CHC takes delivery of first H175 aircraft

CHC takes delivery of first H175 aircraft

The delivery is supported by a nose-to-tail HCare services contract

02/08/2017 – CHC Helicopter will today take delivery of its first H175 for use in offshore oil and gas operations. The aircraft has been delivered in full offshore passenger transport configuration, allowing CHC to begin training and adjustment from the operator’s base at Aberdeen, ahead of operational launch in August 2017.

Based at CHC Helicopter’s site in Aberdeen, Scotland, the H175 has been configured to carry 16 passengers in offshore oil and gas configuration and will benefit from a nose-to-tail HCare services contract. The HCare contract will help maximise cost efficiencies through coverage for all spare parts and repairable items supplied from Airbus Helicopters’ North Sea Fleet Centre, also in Aberdeen.

Dave Balevic, Senior Vice President, Engineering and Operations at CHC Helicopter, said, “The H175 allows us to continue to refine our global fleet to meet the unique needs of our customers while offering the latest aircraft technology and capabilities.”

Today, a global fleet of 15 H175 have flown more than 12,000 hours, with 13 flying oil and gas missions – the majority of these in the North Sea with one operating in the Gulf of Mexico. The H175 has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of nearly 8 tonnes and is designed to provide unmatched efficiency across a range of missions, including utility, VIP transport, oil and gas and search and rescue. Equipped with Helionix, Airbus Helicopters’ integrated suite of advanced avionics and 4-axis autopilot, the H175 offers enhanced situational awareness and improved operational safety by helping to reduce pilot workload and increasing mission flexibility.

Ben Bridge, EVP Global Business at Airbus Helicopters said, “CHC will benefit from the enhanced flexibility the H175 offers, helping to smoothly and efficiently transport up to 16 passengers to North Sea offshore installations.” He added, “With full glass cockpit, automated systems, spacious cabin and large windows, the H175 represents a major achievement for AH, helping to raise the bar in terms of operational efficiency, safety and comfort in offshore operations”.

With virtually little or no vibration at cruise speeds of 150 knots and maximum speeds of 165 knots, the H175, already in operation with NHV, Pegaso, Babcock and Monacair and is playing a key role supporting the offshore oil and gas industry through the efficiencies that this flexible aircraft brings into service. 

Certification of the Rig’N Fly automatic oil platform approach mode for the H175

Airbus Helicopters has received EASA certification for the Rig’N Fly (Rig Integrated GPS approaches with eNhanced Flyability and safetY) for its H175 super medium helicopter.

London, Airbus Helicopters has received EASA certification for the Rig’N Fly (Rig Integrated GPS approaches with eNhanced Flyability and safetY) for its H175 super medium helicopter.

Already certified for the H225, this avionics upgrade enhances the H175’s offshore mission capability providing fully automatic rig approaches. The automated mode also reinforces flight safety by allowing the crew to focus on the flight parameters and the external environment.

“With 19 helicopters now in operation, the H175 continues to evolve to meet the demanding Oil & Gas industry mission needs,” said Marc Allongue, head of the H175 programme. “This automatic approach procedure is a key element to increase the reliability and safety of our customers’ offshore operations. Thanks to the Rig’N Fly mode, their approaches to and take-offs from platform-based helipads will be safer and simpler.”

Rig’N Fly uses a combination of sensors (GPS, barometric altimeter, radar altimeter, weather radar, etc.) to provide enhanced flight precision and situational awareness for automatic rig approaches. The system also includes offset approaches, which can be tailored according to weather conditions and oil rig environment for the safest, standardized approach, placing the helideck in the most easily visible position for the crew.

By providing a repeatable path computation, the ability to couple the Automatic Flight Control System along with the flexibility to take environmental elements into account, Rig’N Fly reduces the workload of the crew, while enhancing situational awareness.

The H175 upgraded avionics suite also include advances in the Synthetic Vision System - offering a better display resolution and decluttering capability- and in the Helicopter Terrain Avoidance System, which optimises crew alerting time. Approach-deviation alerts have also been improved while enhancement of the maintenance functions and associated ground tools allow for better detection of failures and simplification of data downloading.