Airbus Helicopters to showcase H135 as future Navy helicopter trainer during U.S. Navy Fleet Fly-In event

Modern, twin-engine H135 is a proven military trainer in use globally

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas, Airbus Helicopters will showcase the versatile and market-leading H135 aircraft as the future training helicopter for the U.S. Navy at the Naval Helicopter Association’s Fleet Fly-in at Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Pensacola, Florida from October 22-26. 

“Airbus Helicopters is convinced the H135 is the best solution to prepare the next generation of U.S. Navy pilots for decades to come, both technically and economically,” said Chris Emerson, President of Airbus Helicopters, Inc. and Head of the North America region. “We look forward to demonstrating why this aircraft is the best solution for the Navy’s helicopter training needs.”

Airbus pilots will conduct orientation flights with U.S. Navy pilots and other stakeholders to demonstrate the H135’s capabilities at the October fleet fly-in.

Equipped with the most advanced technologies available like 4-axis autopilot and One Engine Inoperable (OEI) training mode, the FAA Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) Certified H135 provides future aviators with an ideal platform for training missions, a critical requirement for the Navy as it trains its pilots over water and in reduced visibility.

“As a twin-engine helicopter, the H135 provides a training environment most similar to the Navy’s warfighting rotorcraft fleet, creating opportunities for cost and operational efficiencies compared to a single-engine aircraft,” said Scott Tumpak, vice president of military programs at Airbus Helicopters, Inc.

With its maneuverability, cockpit visibility, advanced safety features, endurance, and best-value performance attributes, the H135 is the preeminent military training helicopter in the world. More than 130 units are providing training for military pilots in 13 countries, including Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan. 

The H135 has executed over 300,000 military training flight hours. Globally, the H135 operates in more than 60 countries and has flown more than 4.8 million hours.

The H135 boasts the Airbus-developed, state-of-the-art Helionix avionics package designed by pilots specifically for helicopters.  The H135’s advanced cockpit design improves pilots’ situational awareness while reducing workload, which enhances safety.  The high-set main rotor and Fenestron® shrouded tail rotor contribute to improved operational safety.

Airbus produces the U.S. Army’s primary training helicopters, the twin-engine UH-72A Lakota. Since contract award in 2006, Airbus has delivered 431 Lakotas on time, on cost and on quality. Also, the Lakota is the primary trainer aircraft for the Navy’s Advanced Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Md.

The H135 trainers for the Navy will be produced at the company’s facility in Columbus, Miss., where the Lakota is manufactured. The Columbus workforce is comprised of more than 40 percent U.S. military veterans.

“A multi-mission and economical workhorse, the H135 is the right tool to support U.S. Navy initial pilot training. Airbus’ global success in delivering rotary wing training platforms is recognized worldwide,” Tumpak added.

Airbus to offer H135 for U.S. Navy helicopter trainer replacement

Light twin-engine aircraft is leading military trainer globally

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX. (17 May 2018) – Airbus Helicopters Inc. will offer the Airbus H135 helicopter as the solution for the U.S. Navy’s planned helicopter trainer replacement program. An H135 demonstrator aircraft in Navy trainer markings is on display this week at the 2018 Naval Helicopter Association Symposium in Norfolk, Va.

"The H135 is a market leading twin-engine, multi-mission helicopter performing the primary training mission for some of the finest militaries in the world," said Chris Emerson, President of Airbus Helicopters Inc. and Head of the North America Region. 

global leader in rotorcraft technology, offering a full range of modern and affordable training helicopters that have been proven in the U.S. and around the globe. The U.S. Army operates Airbus Helicopters' twin-engine UH-72A Lakota as its initial entry rotary wing trainer at Fort Rucker, Ala.

"When paired with Airbus unrivaled support for the lifetime of the airframe, the H135 is the right solution both technically and economically for the U.S. Navy,” Emerson said.  “As a twin-engine helicopter, the H135 provides a training environment most similar to the Navy’s warfighting rotorcraft fleet, creating opportunities for cost and operational synergies compared to a single engine trainer."

The H135 is the rotorcraft of choice for military pilot training due to its maneuverability, high visibility, and low vibration levels. The aircraft is equipped with the most advanced technologies available, providing instructor pilots with an ideal platform for training missions for the U.S. Navy. 

One of the safest aircraft in its class, the H135 is fitted with a Glass Cockpit, a crash-resistant fuel system, energy absorbing seats, fuselage and landing gear. The H135 has a proven record of unrivaled operational costs as result of continuous technological improvements.  The H135 is the preeminent military training helicopter in the world, currently providing pilot training for military pilots in over 13 countries around the world.

Easily recognized by its trademarked Fenestron® tail rotor system, the H135 combines Airbus Helicopters Helionix® technologies, including an advanced cockpit with one of the most modern Human Machine Interface (HMI) available in this light multi-purpose helicopter class.

With an accumulation of more than 4.5 million flight hours, the H135’s operational training readiness has consistently averaged greater than 90 percent further highlighting the platform’s viability for U.S. Navy pilot training.

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, with a workforce consisting of more than 40 percent U.S. military veterans, produces UH-72A Lakota helicopters for the U.S. Army and the H125 for the civil market.