Airbus Helicopters announces 43 orders at Heli-Expo 2019

Atlanta - Airbus Helicopters wraps up the 2019 edition of Heli-Expo with 43 orders from worldwide customers announced for the whole Airbus civil product range - H125, H130, H135, H145, H160, H175 and H225. Twenty-one helicopters of the 43 orders announced at the show were from longstanding Airbus Helicopters customer Air Medical Group Holdings (AMGH), which unveiled a contract for a mix of single-engine H125s and twin-engine H135s.

Major highlights included the launch of a new version of the H145 providing increased performance, comfort, simplicity and connectivity to the twin-engine best-seller. This new H145 secured launch customers in key market segments with orders for 10 units being announced at the show, as well as retrofits for nine helicopters.

“Heli-Expo is always a great opportunity to meet with our customers and to show them first-hand how we strive to bring innovations that meet their needs, like the five-bladed H145 we unveiled this year,” said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO. “Our teams are thrilled to see the market reacting so positively to these efforts, and I’m thankful to all the customers who placed their trust in our products in services”.

Airbus performed daily demonstrations of the new digital support and service offerings that were unveiled at the show such as digital log cards, with CHC Helicopter’s newest H175 to become the first helicopter to be delivered with the new system, and the new Flight Analyser data analytics. Key contracts from the HCare support portfolio were signed such as the first HCare Infinite in North America for Superior Helicopters and a global support contract for the 19 helicopters of the National Police Air Service (NPAS) of the United Kingdom, highlighting Airbus’ commitment to delivering efficient support to its customers worldwide.

Heli-Expo also saw some key partnership announcements with the selection of the Pratt & Whitney (PW 206B3) turbine engine to power the Airbus H135 IFR-certified helicopter the company is proposing for the U.S. Navy helicopter trainer replacement. Airbus Helicopters also announced partnerships with Skytrac, AMS and Lundin Software to enhance its data collection capabilities that will enrich Airbus databases and inform analytics services that offer value to customers.

BELL FIRST MANUFACTURER TO CERTIFY HEALTH USAGE MONITORING SYSTEM (HUMS) IN LIGHT SINGLE-ENGINE

As innovators and a leader in smart, digital vertical-lift aircraft, Bell is now the first OEM to certify a Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) for a light single-engine aircraft. The Bell 407 HUMS monitoring covers drive system, engine, rotors, and it provides estimates of remaining useful life to help bring predictability to maintenance needs.

Lightweight, cost-sensitive and the latest technology, the GPMS Foresight MX HUMS uses a breakthrough “smart sensor” architecture to allow all sensor data to be gather in seconds compared to legacy HUMS which may take up to 20 minutes.  Faster data acquisition allows the system to gather data more often for more accurate diagnosis. GPMS solution also provides innovative signal filtering technology and prognostic algorithms which enhance reporting accuracy. 

Operators with HUMS equipped aircraft, once registered with the Bell, will be able to access data on mobile devices, using MissionLinkTM, an innovative off-board data platform that delivers intuitive analysis to customers. All aircraft data can will be available in a single system dashboard with an easy-to-use data-landing page available on the customer’s smart phone mobile device. This allows our customers’ aircraft to communicate how it is performing, provide historical trends/analysis and detailed health vitals on core components.

Airbus Helicopters to offer CRFS retrofit kit for earlier variants of H125 and H130 models

• - Development in progress for the AS350 B3 and EC130 B4, complementing existing AS350 B3e retrofit
• - Price reduction of Airbus solution

Atlanta, In order to encourage important safety enhancements for its customers, Airbus Helicopters is now selling its current crash resistant fuel system (CRFS) retrofit solution at a reduced cost and extending the development to additional aircraft models, namely the AS350 B3 and EC130 B4. These kits will complement the existing Airbus retrofit solution for the AS350 B3e, which was first made available as an option for newly manufactured helicopters in 2014.

“Above all, safety is the ultimate priority of Airbus, and it’s our duty to make sure that available solutions that help increase the safety of our helicopters are made readily available to our customers and that we work to remove barriers to implementing such solutions,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “The more helicopters that we as an industry can equip with systems like CRFS, the more we can all work together to ensure that everyone in the aviation community is adhering to the same high standards.”

Airbus is offering its retrofit kits at the reduced cost to all customers, and will credit the difference to any customer having already purchased an H125 retrofit kit from Airbus Helicopters at a higher price The new Airbus B3 and B4 retrofit kits should be available to customers by early 2020. In addition, Airbus is offering an additional incentive in training credits to customers who retrofit their fleets with a third-party kit for the earlier H125 variants (B2 and prior).

Any Airbus H125 or H130 family helicopter in service today that does not have a CRFS can be equipped with one through either an Airbus or third party approved retrofit solution, based on the model. Airbus expects to have CRFS as standard on all new-built H125s worldwide by 2020. This is already the case for all H125s coming off the company’s U.S. final assembly line in Columbus, Mississippi. The H130 (EC130 T2) has come standard with a CRFS since its entry into service in 2012.

Airbus mission-ready products take centre stage at Heli-Expo 2019

- Static display includes enhanced H145, law enforcement H125, private & business aviation ACH145, emergency medical services H160

- HCare customer support solutions that bring value to customers

- Innovation corner with high-speed Racer mock-up

Marignane – Airbus Helicopters is gearing up to showcase its mission-ready product and services line at this year’s Heli-Expo trade show, taking place from 5 -7 March at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. On static display at booth C305, show-goers will have a chance to visit the best-selling H145 and to discover its exciting new features, the H125 in a law enforcement configuration, and also to take a moment to experience the cabin display of the increasingly popular ACH145, equipped with an elegant Mercedes-Benz Style interior, part of the quality offerings across the Airbus Corporate Helicopters product range. The conceptual EMS mock-up of the H160 will also be making its U.S. debut for visitors to witness first-hand the exceptional work-space that the cabin provides for these critical, life-saving missions.

“This year’s Heli-Expo will focus on how we constantly strive to provide customers with products adapted to their missions, however varied those may be, and the right services to allow them to focus solely on performing those missions successfully,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “We will also demonstrate how Airbus is working to prepare the future of flight, displaying a scale mock-up of the Racer high-speed demonstrator on our booth and providing updates on our Urban Air Mobility strategy,” he added.

HCare, Airbus’ global customer support and service offer, will be at the heart of the booth with experts on hand to show how customers can improve the availability of their aircraft, optimize their costs, advance flight safety, and improve the asset value of aircraft. Daily service demonstrations, particularly of new digital services, will be performed on the Airbus booth.

Airbus will also be conducting flight demonstrations with an H135 in a U.S. Navy paint scheme, as the company is offering a partnership with the U.S. Navy to deliver the versatile H135 as the best-value training solution for its rotary-wing fleet replacement. The IFR -certified H135, a market leader in the twin engine category, is a proven and low-risk modern airframe that will allow the U.S. Navy to enhance its training curriculum. With a fleet of 1,300+ aircraft, and a proven operational availability rate greater than 90%, it is also one of the most dependable aircraft on the market. 

Stay tuned for updates throughout the show by following us on Twitter: @AirbusHeli, @AirbusPress, Instagram @airbus_helicopters and Facebook. Showgoers can also download the Airbus HPress news app available for Android and Apple devices to keep up with all of the news during the show.

Heligo receives its first Airbus H145 helicopter from Milestone Aviation

Bengaluru, 20 February 2019: Milestone Aviation Group Limited (Milestone), a GECAS company and the global leader in helicopter leasing, and Airbus Helicopters announced today that Heligo Charters Private Limited (HCPL), a Mumbai-based non-scheduled helicopter operator has taken delivery of its first H145 helicopter. The helicopter’s configuration will allow it to perform a variety of missions. The aircraft taken on lease from Milestone will start operations soon in the state of Jharkhand.

“We take immense pride in the fact that Heligo has placed its trust in Milestone’s certainty of execution to deliver the aircraft, coupled with our financial and technical capabilities. We look forward to continuing to grow this long-term relationship,” said Michael York, Senior Vice President of Commercial at Milestone.

HCPL is a leading onshore and offshore helicopter services provider to the oil & gas industry, corporate and VIP travel in India.. The company currently operates 10 helicopters, including four Airbus AS365 N3 Dauphins.

“HCPL will use the versatile H145 helicopter for a variety of missions. With enhanced safety features and a reputation for reduced maintenance, the H145 is an ideal craft for performing diverse roles,” said Capt K Padmanabhan, CEO, Heligo Charters Pvt Ltd.

Airbus’ H145 is the latest member of its 4-tonne-class twin-engine rotorcraft product range – with designed-in mission capability and flexibility, especially in high and hot operating conditions. Compact in size, this helicopter’s small footprint and large, flexible cabin makes it the aircraft of choice for a variety of missions. It provides latest technologies, like the advanced cockpit design with the most modern Human Machine Interface (HMI) and state-of-the-art Helionix® avionics, more powerful engines, an enhanced transmission system and a Fenestron® anti torque-device.

These new technologies are combined with the rugged and proven design elements of the H145 - the main rotor system and the multipurpose cabin. Built-in safety aspects include an energy absorbing fuselage and seats and crash-resistant fuel cells. Compared to other helicopters in its class, the H145 offers a significantly larger cabin featuring excellent outside visibility for pilots, crew and passengers; a roomy cabin with no partitions, center or door posts; and unrivalled side and rear loading capability.

Airbus will be displaying a similar H145 at Aero India 2019 in Bengaluru from 20 - 24 February 2019.  

BELL AND EDIC HORIZON CELEBRATE BELL 429 DELIVERIES

Bell and EDIC Horizon International Flight Academy have celebrated the delivery of two Bell 429s.

Bell 429 ©EDIC Horizon

Based at Al Ain International Airport Zone, EDIC Horizon International Flight Academy provides state-of-the-art flight training to future pilots with its exclusive Bell fleet comprising of Bell 206s, Bell 407s and will utilize its new Bell 429s for ATP, instrument, multi-engine and specialized mission training.

“We are excited to add Bell 429s to our flight training fleet. Bell helicopters have been an essential part of our training operations since our inception and the new aircraft will enable us to further expand our training offering.”

Said Hareb Thani Al Dhaheri, CEO, EDIC Horizon International Flight Academy.

“The EDIC Horizon International Flight Academy sets the bar for excellent training in the region. This celebration is a key milestone for Bell as it demonstrates the traction the Bell 429 has gained in the Middle East. There are now 332 Bell 429 aircraft in operation around the world, exceeding 330 000 hours of operation on the global fleet.”

Said Sameer Rehman, Bell Managing Director, Africa and Middle East

With the lowest vibrations in its class, the Bell 429 meets or exceeds today’s airworthiness requirements to enhance occupant safety, with the adaptability to remain at the forefront as mission needs evolve. The use of metallic and composite parts in its construction creates the perfect balance between rigidity, flexibility and durability. An advanced avionics and systems monitoring suite ensures outstanding maintainability and aircraft readiness.

Ukrainian Ministry of Interior takes delivery of its first H225s

Kiev, 21 December 2018 - Kick-starting the modernisation of Ukraine’s helicopter fleet, Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first two H225s, out of an order for 21 aircraft, to the Ukrainian Ministry of Interior. One aircraft is destined for search and rescue missions and the other one will be operated by the National Guard for law enforcement missions. The H225 helicopters were repurposed to suit these public service missions in just over three months. Another two H225s will join the fleet in the coming weeks.

“Further to the Intergovernmental Agreement signed between Ukraine and France earlier this year,  we are pleased to be celebrating the first deliveries. This Agreement for 55 helicopters enables Ukraine to provide its population with a complete range of helicopter services from search and rescue, emergency medical services, firefighting to law enforcement missions,” said Arsen Avakov, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. “Thanks to the excellent operational cooperation with Airbus, we will also set up a local training and maintenance centre in Ukraine to support our new modernized fleet of helicopters” he added.

“We are pleased that these two H225s have landed in Ukraine in a record amount of time. Now that the pilots have completed their H225 certification training in France, Ukraine can immediately take advantage of the excellent payload and range that the multi-purpose H225 offers along with the aircraft's state-of-the-art autopilot that provides precision while reducing crew workload in the most demanding mission conditions,” said Matthieu Louvot, Executive Vice President for Support and Services at Airbus Helicopters who attended the delivery ceremony in Kiev. “One of the next steps is to accompany the Ministry of Interior in setting-up a dedicated training and maintenance centre for the helicopters in Ukraine,” he added.  

The first deliveries have taken place in the frame of the Intergovernmental  Agreement contract signed in July 2018 for 55 aircraft– 21 repurposed H225s, 10 brand new H145s, and 24 H125s, all aimed for search and rescue (SAR), EMS and other public service missions.

The 11-tonne-category twin-turbine H225 is recognised as a reference in SAR operations and is relied on by organisations worldwide including the Japan Coast Guard, the Spanish Coast Guard and the Argentine Coast Guard. Benefits for these demanding missions include a takeoff sequence of less than five minutes, its all-weather capability including in full icing conditions, its SAR modes and renowned autopilot precision.

The H225 offers outstanding endurance and fast cruise speed, and can be fitted with a wide range of mission equipment to suit any role. The H225 family has accumulated over 640,000 flight hours to date.

Leonardo: Sakhalin Energy signs AW189 contract for modern long range helicopter transport supporting Oil&Gas industry in Russia

The contract  includes  the  supply  of  three  AW189s  with  deliveries  expected  to  start  in the  1Q2020  

The  order  confirms  the  competitiveness  of  Leonardo’s  modern  product  range  in  the Oil&Gas  market  and further  strengthens  the  success  of  the  new  generation  AW189  in Russia  and globally

Over  60  AW189s  in  service  worldwide,  11  in  Russia,  with  more  than  45,000  flight hours logged  to  date     

Rome,  20  December  2018  -  Leonardo  announced  today  the  signing  of  a  contract  with  Sakhalin Energy  Investment  Company  Ltd.  (“Sakhalin  Energy”)  for  the  supply  of  three  AW189  super medium  twin  engine  commercial  helicopters.  The  aircraft  will  be  used  to  perform  transport operations  from  Sakhalin  Island  in  Russia  supporting  the  Oil&Gas  industry,  with  deliveries expected  to  start  in  the  1Q2020.  The  contract  was  signed  in  Moscow  today  by  Gian  Piero Cutillo,  MD  Leonardo  Helicopters,  and Roman  Dashkov,  CEO  of  Sakhalin Energy.   

“This  latest  order  confirms  the  competitiveness  of  Leonardo’s  modern  product  range  in  the Oil&Gas  market  and  further  strengthens  the  success  of  the  AW189  in  Russia  and  globally thanks  to  its  performance,  new  design,  latest  certification  standards  and  cost  effectiveness  for the  mission.  We’re  confident  the  AW189  will  allow  Sakhalin  Energy  to  perform  a  quantum  leap forward  in operational  capabilities”,  said  Gian  Piero Cutillo,  MD  Leonardo  Helicopters.   

Roman  Dashkov,  CEO  of  Sakhalin  Energy,  said:  “It  is  symbolic  that  we  are  finishing  this  year with  such  an  important  event  as  signing  of  the  contracts  for  delivery  and  maintenance  of  three helicopters  to  provide  the  transportation  of  the  company  staff  to the  remote facilities  of  ‘Sakhalin Energy’.  This  chain  of  cooperation  is  beneficial  to  all  the  participants.  The  direct  consequences of  that  are:  safe  air  transportation,  reliable  service  of  offshore  oil  and  gas  objects  in  adverse natural  and  climatic  conditions  of  Sakhalin  shelf.  This  is  the  step  forward  both  for  Russian industry  and  for  international  cooperation.” 

Primera serie del H160, una librea única para celebrar los logros del programa en 2018.

Marignane, 18 de diciembre de 2018 - La primera unidad fabricada en serie del H160, que ha salido de cadena de montaje en Marignane, realizó una demostración de vuelo ayer 17 de diciembre frente al equipo del programa.

Durante la celebración del informe anual con todos los logros del programa que se han producido a lo largo de este 2018 el helicóptero, que se entregará a su cliente de lanzamiento (Babcock) en 2020, ya realizó su primer vuelo tres días antes, concretamente el 14 de diciembre.  

La librea de la aeronave es un homenaje a los cientos de personas que están trabajando para la certificación de la plataforma, que se espera para finales del próximo año 2019.

El primer serial se unirá a los tres prototipos, que han acumulado ya más de 1.000 horas de vuelo, confirmando de esta manera que las modificaciones que se han introducido para la configuración final no han tenido ningún impacto en la excelente capacidad y cualidades del 6 toneladas de Airbus Helicopters.

Hungary orders 16 H225M multi-role helicopters

Budapest – The Hungarian Ministry of Defence has ordered 16 H225M multi-purpose helicopters equipped with the HForce weapon management system. Together with the helicopters, Airbus will also provide an extensive training and support package to ensure the highest level of operational availability.

“I am thankful for the trust that the Hungarian Government has placed in our company to support its ambitious ‘Zrinyi 2026’ armed forces modernisation programme. Our teams have witnessed the professionalism and enthusiasm of the Hungarian experts and pilots whose contribution has been key to ensuring the success of this project” said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO. “This new contract confirms the H225M as a combat-proven, multi-role platform operated by the most demanding military customers worldwide. The Hungarian armed forces will be able to rely on the cost-efficient H145M / H225M tandem that will enable them to cover all of the major military missions, from light utility, tactical transport, combat search and rescue up to light attack.”

The H225Ms selected by Hungary will be equipped with state-of-the-art communication capabilities and will be used for transport, combat search and rescue, and special operations missions. Its state-of-the art avionics and four axis autopilot, exceptional range and payload capacities, combined with a large cabin designed to carry up to 28 troops and powerful air-to-ground and air-to-surface armament as well as electronic warfare systems allow the H225M to carry out the most demanding missions. The helicopter has an all-weather capability supported by its night vision goggle compatibility.

The H225M is currently in service across the globe with 88 helicopters having been delivered so far. It recently surpassed the 100,000 flight hour milestone, following its first delivery to the French Air Force in 2006. Since then the 11-metric-tonne H225M has proven its reliability and durability in multiple combat environments and crisis areas.

With this contract, Hungary becomes the 9th country to have selected the H225M. A member of the multi-role Super Puma family of helicopters, this military variant is currently operational in France, Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, and has recently been ordered by Kuwait and Singapore.

German Federal Police strengthens Super Puma fleet with delivery of three H215s

Marignane - The German Federal Police (Bundespolizei) has taken delivery of three heavy H215 helicopters, with a fourth to follow in June 2019. These twin-engine multi-role Super Pumas will enter operation at the beginning of 2020 supporting the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies (CCME), which oversees maritime missions off of Germany’s coast.

“The H215’s speed, long-distance performance and high availability rate in harsh conditions are well suited to meet the demanding needs of our maritime team,” said Thomas Helbig, Head of the German Federal Police Air Support. “We’ve had a long and successful experience with the versatile Super Puma, and are eager to continue flying them with this new version, the H215, which comes with a state-of-the-art glass cockpit and 4-axis autopilot.”

These aircraft will complement the German Federal Police’s existing fleet of Airbus helicopters, which includes 42 H135 family helicopters, 19 Super Pumas (AS332 L1s), 19 H155s and 8 H120s.

“Our relationship with the  German Federal Police dates back more than five decades to the Alouette II and has grown to include more than 90 Airbus Helicopters today,” said Wolfgang Schoder, Airbus Helicopters’ Executive Vice President Light Helicopters and Governmental Programmes. “We’re pleased that Germany continues to place its trust in the Super Puma for its life-saving maritime and police missions.”

The German Federal Police flies its aircraft 365 days a year while performing a wide range of missions such as border protection, railway network control, maritime protection and disaster response, VIP transport and emergency medical services, among others.

The H215 is a versatile and robust twin-engine helicopter that combines advanced avionics and a reliable platform for rugged multi-mission capabilities. Standard features include proven Makila 1A1 engines, the latest generation flight management system, and the most modern technologies. This includes a glass cockpit avionics system and the renowned 4-axis autopilot from Airbus Helicopters’ H225 – which provides flight envelope protection, unrivalled precision and automatic hover stability in the harshest operating conditions.

Airbus Helicopters is the global market leader for police helicopters, with nearly 300 law enforcement customers based in 60 countries.

Leonardo coge impulso hacia el liderazgo con sus helicópteros en China, con 15 pedidos del AW139 y la firma de acuerdos para una combinación de otros 160 helicópteros adicionales además de nuevos servicios de apoyo y capacitación en el país asiático.

15 contratos para el AW139 en configuración EMS, para entregar entre el 2019 y 2021. Los nuevos helicópteros elevarán las cifras de ventas totales de Leonardo Helicopters en China a más de 185 unidades

Los acuerdos incluyen un plan de compra y entrega de 160 unidades entre el 2019 y 2023, además el establecimiento de un centro de capacitación autorizado Leonardo  (Authorised Training Academy), un Centro de Finalización y Personalización. También se confirma el papel de Sino-US como distribuidor exclusivo de Leonardo Helicopters en China para clientes civiles

Profumo: "Con los nuevos pedidos y los acuerdos firmados hoy, Leonardo refuerza su posición de liderazgo en China, un mercado en constante crecimiento y muy competitivo en el que nuestros helicópteros de vanguardia realizan operaciones EMS a diario, sirviendo a la comunidad a lo largo de toda la nación".

Shanghai, 5 de noviembre de 2018 - Leonardo anunció hoy que durante el China-US Intercontinental Helicopter Investment (China-EEUU) ha firmado contratos de venta para 15 helicópteros bimotores de tamaño medio AW139. El anuncio se realizó durante la celebración del “China International Import Expo” en Shanghai, en presencia del Viceprimer Ministro y el Ministro de Desarrollo Económico, Trabajo y Políticas Sociales de Italia, Luigi Di Maio. Las aeronaves, que se entregarán desde el próximo 2019 y hasta 2021, serán operadas por Kingwing General Aviation (Kingwing) para realizar misiones EMS (Emergency Medical Service) en China. Estos últimos pedidos, que fortalecen la colaboración entre Leonardo y Sino-US en el país asiático, se basan en los contratos ya existentes para helicópteros EMS firmados por Sino-US en los últimos años, que incluyen 34 monomotores AW119Kx, 24 bimotores AW139s y otros 25 bimotores AW109 Trekker.

Leonardo y Sino-US también anunciaron la firma de acuerdos HoA (Heads of Agreement) para ampliar aún más su relación a largo plazo. En virtud de la ley HoA, Sino-US se confirma como el distribuidor exclusivo de Leonardo en el mercado de helicópteros civiles y comerciales en China, con un plan de compra y entrega de 160 aeronaves de diversos tipos a lo largo de los años 2019-2023. El HoA también prevé el establecimiento de una Academia de Capacitación Autorizada Leonardo en China, en asociación con Sino-US, y la instalación de un Centro de Personalización y Finalización administrado por la propia Sino-US con la capacidad de configurar, personalizar y completar los helicópteros entregados por Leonardo en el país.

Leonardo y Sino-US comenzaron su exitosa colaboración en 2013 y su asociación está entrando en una nueva fase de mayor colaboración, para garantizar el apoyo continuo de la creciente flota de los helicópteros italianos en China.

Alessandro Profumo, CEO de Leonardo, declaró: "Con los nuevos pedidos y los HoA firmados hoy, Leonardo refuerza su posición de liderazgo en China, un mercado de rápido crecimiento y altamente competitivo donde nuestros helicópteros de última tecnología están realizando desafiantes operaciones de apoyo médico todos los días, al servicio de las comunidades de todo el país. Estamos extremadamente contentos con nuestra sólida asociación con Sino-US. Este último acuerdo proporciona una evidencia adicional del compromiso de Leonardo en ampliar su gama de servicios al cliente, disponibles lo más cerca posible de los operadores en todo el mundo, a medida que su flota y base de clientes se fortalecen, dentro del marco del Plan Industrial de Leonardo".

Jianming ZOU, presidente de Shanghai Kingwing General Aviation Co. Ltd. ha declarado que “Leonardo está suministrando un tipo de helicóptero de clase mundial con el AW139. Ha sido un gran socio para apoyar la expansión de nuestra empresa e invertir en China, un mercado en rápido crecimiento".

Más de 185 Leonardo Helicopters, de varios tipos, se han vendido a clientes chinos para una amplia gama de servicios comerciales y de carácter público. Esto incluye que la Compañía mantenga su posición de liderazgo en el mercado de EMS con una participación en el mercado del 70%.

Con más entregas planificadas en los próximos años, el operador civil chino Kingwing se convertirá en una de las compañías con la flota más grande de helicópteros Leonardo en todo el mundo.

Leonardo boosts helicopter leadership in China with orders for 15 AW139s and the signing of a Heads of Agreement for a mix of an additional 160 helicopters and new in-country support and training services

Contracts for 15 EMS-configured AW139s, for delivery between 2019 and 2021. The new helicopters will bring total sales of Leonardo helicopters in China to over 185

The Heads of Agreement includes a purchase and delivery plan for 160 units in a 2019-2023 timeframe plus the establishment of a Leonardo Authorised Training Academy and a Completion & Customisation Centre. It also confirms the role of Sino-US as Leonardo’s civil helicopters exclusive distributor in China

Profumo: “With the new orders and Heads of Agreement signed today, Leonardo reinforces its leading position in China, a fast-growing and highly competitive market where our state-of-the-art helicopters are performing challenging emergency medical support operations every day, serving communities around the nation.”

Shanghai, 05 November 2018 - Leonardo announced today that Sino-US Intercontinental Helicopter Investment (Sino-US) of China has signed contracts for 15 AW139 intermediate twin engine helicopters. The announcement was made during the China International Import Expo in Shanghai in the presence of the Italian Deputy  Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Labour and Social Policies Luigi Di Maio. The aircraft, which will be delivered between 2019 and 2021, will be used by Kingwing General Aviation (Kingwing) to perform EMS (Emergency Medical Service) missions in China. These latest orders, strengthening the collaboration between Leonardo and Sino-US in China, build on existing contracts for EMS helicopters signed by Sino-US in recent years which include 34 AW119Kx single engines, 24 AW139s and 25 AW109 Trekkers.

Leonardo and Sino-US also announced the signing of a Heads of Agreement (HoA) to further expand their long term relationship. Under the HoA, Sino-US is confirmed as the exclusive distributor of Leonardo helicopters in the Chinese civil and commercial helicopter market, with a purchase and delivery plan for 160 aircraft of various types throughout 2019-2023. The HoA also foresees the establishment of a Leonardo Authorised Training Academy in China in partnership with Sino-US, and the setup of a Completion and Customisation Centre managed by Sino-US with the capability to configure, customise and complete the helicopters delivered by Leonardo in-country. Leonardo and Sino-US started their successful collaboration in 2013 and the partnership is now entering a new phase of increased collaboration to ensure the continued support of the growing fleet in the country.

Alessandro Profumo, Leonardo CEO, said: “With the new orders and Heads of Agreement signed today, Leonardo reinforces its leading position in China, a fast-growing and highly competitive market where our state-of-the-art helicopters are performing challenging emergency medical support operations every day, serving communities around the nation. We’re extremely pleased with our strong partnership with Sino-US. This latest agreement provides further evidence of Leonardo’s commitment to expand its range of customer services available close to operators around the world, as its fleet and customer base grow stronger, in support of the framework of Leonardo’s Industrial Plan.”

Jianming ZOU, President of Shanghai Kingwing General Aviation Co., Ltd., said “Leonardo is supplying a world-class helicopter type in the AW139. It has been a great partner in supporting the expansion of our company and investing in China, a fast-growing market.”

Over 185 Leonardo helicopters, of various types, have now been sold to Chinese customers for a range of both commercial and public services. This includes the Company maintaining its leading position in the EMS market with a 70% market share.   

With further deliveries planned over the next few years, Chinese civil operator Kingwing will become one of the largest operators of Leonardo helicopters worldwide.

BELL APPOINTS INDEPENDENT REPRESENTATIVE IN NORTH AMERICA

Bell announced HelicoStore, a Quebec based company, as the first Independent Representative in Canada.

“Bell’s independent representative family allows us to BEST serve our customers around the world and we believe our friends at HelicoStore will be a great addition to this network allowing us to ENHANCE our customer experience and expand our commercial business footprint in Canada,” said Anthony Moreland, managing director, North America.

HelicoStore was established in 1992 and continues to work with both private and corporate helicopter pilots. They offer turn-key financing, operating and sales solutions for both new and existing helicopter owners.

“We have been working closely with HelicoStore for a few years now and this announcement is the culmination of a very strong and strategic relationship between our two companies,” added Jason Moir, Regional Sales manager, Canada. “Their addition to the bell family will bring an added element of flexibility and creativity to our sales process as we look to expand our presence in the private, corporate and utility sectors across Eastern Canada.”

With more than 100 Bell 505s currently in operation, the aircraft continues to garner attention from customers around the world.

“We have been operating our Bell 505 Jet Ranger X for Just over a year and we have seen an overwhelmingly positive customer response to the performance, technology and modern look of the aircraft,” said Jean-Charles Emter, President and CEO, HelicoStore.  “We believe we will have tremondeous success working along side Bell selling their exceptional aircraft to our Canadian customers.”

VISIT BELL AT IACP 2018

At Bell, we pride ourselves for being one of the leading aircraft providers for law enforcement agencies around the world including, New York Police Department, CDMX in Mexico City, Puerto Rico Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police and the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.

Currently, there are more than 920 Bell law enforcement configured aircraft operating to protect and serve the safety of citizens.

I am very proud of Bell and very proud to be in Bell helicopters. Bell serves an integral part in our mission and I’m glad a company like Bell doesn’t forget its mission to support first responders.

Captain DeRienzo, Chief Pilot, Collier County Sheriff’s Department

With the recent introduction of the modern Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, “We’ve seen incredible interest for the Bell 505 from law enforcement agencies around the world,” said Anthony Moreland, managing director, North America.

Earlier this year, Bell announced the sale of the first law enforcement configured Bell 505 to Sacramento Police department.

“The enhanced visibility, maneuverability and advanced avionics of the Bell 505 make it the choice aircraft for our operations” said, Greg Brown, Sergeant, Sacramento Police Department’s Air Operations Unit. “The Bell 505 will be invaluable in reducing man hours spent as well as response times in critical routine calls of service.”

Visit Bell during IACP booth #2001 to speak to a Bell representative about how we are continuing to drive innovation in the law enforcement segment and view Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Bell 429.

Milestone Aviation and Airbus to provide five H145 helicopters to Aramco

Dublin – Milestone Aviation Group Limited (“Milestone”), a GECAS company and the global leader in helicopter leasing, and Airbus Helicopters announced today they will provide five H145s to Aramco Overseas Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, a fully integrated, global petroleum and chemicals enterprise.

The five aircraft are sourced from Milestone’s orderbook with Airbus and are expected to be delivered to Aramco over the next twelve months. This latest lease commitment of five lighttwin aircraft will be in addition to the 24 medium aircraft Milestone currently has contracted on lease to Aramco.

“Aramco’s trust in Milestone’s ability to deliver certainty of execution — coupled with our financial and technical capabilities — is greatly appreciated by our team.” said Milestone President & CEO Daniel Rosenthal. “We take pride in the fact that our long-term partnership approach to further assist Aramco with the introduction into service of their comprehensive medium and light-twin fleet renewal program now places Aramco as one of Milestone’s largest global customers.”

“We are pleased that Aramco has selected the H145 for its light-twin fleet renewal program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is a key and historic partner for Airbus and home to our subsidiary in the region,” said Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even. “We also thank Milestone for enabling the introduction of the H145 to a new operator through their long-standing relationship with Aramco and their existing orderbook with Airbus. The H145’s proven technologies, availability, and cabin versatility are the perfect tools to meet Aramco’s demanding requirements as a global leader in oil and gas.”

Compact in size, the H145 is the aircraft of choice for high intensity operations such as offshore oil and gas transport thanks to its large and flexible cabin, lowest maintenance costs in its class, powerful engines and Helionix digital avionics suite. More than 200 H145s have been delivered to date and have collectively achieved more than 100,000 flight hours since 2015.

Milestone Aviation Group
Milestone Aviation Group, a GE Capital Aviation Services company, is the world’s leading helicopter leasing and financing company. Milestone has a fleet of helicopters worth over US $4.5 billion plus a loan portfolio and debt commitments of approximately $400 million. The company has a forward order book of firm and option aircraft with an estimated aggregate purchase price in excess of US $3 billion. Milestone partners with helicopter operators worldwide, providing a wide array of financial and productivity solutions, including operating leases, purchase/leasebacks, secured debt financing, engine leasing and fleet advisory. The company supports over 44 customers in more than 30 countries serving a variety of industries, including offshore oil and gas, search and rescue, emergency medical services, police surveillance, mining and other utility missions. www.milestoneaviation.com

GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS)
GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) is a world leader in aviation leasing and financing. With 50 years of aviation finance experience, GECAS offers a wide range of aircraft types including narrow-bodies, wide-bodies, regional jets, turboprops, freighters and helicopters, plus multiple financing products and services including operating leases, purchase/leasebacks, secured debt financing, capital markets, engine leasing, and airframe parts management. GECAS owns or services a fleet of nearly 2,000 aircraft (1,631 fixed wing/ 333 rotary wing) in operation or on order, plus provides loans collateralized on an additional ~330 aircraft. GECAS serves ~250 customers in over 75 countries from a network of 25 offices. gecas.com

Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2017 it generated revenues of € 59 billion restated for IFRS 15 and employed a workforce of around 129,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

Aramco
Aramco is a world leader in integrated energy and chemicals. Their European offices support a wide range of activities, from facilitating the safe and reliable delivery of energy to customers around the globe, to pushing for breakthroughs in research and innovation. Aramco’s presence in Europe stretches back over 60 years, in which they have evolved from a services company to a knowledge based enterprise, with six locations throughout the region, each with its own area of focus.

BELL ANNOUNCES DELIVERY OF BELL 429S TO JAMAICA DEFENCE FORCE

Deep-rooted Military customer introduces three Bell 429s to existing Bell fleet.

Fort Worth, TX (August 13, 2018) – Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today the delivery of two Bell 429s to the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF). A third Bell 429 is scheduled for delivery to the JDF next year. The three aircraft will be used to complete a range of missions including, search and rescue, medical evacuations, natural disaster relief, national security and military training.

“We are proud to celebrate today’s delivery and strengthen our rich history with the JDF. The Bell 429 is the most technologically advanced aircraft in its class and these modern platforms will provide the JDF with enhanced mission capabilities well into the future.”

Jay Ortiz, senior vice president, Commercial Business – AmericasThe JDF began its helicopter operations in 1963 with two Bell 47Gs. Its active fleet includes four Bell 407s, two Bell 412s and two Bell 206s. “Over the years, our mission has evolved resulting in the need to acquire the Bell 429 to more effectively meet the demands of our mission profiles and further prove our rotary wing capability,” said Colonel Roderick Williams, the JDF’s Colonel Adjutant Quartermaster and a former Commanding Officer of the JDF Air Wing. “The Bell 429 offers excellent performance and advanced avionics with outstanding maintainability and aircraft readiness for multi-mission operations.” Designed with the future in mind, the Bell 429 meets or exceeds today’s airworthiness requirements to enhance occupant safety, with the adaptability to remain at the forefront as mission requirements evolve.  Advanced capabilities of the 429 include single pilot IFR, Category A operations and an integrated avionics glass cockpit. The use of metallic and composite parts in its construction creates balance between rigidity and flexibility, safety and durability.