called Management Insight.  This newsletter is designed to update you on breaking news, new products, highlight the latest issues and remind you of valuable articles that have run in past issues of D.O.M. All subscribers that have provided their e-mail address will receive Management Insight. If you have not renewed or provided your e-mail, please go to www.dommagazine.com and subscribe so that you don’t miss out.  It’s not required that you are subscribed to D.O.M.; you can also provide your e-mail address only and receive Management Insight free of charge!  You’ll find the newsletter signup on the homepage of www.dommagazine.com. The exciting thing about this is that each month, D.O.M. will be giving cool prizes away to those that are signed up and have provided an e-mail address. Go online today and be sure that your subscription is current!

Thank you for continuing to read D.O.M. magazine and be sure to keep up that “glass half full” attitude! I look forward to hearing about your new business growth and/or launch soon! 

Greg Napert, Proud to be an A&P