In the midst of overwhelming cash flow issues and job cuts caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, there’s one bright spot for Airbus: type certification of its all-new H160 medium-size helicopter.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued the type certificate for the H160 today, 1 July, following nine years of development, testing, test flights and a pile of paperwork as big as the helicopter.
During that time, the helicopter has changed name – from X4 in 2011 – and also changed the manufacturer’s name, from Eurocopter to Airbus Helicopters. First flight of the first flying prototype was in 2015 and since then it’s been heads-down for the engineers at both Airbus and EASA, while a demo aircraft was taken around key markets to show it off.
H160 joins the AH fleet
It’s a rival for the best-selling AW139, which is made by another manufacturer that’s changed name: AgustaWestland to Leonardo. Like the AW139, the H160 is a multi-purpose helicopter designed to do every type of mission from shuttling oil workers from civilisation to out of the way rigs, to medevac operations to VIP transport.
Airbus Helicopters relied on three prototypes, the first serial aircraft, and two additional test mules, the dynamic helicopter zero and the system helicopter zero, to develop and certify the aircraft while maturing the aircraft ahead of entry into service. The helicopters have flown over 1500 hours on flight tests and demo flights.
There was a lot to prove. There are breakthrough safety features such as the Helionix flightdeck pilot assistance and automated features as well as flight envelope protection.
The helicopter is also fitted with sound-reducing Blue Edge main rotor blades that’s a benefit for both passengers and the public outside. At the rear, the tail rotor is enclosed – called a fenestron – and angled slightly so that it not only opposes the torque reaction from the engine but also generates lift.
Operators will appreciate its competive running costs thanks to increased fuel efficiency and customer-centric simplified maintenance. Airbus talks about its helicopter’s optimised architecture to make it easier to maintain.
Price? List price is north of $18m but expect to pay closer to $22m for the fully loaded VIP version.