Airbus has taken orders and delivered a raft of special mission helicopters over the past month.
They include:
The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation has taken delivered of the first ever five-bladed Airbus H145 helicopter.
This new version of Airbus’s best-selling H145 light twin-engine helicopter brings a new, innovative five-bladed rotor to the multi-mission helicopter, increasing the useful load by 150kg while delivering new levels of comfort, simplicity, and connectivity.
It received certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in June and is now ready to take on a wide variety of missions.
“We’re proud to be the first operator to use the new five-bladed H145 for our research and development projects,” said Hans Morten Lossius, Secretary General of Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation.
“The increased useful load and the smooth flight make the new H145 the perfect choice for these purposes, which aim to further push the boundaries and enhance Helicopter Emergency Medical Services in Norway and in the whole air ambulance community.
The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, founded by Norwegian doctor Jens Moe in 1978, is the mother company and owner of the Norwegian Air Ambulance. It brought HEMS to Norway by opening a first base near Oslo, using a BO105 helicopter rented from Germany.
Today, Norwegian Air Ambulance operates all 13 HEMS bases in Norway and all 4 bases in Denmark using a 100% Helionix-equipped fleet of H135s and H145s. This helicopter is dedicated to support the Foundations important work to improve the HEMS operations.
Nakanihon Air, one of Japan’s largest helicopter operators, has ordered one H215 heavy helicopter to shore up its capabilities for utility and aerial work.
Currently operating 45 Airbus helicopters, Nakanihon Air specialises in activities covering emergency medical services, electronic news gathering, as well as passenger and goods transportation in Japan.
The twin-engine, heavy-lift H215 is a member of the Super Puma helicopter family, known for its high availability rate, performance, and competitive operating cost. Equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, the rotorcraft consists of two versions — one tailored for multi-role operations and the other for aerial work and utility missions.
Two Airbus H135 helicopters have been delivered to NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre. The aircraft will provide aerial security and support of the upcoming SpaceX Crew Dragon launch to the International Space Station (ISS) scheduled for late October.
David Ramsey, Chief of Flight Operations at NASA Kennedy Space Centre, said, “For years to come, these helicopters will not only support security and routine missions at the Kennedy Space Center, but also support our astronauts and crew as they launch important missions to the ISS, the moon and beyond.”
In October, one of the H135s will escort the members of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to the historic launch pad at 39A, where it will depart for a six-month expedition to the ISS. The helicopters will also support efforts to prepare for and execute Artemis, a planned expedition to land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024.