Summer came early on the Bodensee

The 2009 Aero at Friedrichshafen was the biggest yet, with  625 exhibitors, 12 percent more than at the last show, and over 46,400 visitors. Friedrichshafen sits on Lake Bodensee, (Lake Konstanz) and is best known as the place that Zepplins were built.

For the first time ever, the Friedrichshafen Aero show included a dedicated helicopter hall, as well as a few helicopters scattered through the other halls. There were three main areas of helicopter expertise: working businesses; helicopters with historic interest and very light machines as in gyrocopters and kit helicopters.

Light helicopters and gyrocopters are very popular in Germany, with one of the most innovative newcomers being the Hungarian Diöferer built Diora KX 165, Icepick (See page 15 New Technology)

Although the Icepick does not yet have certification nor has yet flown, one helicopter that does and has is the Alpi Aviation Sylon AH130, Turbine.  The AH130T looks like a Rotorway but is actually a production machine and is powered by a turbine engine, formerly an APU. Alpi Aviation is a light aircraft manufacturer....