Showing posts with label H145. Show all posts
Showing posts with label H145. Show all posts

29 February, 2024

THC expands its fleet with a firm order for eight H125s and ten H145s


THC expands its fleet with a firm order for eight H125s and ten H145s

The Helicopter Company is at the forefront of developing commercial helicopter services in the Kingdom, having introduced the H145 into service for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and deployed both the H145 and H125 in support of the Dakar Rally. Last year the company took delivery of its first ACH160 for Red Sea Global tourism operations.


The Helicopter Company (THC), Saudi Arabia's premier provider of commercial helicopter services and fully owned by the Public Investment Fund, has signed a historic framework agreement with Airbus at the HAI Heli-Expo, currently taking place at Anaheim Convention Center, California.

The framework agreement will include up to 120 Airbus helicopters of various types set to be delivered over the next five to seven years. Part of the deal is a firm order for eight H125s along with 10 H145s that are converted options from an earlier contract, bringing THC’s total firm Airbus helicopter fleet to 60, 25 of which are already in service today.

The new H125 helicopters will support the delivery of THC’s range of services in areas including aerial work and tourism. The H145s will be used in a variety of roles including Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and corporate transport.

“Our relationship with THC started in 2020 with the first contract for 10 H125s. Since then, it’s gone from strength to strength, moving beyond just helicopters to also look at how we can help pave the way for the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in the region. This latest framework agreement reinforces the scope of our offering and we thank THC for allowing us to help expand their helicopter activity,” said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO.



The CEO of THC, Capt Arnaud Martinez, said, “We are delighted to announce our framework agreement with Airbus, a transformative moment in our growth journey which solidifies our position as a global player as well as regional leader. The agreement will enable us to both contribute to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals through strengthening Saudi’s aviation sector whilst also meeting the changing needs of our growing customer base, both locally and globally. Our collaboration with Airbus will reshape the aviation landscape as together, we will push the boundaries of innovation and showcase that with the right partner, everything is possible in aviation.”

DRF Luftrettung orders up to 10 additional H145s

German helicopter emergency medical services operator DRF Luftrettung and Airbus Helicopters have announced orders for up to ten H145 helicopters (seven firm orders, three options). 
DRF Luftrettung and Airbus Helicopters agree deal for up to ten H145 helicopters.


“It is the mission of DRF Luftrettung to continuously improve medical care for people in need. With the new order of ten additional H145s, we continue to ensure the optimal service for our patients by keeping the helicopter fleet as modern and flexible as possible for our life-saving missions,” said Dr. Krystian Pracz, CEO of DRF Luftrettung.

"As an operator that deploys its fleet for emergency medical services, the DRF Luftrettung truly understands the importance that a helicopter's performance can have in making a decisive difference in the care a patient receives. We are therefore very grateful for the continued trust that they place in our helicopters," said Thomas Hein, Head of Europe Region at Airbus Helicopters. "We are proud to see that over the last decade the H145 has become the backbone of DRF Luftrettung's fleet performing life-saving missions in Germany and Europe."

The ordered helicopters will also be covered by DRF’s fleet-wide HCare Smart contract, which provides comprehensive parts-by-the-hour support.

28 February, 2024

The Helicopter Company (THC) signs historic framework agreement for up to 120 Airbus helicopters


THC expands its fleet with a firm order for eight H125s and ten H145s

The Helicopter Company is at the forefront of developing commercial helicopter services in the Kingdom, having introduced the H145 into service for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and deployed both the H145 and H125 in support of the Dakar Rally. Last year the company took delivery of its first ACH160 for Red Sea Global tourism operations.


The Helicopter Company (THC), Saudi Arabia's premier provider of commercial helicopter services and fully owned by the Public Investment Fund, has signed a historic framework agreement with Airbus at the HAI Heli-Expo, currently taking place at Anaheim Convention Center, California.

The framework agreement will include up to 120 Airbus helicopters of various types set to be delivered over the next five to seven years. Part of the deal is a firm order for eight H125s along with 10 H145s that are converted options from an earlier contract, bringing THC’s total firm Airbus helicopter fleet to 60, 25 of which are already in service today.

The new H125 helicopters will support the delivery of THC’s range of services in areas including aerial work and tourism. The H145s will be used in a variety of roles including Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and corporate transport.

“Our relationship with THC started in 2020 with the first contract for 10 H125s. Since then, it’s gone from strength to strength, moving beyond just helicopters to also look at how we can help pave the way for the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in the region. This latest framework agreement reinforces the scope of our offering and we thank THC for allowing us to help expand their helicopter activity,” said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO.



The CEO of THC, Capt Arnaud Martinez, said, “We are delighted to announce our framework agreement with Airbus, a transformative moment in our growth journey which solidifies our position as a global player as well as regional leader. The agreement will enable us to both contribute to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals through strengthening Saudi’s aviation sector whilst also meeting the changing needs of our growing customer base, both locally and globally. Our collaboration with Airbus will reshape the aviation landscape as together, we will push the boundaries of innovation and showcase that with the right partner, everything is possible in aviation.”

25 January, 2024

French Ministry of Interior orders 42 H145 helicopters

The French law enforcement agency, Gendarmerie Nationale, will use six of the brand new H145 helicopters.
The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) ordered 42 new H145 helicopters at the end of 2023, on behalf of the Ministry of Interior, with deliveries set to start in 2024. Of these 42 helicopters, 36 are destined for the French rescue and emergency response agency, Sécurité Civile,  while the French law enforcement agency, Gendarmerie Nationale, will use six.  The contract includes an option for a further 22 H145s for the Gendarmerie Nationale and a range of support and service solutions from training to spare parts, as well as a complete initial support package for the aircraft.

“We have a long standing relationship with the Gendarmerie Nationale and the Sécurité Civile and I am very proud that we will add another chapter to our shared story,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “The H145 has already proven its worth with the Sécurité Civile conducting many rescue missions in the difficult mountainous environment of the French Alps”, he added. “The H145 is operated by many law enforcement agencies across the world. The Gendarmerie will benefit from a state-of-the-art helicopter equipped with the latest mission systems,” he explained.

The Sécurité Civile currently operates four five-bladed H145s, ordered in 2020 and 2021. The 36 H145s will progressively replace the 33 EC145s currently in operation for rescue and air medical transport services, throughout France.
The Sécurité Civile currently operates four five-bladed H145s, ordered in 2020 and 2021. The 36 H145s will progressively replace the 33 EC145s currently in operation for rescue and air medical transport services, throughout France.

The six H145s will initiate the renewal of the Gendarmerie’s fleet, composed of Ecureuils, EC135s and EC145s. They will be equipped with an electro-optical system and a mission computer to perform the most demanding law enforcement missions.

Certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency in June 2020, this new version of Airbus’ best-selling H145 light twin-engine helicopter brings a new, innovative five-bladed rotor to the multi-mission helicopter, increasing the useful load by 150 kg while delivering new levels of comfort, simplicity, and connectivity. Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145 is equipped with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and the Helionix digital avionics suite. It includes a high performance 4-axis autopilot, increasing safety and reducing pilot workload. Its particularly low acoustic footprint makes the H145 the quietest helicopter in its class. Today, Airbus has more than 1,675 H145 family helicopters in service around the world, logging a total of more than 7.6 million flight hours.

30 November, 2023

Airbus and Norwegian Air Ambulance sign for H135 and H145 helicopters for HEMS in Denmark

The Norwegian Air Ambulance has ordered three H135s and two five-bladed H145s that will be used for life-saving missions in Denmark, following a tender the operator recently won in the country. Moreover, the HEMS operator will take delivery of two new H145s in 2024 to expand their fleet in Norway.
The Norwegian Air Ambulance has ordered three H135s and two five-bladed H145s helicopters


“I would like to thank the Norwegian Air Ambulance for its continued trust in our helicopters to support their essential life-saving missions,” said Thomas Hein, Head of Europe Region, Airbus Helicopters. “Our mission is to provide our operators with the best solutions possible, in order to make the world a safer place. Representing more than 1100 of the 2700 helicopters deployed for HEMS operations across the globe, it is a genuine source of pride to see that the H135 and the H145 are the benchmark for those missions worldwide, making a positive difference to people requiring urgent medical care. ”

“The H135 and the five-bladed H145 have proven to be very versatile and suitable helicopters for our HEMS operations,” said Leif Olstad, CEO of Norwegian Air Ambulance. “With the new helicopters we will continue to serve the people of Denmark and Norway with state-of-the-art equipment to ensure the best service possible.”

29 November, 2023

Lithuanian State Border Guard Service orders three H145s


Airbus Helicopters and the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service have announced a contract for three five-bladed H145 multi-mission helicopters at the 2023 European Rotors trade show, expanding the service's fleet. These three additional H145s bring the total number of Airbus helicopters in service with the Lithuanian government to eleven, further strengthening Airbus Helicopters’ position in this mission segment. The helicopters will be operated for a wide range of missions including search and rescue, disaster relief and medevac, border patrol, firefighting, transport of donor organs, and operational deployment of the Lithuanian Special Forces.


“We are allocating significant resources to provide our State Border Guard Service with state-of-the-art equipment such as the multi-mission H145 helicopters,” said Agné Bilotaité, the Lithuanian Minister of Interior. “Funded in part by the national budget and also thanks to European funding, the H145s will further strengthen the intelligence and response capabilities of our border guards and contribute to Lithuania’s security,” she added.

“We are honoured that the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service is placing its trust in Airbus Helicopters once again with the selection of the H145 as its next generation multi-role helicopter,” said Olivier Michalon, Executive Vice President Global Business for Airbus Helicopters. “Our partnership started in 2002 when the Lithuanian State Border Guard received their first EC120. Twenty-one years later, it is a privilege to support such a distinguished organisation and to contribute to essential security missions in order to protect and serve the population of Lithuania and to make Europe safer," he added.

There are more than 200 helicopters of the H145 helicopter family deployed to public services and law enforcement missions all around the world.

28 April, 2023

Airbus Helicopters hand over the first two H145 helicopters to Bavarian Police


Airbus has delivered the first two of eight five-bladed H145s to the Bavarian Police. These first two helicopters will be used in the training of pilots and crews which will begin shortly, ensuring a smooth transition from the current H135 fleet which has been in service for more than twelve years, to the larger H145 helicopters. Delivery of the first fully equipped police helicopter is scheduled for the middle of next year.

Training to begin on these two helicopters, allowing a seamless transition to the H145 fleet

First fully equipped helicopter to be delivered mid-2024


"We would like to thank Bavaria and its police force for their continued confidence in our helicopters," said Stefan Thomé, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Germany. "We are proud to equip the Bavarian police with the most advanced helicopters available for law enforcement missions, supporting them in keeping our communities safe."

“Our police forces have to deal with a wide range of scenarios: searching for missing persons, transporting special units, fighting forest fires or dealing with natural disasters. The H145, with its outstanding performance and mission capabilities, will provide our police forces with an essential tool to fulfill these diverse missions,” said Franz Muschick, Head of the Bavarian Police Helicopter Squadron.

Bavaria's fully-equipped H145s will feature some of the most advanced police equipment available. This includes a state of the art computer system with tactical police mission software, easily operated by a foldable flat-screen mission command station for an operator in the cabin and a stowable monitor for the copilot. The crew will be aided by a modern lighting concept and leading-edge camera solutions, offering better situational awareness of the helicopter’s surroundings and events on the ground. The overall communication is facilitated due to customer-specific radio and data transfer means. A next-generation hoist and the capability to transport external loads as well as for allowing for firefighting, will further enhance police mission capabilities. Additional features, such as illuminated blade tips, improve the safety on board during essential police operations.

26 July, 2022

Airbus Helicopters and VRM Switzerland to develop the world’s first H145 Virtual Reality simulator

Airbus Helicopters and VRM Switzerland are co-developing a Virtual Reality (VR) training device for the twin-engine H145 helicopter. This innovative new training tool will offer H145 operators an affordable, compact training solution with realistic flight behaviour and full-body immersion, as well as the 3D vision and high-resolution scenery of VR technology.

VRM Switzerland and Airbus Helicopters established their collaboration in 2021 to bring the EASA-qualified H125 VR training device to the market, enabling pilots to train realistically and execute complete proficiency checks on the simulator.

“As we did with the H125 VR simulator, our Airbus pilots and experts will work hand in hand with VRM’s team, bringing our OEM experience to this affordable, flexible training solution that will surely answer our customer’s requirements while also adhering to our high standards for operational safety. With this type of simulator, the pilot can enter operational scenarios that would be very risky to attempt in actual flight but which bring significant added value to training,” says Christoph Zammert, Executive Vice President of Customer Support & Services at Airbus Helicopters.

22 July, 2022

Rhineland-Palatinate orders two H145 helicopters for its police force

The Ministry of Interior of Rhineland-Palatinate has ordered two five-bladed Airbus H145s for its police force, following a European tender launched earlier this year. The helicopters will replace the state’s current H135 fleet and will be operated by the police helicopters squadron in Winningen. The first delivery is planned for Q1 2024.

“We’d like to thank the Rhineland-Palatinate government for its continued trust in our helicopters”, says Wolfgang Schoder, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Germany. “These five-bladed H145s will be outfitted with highly sophisticated equipment in order to further enhance the mission capabilities of the police force. We have seen with the flooding last year that law enforcement operators need to be able to rely on helicopters that can perform these demanding and essential missions and the H145 does just that.”

There are more than 200 helicopters from the H145 helicopter family deployed for public services and law enforcement missions around the world.

The new version of Airbus’ best-selling H145 light twin-engine helicopter was unveiled at Heli-Expo 2019 in Atlanta. This latest upgrade adds a new, innovative five-bladed rotor to the multi-mission H145, increasing the useful load of the helicopter by 150 kg. The simplicity of the new bearingless main rotor design also eases maintenance operations, further improving the benchmark serviceability and reliability of the H145, while improving ride comfort for both passengers and crew.

24 June, 2022

Cyprus orders six Airbus H145Ms Helicopters for its National Guard


The Government of Cyprus has signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for the purchase of six H145Ms with an option for another six aircraft. The five-bladed helicopters will be operated by the Cypriot National Guard.

Photo  Airbus Helicopters/Cara Irina Wagner


“The implementation of this agreement will provide the National Guard with a cost-effective and high-performance helicopter solution that satisfies the operational requirements set by the General Staff and addresses many of the future challenges of light attack helicopter fleets. Able to operate in very demanding environments, the H145M will enhance the National Guard’s day and night capabilities in delivering rapid response, fire power and precision, providing effective combat support, and acquiring critical information,” said Andreas P. Louka, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus.

“The helicopter solution conceived by the National Guard/Air Force Command would not have materialised without Airbus’ strong commitment to customer focus and satisfaction. For this reason, I thank Airbus Helicopters for their excellent cooperation and commitment to this project and I am deeply satisfied because this contract marks the initiation of a long-term relationship with Airbus, a corporation with a reputation in safety, reliability and highest production standards,” he added. 

"We would like to thank the Government of Cyprus for the trust they are placing in the H145M which is becoming the reference multi-role light attack helicopter on the market,” said Olivier Michalon, Executive Vice President Global Business at Airbus Helicopters. “Operators can use it for tactical air transport, deployment of crisis response forces, fire support, armed reconnaissance as well as the evacuation of wounded or the liberation of hostages. There are now five different customers for the H145M in Europe, adding to the interoperability of armed forces on the continent,” he added. “We see a strong interest for the H145M across the world and we have several ongoing campaigns, which is very promising for this aircraft.”

Photo Airbus


The H145M is a multi-role light utility military helicopter. Derived from the civil H145, the latest version of the H145M features a new, innovative five-bladed rotor that increases the helicopter's payload by 150 kg. The design of the new bearingless main rotor also simplifies maintenance operations.

Equipped with the Airbus HForce weapons system the H145M can be operated as a light attack helicopter. The weapons range includes guns, rockets and missiles are currently being integrated. Combined with Manned-Unmanned Teaming capabilities and integration into networked combat, its bandwidth makes it the most performant helicopter in its class.
 
The H145 was developed as a civil model for day and night operations and in the most adverse conditions. It is used by armed forces, police and rescue teams all over the world. It is powered by two powerful Safran Helicopter Engines Arriel 2E turbines, controlled by the FADEC (full authority digital engine control) system. In addition, the helicopter is equipped with the Helionix digital avionics suite and thus offers not only innovative flight data management but also a powerful 4-axis autopilot, which considerably reduces the pilots' workload in their missions. Its particularly low noise emissions make the H145 the quietest helicopter in its class.

Photo Airbus

The H145M is already in service in Hungary (20), Germany (15), Serbia (9), Thailand (5) and Luxembourg (2). The US Army operates a fleet of more than 460 locally built civil helicopters of the H145 family under the name UH-72 Lakota.





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25 March, 2022

ÖAMTC Air Rescue: HeliAir expands service offerings............... HeliAir now offers maintenance service for Airbus H145 Helicopters


To meet increasing demand, ÖAMTC Air Rescue’s technical services division – HeliAir – has expanded its services to include maintenance for Airbus’s H145 helicopters. Having successfully completed the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s certification process at the end of 2021, HeliAir now fulfils all legal requirements to maintain the H145 for customers throughout Europe. “Every day, our technicians demonstrate their decades of experience and expertise while servicing the H135; now they can prove their skills on the H145 as well” asserts HeliAir director Marco Trefanitz.

 
On the path to certification, HeliAir faced a plethora of logistical and organizational challenges. “First off, our technicians had to be trained for the specific requirements of the H145, as every type of helicopter necessitates its own individual maintenance licensure”, explains Martin Weger, HeliAir’s technical director. “Additionally, we had to invest in all the required tools, materials and technical components.” After almost a year of preparation, HeliAir successfully passed Austro Control’s regulatory audit, thanks to the efforts of a highly motivated team.

 

In close cooperation with its customers, HeliAir has developed a flexible and needs-based maintenance concept, available immediately at its workshops in Innsbruck and Wiener Neustadt. “First and foremost, it’s about delivering service reliably and efficiently”, says Weger. For customers, this means reducing down-time to a minimum and getting helicopters back into service as quickly as possible. “Our team’s competence and reliability are a guarantee for a successful partnership with our customers” underscored Marco Trefanitz in his final remarks.

 







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10 March, 2022

Swiss Air-Rescue Service Rega orders nine five-bladed H145s

Swiss Air-Rescue Service Rega orders

nine five-bladed H145s



 
The Swiss Air-Rescue Service Rega has ordered nine five-bladed Airbus H145s to replace its current four-bladed versions. Rega’s new H145s will come equipped with a state-of-the-art navigation system that will enhance the mission capabilities and the safety of operations.

“We are very grateful to open another chapter in the relationship between our two organisations with this order for our five-bladed H145,” says Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “We are always looking at ways to evolve our helicopters by taking into account the feedback of those who operate them each and every day.”

“The H145 has fully proven itself in our operations since entering into service in 2018,” says Ernst Kohler, CEO of Rega. “We look forward to operating the five-bladed version on our HEMS bases in Switzerland. The helicopters will allow us to further boost our mission capabilities and safety of our operations.”

The new integrated navigation system will use new capabilities of the Flight Management System GTN750 Xi by Garmin. It will integrate and control a multi-sensor system that provides highly accurate and reliable navigation capacities. Even in the event of GPS signal loss, the helicopter will navigate safely thanks to Thales’ inertial navigation system. This solution will further boost the navigation performance in low IFR conditions and allows the helicopter to be certified as navigation procedure RNP-AR 0.1, which is the most accurate navigation procedure in the helicopter environment. The configuration also includes a new hoist by Vincorion that is being certified on the five-bladed H145.

Rega operates 13 HEMS stations in Switzerland. In 2021, the helicopter crews carried out 14,330 missions, including transporting 471 COVID patients. Rega’s current fleet includes seven H145s and one H125 used for pilot training.

16 December, 2021

French Sécurité Civile to expand fleet with two Airbus H145s

 
The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) has ordered an additional two five-bladed H145s destined to equip the Sécurité Civile, an agency of the French Ministry of Interior that performs rescue and air medical transport services throughout France. This contract is a follow-up to the contract signed in 2020 for an initial batch of two H145s which were delivered in December 2021.

“The Sécurité Civile has launched an ambitious, multi-year programme to modernise its means of intervention in order to adapt to the evolution and demands of our public service missions. We operate day and night from our 23 bases in France and overseas territories. On average, one person is rescued every 33 minutes by one of our "Dragon" helicopters and these two new aircraft will reinforce the operational capacity of the men and women of the French Sécurité Civile throughout France," said Prefect Alain Thirion, Director General of the Sécurité Civile.

14 December, 2021

The Airbus Helicopters H145 in Tierra del Fuego




Helicópteros Marinos has been based in Tierra del Fuego in southern Argentina for more than 34 years, operating from the city of Río Grande and the TOTAL AUSTRAL operations base in Río Cullen to provide support for the production and exploration platforms of its customer, Total Energies.

Located between 10 and 50 nautical miles off the coast, the platforms of the concession zone managed by Total Energies comprise the world’s most southernmost offshore oil and gas production field.

Since 2010, Helicópteros Marinos has been providing passenger and cargo transport to the platforms using two four-bladed EC145 helicopters, which have clocked more than 13,000 flight hours. However, customer demand for greater safety, comfort, load capacity and range has prompted the company to renew its fleet.

“One of the reasons for renewing the fleet was that we needed a greater available payload. The new helicopter achieves this due to its lightweight design, offering a greater maximum take-off weight than the earlier version,” explains Marcelo Florio, CEO of Helicópteros Marinos. “Secondly, the five-bladed version provides increased power, ensuring we can keep flying safely in all flight conditions, including situations of engine failure and when operating from offshore platforms or ships.”

“In addition, the Helionix avionics suite – with its four-axis autopilot – considerably reduces crew workloads, especially in instrumental flight conditions, which are very frequent in these latitudes.

The autopilot offers the possibility of hover flight with pinpoint accuracy, allowing our second helicopter, which provides SAR support, to perform rescue winch operations in very low visibility conditions over water,” he adds.

There are no SAR services with immediate response capacity in the region where Helicópteros Marinos operates. Coupled with low water temperatures and strong winds, survival time in the event of a forced water landing is minimal. Due to these hostile conditions, TOTAL has established strict safety protocols, with one of the two aircraft devoted exclusively to SAR support while the main helicopter performs passenger and cargo transport missions to the platforms.

The ideal helicopter for complex logistical conditions

17 November, 2021

Airbus meets customer request for vegan helicopter interior

                                      When a valued customer specified that his new helicopter must have an interior that was fully vegan, Airbus Corporate Helicopters’ (ACH) design team rose to the occasion.

The resulting ACH145 has now been delivered to German construction entrepreneur Dr Urs Brunner who insisted on the requirement at the urging of his wife, ethical fashion pioneer Daniela Brunner.

Its cabin is fitted with ACH’s clean and modern ACH Line interior configuration in a grey theme but the leather elements essential to its luxury feel are replaced with Ultraleather which captures the visual and tactile leather experience with comparable durability.

Items that had to be specially designed and fabricated in the replacement material include the six-passenger seats, central storage cabinet, rear partition and cockpit controls cuffs.

Ms Brunner, founding owner of specialist fashion house Giulia & Romeo, which has no animal products involved in its range and donates all its profits to animal welfare, wanted the helicopter to be consistent with her ethical values.

Head of ACH, Frederic Lemos, said: “We’re very proud of our team’s work in creating this bespoke ACH Line interior. The material that we used is certified for aviation use and is hard-wearing, but it can only be stretched in one direction which means it is a challenge to work with, particularly on the seats.

“This is where the craftsmanship of our hands-on team became crucial and I am delighted to say that we found a practical way to meet our customer’s desires which also looks superb.”

Dr Brunner, an experienced helicopter and fixed-wing pilot, said: “We both greatly appreciate the skill and imagination that went into devising and installing this interior.”

To view the helicopter at the Dubai Airshow contact Laurence Petiard, details below. The photo shows the vegan interior.





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04 July, 2021

The global helicopter fleet with Helionix avionics logs 500,000+ flight hours

Airbus Helicopters continues evolving this digital avionics suite for even more operational safety and mission flexibility


 
Underscoring its growing popularity with operators worldwide, Airbus Helicopters’ Helionix avionics suite now equips more than 500 H135, H145, H160, and H175 rotorcraft around the world – with over half a million flight hours logged to date by this fleet.

Airbus continues to enhance the capabilities of Helionix with new features, functionality, and connectivity – as well as adaptations that are specific to the various versions in Airbus Helicopters’ rotorcraft family.

The pilot’s best friend


As the state-of-the-art avionics solution developed in-house by Airbus Helicopters, Helionix provides greater operational safety and mission flexibility in an intuitive, pilot-friendly cockpit environment.

It offers an innovative cockpit layout with two to four multi-function screens designed to improve pilots’ situational awareness. In particular, the system displays only the most pertinent details of a flight phase – filtering out all unnecessary and distracting information, according to Christian Gottschalk, Head of the Helionix programme at Airbus Helicopters.

"The system displays only the most pertinent details of a flight phase – filtering out all unnecessary and distracting information."

Christian Gottschalk, Airbus Helicopters’ Head of the Helionix programme

Completing the avionics suite are a GPS navigation/communication system and traffic advisory notification, along with a mission system incorporating a digital map, terrain avoidance capabilities and synthetic vision cockpit technology. Further contributing to a reduction of the pilot’s workload and enhanced safety is the Helionix four-axis autopilot.

Helionix also lowers helicopter maintenance costs by monitoring more than a thousand parameters in real-time – allowing operators to monitor system trends and anticipate unscheduled maintenance operations.

17 June, 2021

SAF Group orders three more five-bladed emergency medical services Airbus H145 helicopters

SAF Group will be operating three more five-bladed H145s for emergency medical services (EMS) in France. These three aircraft will be based in Grenoble, Valence, and Montpellier. They will complement the three H145s already ordered by SAF in 2018 and 2020, the first of which was delivered recently and will be deployed for EMS missions in Belgium.


SAF CEO Tristan Serretta says: “Introducing six new H145s in France and Belgium in just twelve months is in line with our strategy to increase the capacity of the growing number of EMS services that place their trust in us.  This increase of our positioning is made possible by the level of performance and the versatility of this successful helicopter. SAF is determined to help demonstrate, together with the heads of emergency services, that having the right performance and at the right cost is key to saving lives”. 

27 May, 2021

Airbus performs first five-bladed H145 retrofit of DRF Luftrettung helicopter

Photo Christian Keller / Airbus

Airbus Helicopters, in cooperation with DRF Luftrettung, has performed the first retrofit of a four-bladed H145 into the new five-bladed version. The helicopter, an H145 of the German HEMS operator, was first delivered in 2018 and will be deployed at DRF’s base in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany. The upgrade to the five-bladed version can be performed by every Part145 maintenance organisation by following the associated service bulletin issued by Airbus Helicopters. It consists in exchanging the rotor system, updating the helicopter’s Helionix avionics suite and installing a new horizontal stabilizer. The innovative five-blade bearingless rotor increases the useful load and further enhances the mission capabilities of the aircraft, while eliminating rotor hub maintenance.

19 March, 2021

Seventh Airbus Helicopters H145 for the German Armed Forces’ Search and Rescue service

 
Photo  Christian Keller

Airbus Helicopters has handed over the seventh and last H145 for the search and rescue (SAR) service of the Bundeswehr to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) on time. The previously delivered helicopters are used for training and field testing and are available 24/7 at the Niederstetten and Nörvenich air bases for rescue operations. Operations with the new H145 LUH SAR will begin shortly, as planned, at the third SAR station in Holzdorf.

"We are pleased that we have completed this order from start to finish on time and within budget and that the commissioning is proceeding according to plan," said Wolfgang Schoder, CEO of Airbus Helicopters Germany. “The feedback we have received from our customers has been very positive. Because of their flexibility and very high availability, the helicopters of the H145 family have proven themselves in the Bundeswehr. We see considerably more possibilities for a wide range of tasks in all branches of the armed forces for the reliable model."

Among other features, the helicopters are equipped with high-performance cameras, searchlights, emergency beacon locator systems, a full suite of medical equipment, rescue winches, and load hooks that can be used for fire-extinguishing tanks, for example. They are easy to identify thanks to the characteristic bright orange paintwork on their doors, featuring ‘SAR’ in blue lettering.





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25 November, 2020

How helicopters are braving the elements to keep our world running during COVID-19

WIKING Helikopter Service continues maintenance on offshore wind farms and helps to keep maritime trade infrastructure working efficiently.


The contribution helicopters make to the battle against COVID-19 are well-known; they are relied upon to transfer critically ill patients and ease the strain on overstretched medical facilities. But lesser-known contributions are also being made by helicopters to maintain our energy supply and help keep our maritime trade routes functioning efficiently during the pandemic. WIKING Helikopter Service, an offshore helicopter operator, demonstrates the important role operators play in this crucial sector to help keep our world running. 

Ensuring energy and maritime trade operations are maintained

As many countries tightened their borders in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, governments from around the world were faced with a difficult task: how do we ensure that the supply of vital resources - such as energy and critical goods - is maintained while respecting restrictions meant to combat the pandemic? WIKING Helikopter Service went quickly to work, adapting its helicopters in order to conform to safety protocols and keep their helicopters flying. "We implemented the necessary infection protection measures and were thus able to continue our flight operations without restrictions during critical COVID-19 phases," says Lars Hilgert, head of flight operations and pilot at WIKING.

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