USFS Welcomes New DRF in CA.
Regional Forester Randy Moore is proud to welcome Jeanne Wade Evans, who will serve as Deputy Regional Forester for the National Forests in California.
Jeanne Wade Evans, Supervisor on the San Bernardino National Forest since October of 2005, will move to the regional level to oversee Fire and Aviation Management as well as State and Private Forestry. Prior to her assignment in California, she held three positions in the Forest Service Washington Office, including Policy Specialist for Fire Management (Hazardous Fuels), Deputy Director for Forest and Rangelands, and Natural Resource Specialist for Rangeland Stewardship. Wade Evans also served as a District Ranger and Range Conservationist on the Coronado National Forest in Arizona. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Resources and Agriculture from Arizona State University in 1977.
Wade Evans replaces Jim Peña who left in August to become Associate Deputy Chief of the National Forest System in Washington, D.C.
Go Jeanne! 
Sureflight Opens New Mutli-Million $ Paint Facility
The aviation refinishing company, SureFlight, LLC celebrates the opening of its new 18,000 sq ft aviation paint facility. As part of the fivefold expansion, SureFlight constructed a new state-of-the-art Double Down Draft paint booth capable of accommodating a large size helicopter such as the Sikorsky S-92 with main rotor blades installed, or two helicopters side by side without blades. SureFlight can also accommodate mid-size fixed wing aircraft up to the size of a Hawker 800.
Dan Watkins, CEO of SureFlight said, “The facility expansion will allow SureFlight to increase the quantity of work we are capable of accommodating. Our manager, DeWitte Binkley, already has an established 32 year reputation in the Northeast US rotorcraft industry for exceptional quality paint finishes. Building a multimillion dollar paint facility just by itself is worthless. When we combine DeWitte and his team with our state-of-the-art facility, we create the highest quality refinishing company available. The first helicopter painted in our new paint hangar was Donald Trump’s S-76B. Mr. Trump and his aviation team recognized that such a high profile helicopter required the finest paint shop available.”
PHI Settles Claims Over Louisiana S76 Crash
Plaintiffs’ attorneys and a lawyer for PHI Inc. said Thursday that confidential terms of the settlements will be filed. More:
Helicopter owner settles claims over La. crash - Florida AP - MiamiHerald.com
Cougar Drops Claim Against Sikorsky Subsidiary in $27m Lawsuit
Cougar launched the lawsuit in June against both Sikorsky and its subsidiary Helicopter Services Inc. (HSI), but has recently served notice it was discontinuing the civil action against HSI. More:
Legal wrangling - Business - The Telegram
Agusta Wins Maryland State Police Contract
AgustaWestland has annouced that it has been awarded the contract by the Maryland State Police Aviation Command for 6 medium helicopters for their Medevac program. The $71 million contract calls for the first of 6 AW139 to be delivered 18 months from now. These aircraft will be produced at AgustaWestland’s Philadelphia facility.