Helicopter engines can now run at full power for 30 minutes for search and rescue

US aviation regulators have created new safety standards for a specific helicopter engine that can run at maximum power for 30 minutes. This allows helicopters to hover longer at higher power for critical search and rescue missions.

For decades, aircraft engine safety rules were written for fixed-wing planes, which rarely need sustained maximum power. This meant helicopter engines designed for demanding tasks like search and rescue had to fit into an outdated regulatory box. This change means new helicopter designs can be certified for their actual use cases, potentially enabling more powerful and capable rescue aircraft.