Air Center’s H225s help elite pararescue forces reach operational excellence in offshore training

The U.S. Air Force enlisted Air Center Helicopters’ H225s to conduct Special Operations training in elite offshore rescue operations - preparing them for real-life rescue operations in the field.

With its 16 H225s and 4 H125s, Air Center Helicopters is well known in the industry for its wide breadth of operational experience and capabilities - conducting everything from personnel recovery and medical evacuation in hostile military environments to firefighting and even carrying out scientific research on the ice sheets in Antarctica for the U.S. National Science Foundation. Recently, they supported a U.S. Air Force Special Operations Pararescue training unit, capstoning a rigorous skill level upgrade course - preparing them for rescue operations in more challenging offshore conditions.

Premier rescue unit for the U.S. Air Force

As part of the Special Warfare community, Pararescuemen or “PJs” as they’re referred to, are highly skilled tactical and technical rescue specialists with advanced medical capabilities. PJs are relied on in the Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force to retrieve injured airmen in challenging and potentially hostile conditions. With expertly honed skills in parachuting, combat scuba diving, high angle rescue, and emergency medical care, they regularly undergo training to sharpen their abilities - making them a truly formidable rescue team.

H225: the ideal training helicopter

H225 SAR

First Airbus helicopter flight with 100% sustainable aviation fuel

An Airbus H225 has performed the first-ever helicopter flight with 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) powering one of the Safran Makila 2 engines. The flight, which took place at the company’s headquarters in Marignane, marks the start of a flight campaign aiming to assess the impact of unblended SAF on the helicopter systems in view of certifying the use of SAF blends that exceed today’s 50% limit.

“While all Airbus helicopters are certified to fly with up to a 50% blend of SAF mixed with kerosene, it is our Company’s ambition to have its helicopters certified to fly with 100% SAF within the decade. Today’s flight is an important first step towards this goal”, said Stefan Thome, Executive Vice President, Engineering and Chief Technical Officer, Airbus Helicopters.

The flight campaign, which follows earlier unblended SAF bench tests performed by Safran Helicopter Engines at its Bordes plant, will provide further understanding of the technical challenges associated with the use of 100% SAF. The H225 test helicopter flew with an unblended SAF derived from used cooking oil, provided by TotalEnergies, which offers a net 90% CO2 reduction compared to regular jet fuel.

“SAF is an important pillar of Airbus Helicopters’ decarbonisation strategy because it provides immediate CO2 reduction with no negative impact on the performance of the helicopter,” Thome added. “I thank our partners Safran Helicopter Engines and TotalEnergies for their important collaboration in making today’s flight a reality. Further cooperation among all industry stakeholders is essential to overcome the challenges associated with implementing SAF widely and to make real progress in reducing the aviation industry’s CO2 emissions”.

In order to drive the deployment of biofuels, Airbus Helicopters has launched a SAF User Group dedicated to the rotary-wing community. The company has also started using SAF for training and test flights at its French and German sites.

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Two new H225 helicopters ordered from Airbus by Japan Coast Guard

Japan Coast Guard (JCG) orders two additional H225 helicopters on 6 April 2020.                              Photo Airbus/ANTHONY PECCHI 

Japan Coast Guard (JCG), has placed a new order of two H225 helicopters and is a follow-on order that brings JCG’s Super Puma fleet to 15, comprising two AS332s and 13 H225s. The new helicopters will be utilised for territorial coastal activities, security enforcement, as well as disaster relief missions in Japan.

“We thank the Japan Coast Guard for its continued confidence in the H225,” said Guillaume Leprince, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Japan. “The H225 is well regarded as a reference in search-and-rescue operations and security enforcement, and we are certainly happy to see these helicopters effectively deployed in Japan through the years. We have delivered three new H225 to JCG in the recent months, within schedule, and are committed to fully supporting its existing fleet, as well as its upcoming deliveries, ensuring high availability for its operations.”

The JCG’s H225s are covered by Airbus’ HCare Smart full-by-the-hour material support. This customised fleet availability programme allows JCG to focus on its flight operations whilst Airbus manages its assets.

The 11-ton-category, twin-engine H225 is the latest member of Airbus Helicopters’ Super Puma family. Equipped with state-of-the-art electronic instruments and renowned autopilot precision, the all-weather capable H225 offers outstanding endurance and fast cruise speed and can be fitted with various equipment to suit any role.

H225: Maximum availability for utility work

Article: Belén Morant

Photo -Dianne-Bond

Air Center Helicopters Inc (ACHI) purchased 17 H225 helicopters previously devoted to the oil & gas market. Following the necessary retrofit work, these helicopters are now performing transport and utility missions for the U.S. Government, with an HCare Smart contract signed in October 2019 to guarantee their maximum availability. We talk to John Bean, Chief Operations Officer of ACHI.

Why did ACHI decide at the time to purchase these 17 oil & gas H225s and repurpose them as utility helicopters?

Many of the contract opportunities we’ve been looking at had very old aircraft – around 30 or 40 years old. This was affecting their reliability and their ability to satisfy customer needs. We therefore decided to look for a modern aircraft that was easily supportable and that could carry even more payload, with greater range, because in the utility market, payload and range are the key to customer satisfaction. The H225 was rather unique in this sense.

Air Greenland selects Airbus H225 helicopter for search and rescue

Photo Airbus

Greenland – Air Greenland has ordered two Airbus H225 heavy helicopters to support its bid to win its home country’s search and rescue (SAR) contract.

Under the terms of a firm contract assisted by Airbus Helicopters, two H225s repurposed from the oil and gas industry will be delivered over the coming months to replace the ageing S-61 helicopter currently used for the service.

Airbus will provide a comprehensive maintenance and support package as well as pilot and crew training.

Airbus Helicopters Head of Europe Region Olivier Michalon said: “At Airbus, we are proud that the deployment of the H225 will help ensure the safety of global maritime traffic transiting the Greenland-Iceland gap to and from the Arctic region”.

Icelandic Coast Guard upgrades to Airbus H225 rescue helicopters

Photo Airbus

Airbus Helicopters is supporting the Icelandic Coast Guard (ICG) with the entry into service of two Airbus H225 heavy search and rescue (SAR) helicopters as the first step in a renewal of the agency’s helicopter fleet.

The aircraft are replacing two of the ICG’s three existing Airbus AS332L1 Super Pumas, the first of which entered service in 1995. They are being leased from Norwegian helicopter lessor Knut Axel Ugland Holding AS and will both be in service by the end of April 2019. The ICG plans to purchase permanent replacements for all three aircraft in its fleet by 2022.