Lee County, Florida acquires six Airbus H125s to upgrade fleet for airborne mosquito control missions

FAA approved STC allows higher operating weight for aerial spraying.

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX. (15 May 2018) – Lee County Mosquito Control District in Florida is operating six new Airbus H125 helicopters as part of a major upgrade of its aircraft fleet. The new aircraft are being used to support aerial spraying to control the mosquito population in the roughly 1,000 square-mile district in southwest Florida, which includes the city of Fort Myers.

Lee County officials selected the H125 because of its superior performance and ability to carry a heavier load. Each H125 is capable of hauling about 1,000 pounds more equipment and mosquito abatement product than the previous aircraft in certain configurations, allowing the district to cut the number of helicopters it operates from 10 to six.

will improve our fuel efficiency and cut down on maintenance," said Rick O’Neal of the Lee County Mosquito Control District." "Six aircraft will now do the work that 10 used to do."

Airbus Helicopters Inc. received a supplemental type certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to allow the Lee County aircraft to operate at the higher weight necessary to meet the mission requirements.  

"We take great pride in helping our customers achieve their missions," said Chris Emerson, president of Airbus Helicopters Inc. "The H125 is the leading high-performance single-engine helicopter available, and we are pleased that the Lee County Mosquito Control District selected it to conduct their missions of protecting citizens by fighting disease-carrying mosquitoes."

Created in 1958, the Lee County Mosquito Control District is committed to improving the quality of life, facilitating outdoor activities and protecting public health by implementing environmentally sound practices that control mosquito populations throughout the Gulf Coast county. The district operates both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

The district expects to operate each of the H125s 200 to 250 hours a year, O’Neal said. The peak mosquito-fighting season is May through September.

Airbus Helicopters Inc. produces the H125 at its final assembly plant in Columbus, Miss., by a workforce that includes about 40 percent U.S. military veterans. The H125 is known for its high performance, payload, reliability, and multi-mission flexibility.

Airbus Helicopters Inc. is the leading provider of civil and commercial helicopters in the U.S. The company is based in Grand Prairie, Texas where it operates helicopter completion, paint, and MRO facilities, performs flight test and engineering support, and flight and maintenance training for customers. The Columbus, Miss. plant produces UH-72A Lakota helicopters for the U.S. Army and the H125 for the civil market.

Safran signs by-the-hour support contracts with Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters and Rainier Heli International

Safran Helicopter Engines has signed Support-By-Hour (SBH®) contracts with Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters and Rainier Heli International, covering engines powering the operators’ H125 and H130 fleets.

©Yankel Murciano / Airbus Helicopters

Each contract formalizes a seven year Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) agreement supporting a total of 16 Arriel 2D engines for Papillon with an additional three engines added over the next two months and six engines for Rainier with one additional engine this spring.

Commented Thierry Derrien, President & CEO of Safran Helicopter Engines USA, "it is with great pride that Safran Helicopter Engines enters into these partnerships with Papillon and Rainier. We appreciate the opportunity to provide this support solution for their H125 and H130 helicopters. Delivering best-in-class solutions is a top priority for Safran and we are delighted with the progress of our collaborations."

SBH® (Support-By-the-Hour) is a comprehensive "pay as you fly" service solution that provides financial stability through a process of predicting through-life scheduled and unscheduled maintenance costs, and smooths cash flow based on a fixed cost per engine flight-hour.

©Cyril Abad / CAPA Pictures / Safran

Lon Halvorson, Principal, Papillon Airways, Inc (PAI) and President and CEO, Rainier Heli International (RHI)– "Papillon, Rainier, and Safran Helicopter Engines USA have been working towards this mutual goal for a very long time and we are pleased to have finalized this Agreement that will be a benefit to both parties"

Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters is one of the largest aerial sightseeing operators in the world, flying an estimated 600,000 passengers annually on daily tours to the Grand Canyon. Rainier Heli International provides helicopter leasing solutions to the international marketplace. Both companies are owned by the Halvorson family. 

SBH® is part of EngineLife® Services, Safran's range of solutions for helicopter engines.

HELICAL becomes first operator in the South Pacific to choose HCare Smart

Operating an H125 in New Caledonia, HELICAL recently opted for Airbus Helicopters’ HCare Smart support package, becoming the first South Pacific operator to use the service.

HELICAL, a member of the HCM Group of New Caledonia, recently became the first South Pacific company to choose Airbus’ HCare Smart contract. Under the service, scheduled and unscheduled events are covered by a dedicated worldwide original equipment manufacturer (OEM) pool, ensuring the helicopter’s availability at all times, while maintenance costs are optimised and therefore lower. 

“Airbus Helicopters’ parts-by-the-hour contract allows our spares stock to be reduced and lets us better manage our maintenance costs,” says Thierry Epplin, chief pilot at HELICAL.

HELICAL employs an H125 helicopter for nickel mining and drilling prospecting in New Caledonia’s mountainous regions. The H125 transports personnel and equipment to remote sites, and uses its external sling to complement mineral exploration.

www.hcm.nc

Airbus Helicopters in Latin America and the Caribbean

Airbus’ helicopter division has a four-decade presence in Latin America. With a fleet of more than 1,400 rotorcraft in service across the region, Airbus helicopters make up nearly a third of the operating fleet in this area of the world. The Airbus customer centre network, with bases in Mexico, Brazil and Chile, ensures continuous support to its helicopter types flying in Latin America and the Caribbean and employs approximately 1,150 people.

From the H125 single-engine rotorcraft to the multi-purpose heavyweight H225M, Airbus’ helicopters are in service with most of the continent’s military services. The highly successful Super Puma/Cougar family H225 and H215 rotorcraft, for example, are operated in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Ecuador, Argentina and Bolivia. Airbus has also supplied 10 AS565 Panthers MBe to the Mexican Navy, which became the world launch operator of this new version.

The H225 of the Argentine Coast Guard is used for search and rescue missions in the Argentinian sea

In the civil sector, several rotorcraft models are used in public service and commercial activities such as medical emergency transport, airborne law enforcement, transport missions for the energy industry, and private and corporate aviation.

Operated throughout Latin America is the single-engine H125 light utility helicopter: famed for its performance in ‘high and hot’ conditions, this rotorcraft is commonly used for airborne law enforcement and diverse aerial work missions, as well as for private business aviation. The light twin-engine H145 performs police missions including support to populations affected by natural disasters and gives support to the energy/mining industry. The new super-medium H175 has been successfully deployed in the Gulf of Mexico serving the oil and gas industry.

Airbus has launched several industrial cooperation programs that have greatly contributed to the development of the region’s aviation industry. Brazil – home to a state-of-the-art engineering and design centre and final assembly lines for H125 and H225 rotorcraft – and Mexico – with a new 13,000-square metre industrial facility producing aeronautical metallic components – are good examples of the company’s active role in industrial cooperation and transfer of technology in the region.

In addition to the in-house support and services offer provided by its subsidiaries, Airbus has created an accredited network of helicopter maintenance centres in several Latin American countries, including Argentina, Guatemala, Panama and Peru. Airbus also offers initial training for technicians and pilots.

The H125 of the Investigations Police of Chile

Helicopter Travel Munich sign for four new H125s

Expanding current fleet to 25 Airbus helicopters

Las Vegas, Airbus Helicopters and Helicopter Travel Munich (HTM) have signed an agreement at Heli-Expo for the purchase of four H125s, completing a fleet of 25 Airbus helicopters.

“We have selected the H125 for its superior performance especially in mountainous areas and hot climates” said Hans Ostler, CEO of HTM. “We are excited to put this helicopter into operation for a number of missions including passenger transport, aerial work, filming and photo shoots, and fire-fighting,” he added.

“We are proud that HTM has renewed their trust in Airbus Helicopters’ products since the delivery of the H145 in November last year” said Dennis Bernitz, Head of Sales Central Europe at Airbus Helicopters. “I am sure that HTM will appreciate the advantages of the new G500 glass cockpit that offers pilots with a highly visible and customisable instrument panel and the aircraft’s reduced maintenance costs thanks to recent modifications made to the maintenance plan” he added.

Helicopter Travel Munich is one of the largest helicopter companies in Germany with IFR and Offshore approval as well as its own flying school. HTM operates 25 helicopters at 6 locations, flying more than 5000 hour a year performing missions such as firefighting, heliskiing, offshore wind, cargo flights, aerial work, VIP Flights, HEMS Flights, film and photo shoots, as well as training flights for basic and advanced pilots.

With built-in manoeuvrability, excellent visibility and low vibrations levels in the cabin, the H125 has earned its reputation as a true multi-mission workhorse, becoming a common sight at heliports, hospital landing pads, police department operation centres and airports around the world. The H125’s elegant new cabin has a flat floor that can be quickly and easily reconfigured for various mission types, including aerial work, firefighting, law enforcement, search and rescue, and passenger transport.

Airbus to be largest exhibitor at FIDAE

Latest  products,  services  to  be  showcased  at  Latin  America’s  leading  airshow 

Santiago  de  Chile,  28  March  2018–Airbus  will  have  a  major  presence  at  the  20th  FIDAE Airshow,  showcasing  the  latest  products,  services  and  innovations  in  the  commercial  aircraft, defence,  space  and  helicopter  markets.  Since  1994  Airbus  has  participated  in  the  biennial show,  which will  takes  place  at  Santiago’s  Arturo  Merino Benitez  Airport  between 3  -  8  April.

After  making  its  first  debut  at  FIDAE  in  2016,  the  A350-900  is  back  and  will  be  on  static display  and  take  part  in  flying  demonstrations  between  2  -  5  April.  The  A350-900  is  the cornerstone  of  the  A350  XWB  Family,  an  all-new  family  of  mid-size  wide-body  long-haul airliners  shaping  the  future  of  air  travel,  and  since  its  launch  Airbus  has  captured  nearly  50 percent  market  share of  net  orders  of  widebody  aircraft  in  Latin America.                   

The  highlight  of  Airbus  Defence and Space’s  presence at  FIDAE  includes  an  A400M  from  the Spanish Air  Force.  This  new-generation  military  airlifter  has  proven  its  capabilities in  the  most demanding  theaters,  also  playing  a  critical  role  in  humanitarian  operations  around  the  world. The  highly-versatile  C295  military  transport  and  mission  aircraft  from  the  Mexican  Air  Force (SEDENA)  will  also  be  on  static  display.  Airbus  is  the  preferred  partner  of  all  three  of  Chile’s armed  forces,  with  12  light  and  medium  military  transport  aircraft  –C212,  CN235  and  C295- in  operation.  In  the  space  field,  Airbus  will  exhibit  its  satellite  offering.  Visitors  will  see  a mockup  of  the  AstroBus-S,  a  compact  satellite  with  high  performance  that  was  the  basis  of the  Perú  SAT-1,  the  Peruvian  satellite  built  in  a  timeframe  of  less  than  two  years  and successfully  launched  in  September  2016. 

Leading  the  region’s  helicopter  market  with  39  percent  of  deliveries  in  the  past  five  years, Airbus  Helicopters  will  showcase  a  wide  range  of  products  already  in  service.  From  the  light single  engine  H125  and  H130  to  the  medium  H155,  to  the  light  twin  engine  H135  and  H145, visitors  will  discover  that  Airbus  has  the  right  product  for  every  helicopter  mission. 

Making  its  debut  at  FIDAE,  Airbus  Helicopters’  highlight  at  the  show  will  be  the  H145,  which will  be  delivered  to  Chilean  operator  Ecocopter,  becoming  the  first  of  its  type  in  service  in  the country.  With  more  than  100  helicopters  in  service,  the  Super  Puma  family  will  be represented  by  the  nine-ton  H215M  which  combines  mission-proven  ruggedness  with  a  full glass  cockpit,  modern  avionics,  and  very  competitive  operating  and  maintenance costs.    Operated  by  both  Chile’s  army  and navy,  the  H215M  will  be  part  of  their  display.

Key  Airbus  activities at  FIDAE  include:

- Airbus  will  host  a  series  of  media  briefings  covering  the  commercial,  helicopter, military  aircraft  and space systems  markets

- Airbus  will  sponsor  a  variety  of  events  running  in  parallel  with  FIDAE  or  organized  by FIDAE,  such  as  the  IATA  Wings  of  Change  Conference,  Aviation  Leaders  Forum  and the  IV  Space  Conference and  the  LARS  2018  Conference

- Airbus  will  also  kick  off  the  2018  edition  of  InPlaneSight,  a  A400M  global  photo competition  launched  to  celebrate  the  A400M  entering  into  service  with  Air  Forces around  the  world

Latin America is one of the first markets and sourcing partner regions for Airbus, with an order backlog of $50 billion and a legacy business that goes back more than 40 years. As one of Airbus’ key markets, Latin America is home to over 1,200 Airbus employees, at 21 sites across six countries (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay).