Businessman and Philanthropist Adar Poonawalla takes delivery of India’s first Airbus Corporate Helicopters ACH145

New Delhi – Airbus has delivered India’s first fully customised, ACH145 helicopter to Mr Adar Poonawalla, CEO and Executive Director of Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by doses. This marks the entry of the highly successful twin engine helicopter into India’s private and business aviation market. The helicopter will be ready to fly in India by the end of January.

“We are delighted with our selection of the Airbus ACH145 which is certainly a benchmark in its class. It has been chosen keeping in mind the highest levels of customization, comfort and safety. Also, Airbus Helicopters’ comprehensive local support system will ensure the optimal availability of the aircraft,” said Mr Poonawalla.

“Airbus is the market leader in civil helicopters in India. Our VIP customers come to Airbus Helicopters for unparalleled quality and a bespoke experience,” said Anand E Stanley, President and Managing Director, Airbus India & South Asia. “They rely on our products’ ability to combine state-of-the-art technology with new transportation possibilities.”

The helicopter provides a spacious cabin that can seat up to eight in ACH Line, ACH Mercedes Benz Style or ACH bespoke versions. The ACH145 features Airbus Helicopters’ Helionix avionics, including a standard 4-axis digital Automatic Flight Control System for reduced pilot workload. Fenestron enclosed tail rotor dramatically reduces noise levels. The Turbomeca Arriel2E engines, with dual channel FADEC, generate 951 shaft horsepower for take-off and allow improved hover and one-engine inoperative performance as well as increased maximum gross weight capability.

“The latest delivery proves once again that Airbus is the only Original Equipment Maker which is able to offer helicopters embedding the highest levels of innovation and end-to-end solutions for the ease of operations of customers. The delivery of this helicopter is an important milestone for us,” said Ashish Saraf, Head, Airbus Helicopters India & South Asia.

ACH
Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) is the dedicated private and business aviation helicopter brand of Airbus Helicopters. ACH provides an exclusive platform from which customers can benefit from best in class products and services. Mirroring the successful sister brand Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ), ACH provides current and future customers an end-to-end exclusive ownership experience ranging from helping customers to choose the right aircraft to designing a bespoke style. Finally, customers benefit throughout the period of ownership from a concierge-style support service which also ensures highest availability of the aircraft.

Impulso competitivo y capacidades operativas mejoradas para el H145

Extensión de la garantía para los motores Arriel 2E en los H145, y lanzamiento de la siguiente evolución de Helionix (Step 3)

Amsterdam, los clientes del Airbus Helicopters H145 se beneficiarán a partir de ahora de una extensión en la garantía de los motores Arriel 2E desde dos años/1.000 horas y hasta tres años/2.000 horas. Ésta es únicamente válida para los H145 entregados a partir de enero de este año 2018.

Además Airbus también ha lanzado Helionix Step 3 para los H145, una versión actualizada de la suite de aviónica de Airbus que mejora el conocimiento de la situación, aumenta la disponibilidad, acelera la conectividad del helicóptero y reduce los costes de mantenimiento.

En comparación con el Step 2, el Step 3 de Helionix aumenta significativamente el conocimiento de la situación a los pilotos y tripulaciones de vuelo gracias al nuevo Sistema de Visión Sintética (Synthetic Vision System) que es capaz de identificar los obstáculos, a través del que también mostrará las instalaciones aeronáuticas como pistas y helipuertos, así como elementos del paisaje como áreas urbanas, carreteras y ferrocarriles, pudiendo desde ahora ser observados más fácilmente por la tripulación en el cockpit, lo que permite operaciones más seguras.

Helionix también realiza un seguimiento del tiempo de vuelo, midiendo el mismo con exactitud desde el despegue hasta el aterrizaje.

Gracias a la exactitud del seguimiento del tiempo en vuelo, las compañías pueden operar el helicóptero hasta en un 20% más dentro del mismo calendario de mantenimiento, en comparación con el seguimiento de horas de vuelo tradicional (a través del libro de registro del piloto). Esto conlleva una reducción de los costes de mantenimiento directo de hasta en un 6%.

La actualización también facilitará la conectividad del helicóptero, permitiendo a los operadores transmitir los datos de uso mientras el helicóptero está volando, a través de un servidor de comunicaciones como equipo opcional.

"La extensión de la garantía de los motores, junto con la actualización de Helionix, ofrecerán una mayor calidad para los clientes al proporcionar operaciones más seguras y permitir a los operadores utilizar la gran cantidad de datos generados en cada vuelo individual". Axel Humpert, Director del programa H145 de Airbus.

Helionix Step 3 también está disponible para el H175, y próximamente también en el H135.

El H145 es el líder del mercado para misiones de carácter policial y de búsqueda y rescate (SAR), con una flota combinada de más de 200 helicópteros en todo el mundo, que han acumulado conjuntamente ya más de 100.000 horas de vuelo.

Hungary orders 20 H145Ms

H145M with HForce weapon system

Donauwörth, The Hungarian Ministry of Defence has ordered 20 H145M military helicopters equipped with the innovative HForce weapon management in the frame of the military modernisation programme Zrinyi 2026. Together with the helicopters, Airbus will provide an extensive training and support package.

“We are honoured to be of service – once more – to the Hungarian Ministry of Defence whom we today welcome as a new customer for our H145M helicopters. With this new order, we are fostering our excellent and trustful relationship with the Hungarian Armed Forces after their acquisition of two A319 military troop transporters last year. Team Airbus is grateful for the continued trust and confidence that the Hungarian government has placed in our products”, said Tom Enders, Chief Executive Officer of Airbus.

With a maximum take-off weight of 3.7 tonnes, the H145M can be used for a wide range of tasks, including troop transport, utility, surveillance, air rescue, armed reconnaissance and medical evacuation. The Hungarian fleet will be equipped with a fast roping system, highperformance camera, fire support equipment, ballistic protection as well as an electronic countermeasures system to support the most demanding operational requirements. The HForce system, developed by Airbus Helicopters, will allow Hungary to equip and operate their aircraft with a large set of ballistic or guided air-to-ground and air-to-air weapons.

The H145M is a tried-and-tested light twin-engine helicopter that was first delivered in 2015 to the German Armed Forces and has since been ordered by Thailand and the Republic of Serbia. The programme’s maturity allows Airbus Helicopters to execute orders on cost and on schedule. Mission readiness of the H145Ms already in service is above 95 percent.

Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145M is equipped with full authority digital engine control (FADEC). In addition, the helicopter is equipped with the Helionix digital avionics suite which includes a high-performance 4-axis autopilot, increasing safety and reducing pilot workload. Its particularly low acoustic footprint makes the H145M the quietest helicopter in its class.

Three years and 150 deliveries for the H145

Airbus Helicopters recently celebrated the 150th delivery of the H145, the newest member of the BK117/EC145 family.

In October 2017, Helicopter Travel Munich (HTM) received the 150th H145 helicopter from Airbus, to be used for offshore hoist operations and the transfer of service personnel working in the wind turbine industry.

The H145 (formerly EC145 T2) is a member of the EC145 and BK117 family, more than 1,400 aircraft of which have been delivered to date, notching up over 4.8 million flight hours in some 21 countries worldwide. Used mainly for EMS, air rescue, law enforcement and aerial work, the BK117/EC145 family has also been successful with military utility operations and training, with over 400 Lakota UH-72s delivered to the U.S. Army.

The H145 version was conceived as a platform with unparalleled mission abilities, a high level of flight safety, economic operating costs, and a tailored support and service package, while incorporating Airbus innovations.

A growing roster of H145 customers

In 2014, the first H145 entered operation with the German air rescue company, DRF Luftrettung. Its enhancements included two powerful Safran Arriel 2E engines with dual-channel full authority digital engine control, an upgraded main gearbox and a new antitorque system with Fenestron. The cockpit, too, underwent changes, incorporating Airbus’ innovative Helionix avionics suite with a 4-axis autopilot.

The result: a helicopter able to deliver exceptional performance in a diverse range of roles.

In law enforcement, customers like the police of Baden-Württemberg have dedicated their H145 fleet to their most challenging missions. The H145 does duty both day and night with a night vision goggle-compatible cockpit, while its advanced mission management system, together with high-end police equipment, defines a new standard in airborne law enforcement.

While the H145 has become a mainstay with police forces, it also made its mark in the offshore industry, as evidenced by HTM’s acquisition. HTM is not alone; in 2016, Wiking Helikopter Service GmbH – which services wind farms and performs North Sea missions – did business with Airbus for the first time—opting for the H145. In 2017, they added a second H145 to their fleet.

Enhancements for more performance

In March 2017, the European Airworthiness Safety Agency certified Airbus’ upgrade of the H145’s single-engine performance, increasing its hover power in one-engine-inoperative mode within the two-minute power rating by adding 230 kg useful load in operations with human external cargo.

In its offshore configuration, the helicopter can transport up to eight passengers and offshore equipment, including an external life raft system. Due to its low operating cost compared to useful load, it holds the distinction of best price in its class per passenger and mile for offshore transportation.

In addition, an optional health and usage monitoring system contributes to the aircraft’s flight safety and availability through predictive maintenance. Customers get these features in real time thanks to the helicopter’s built-in connectivity.

Today, the H145 has achieved 80,000 flight hours since entry-into-service. Among customers of the “ready for duty” four-tonne helicopter, the Babcock Group is its largest operator, with a fleet of 27 H145s, while Germany – where the H145 found its first and now, its 150th, home – is its largest market, with 30 H145s in operation.