Airbus : Testing the future ...

No. 122 - JANUARY 2021

AIRBUS HELICOPTERS

MISSION

What really matters

PROFILES

Is there a doctor onboard?

SERVICES

H160 simulator:

As good as real

Testing the future

© Jerôme Deulin

S P O T L I G H T

THE ECUADORIAN AIR FORCE TAKES DELIVERY OF THEIR FIRST THREE H145s

Airbus Helicopters has delivered three H145s to the Ecuadorian Air Force, the first military customer in South America for this helicopter. A total of six H145s will be delivered in 2021.

The H145 helicopters, known as "Cobra" in the Ecuadorian Air Force, will help with missions related to national security, such as border surveillance and the fight against drug trafficking, as well as carrying out rescue operations at high altitudes, medical evacuation (medevac) and assistance in the case of natural disasters, both during the day and at night.

The contract includes training for 12 pilots and 15 technicians, as part of an in-country operational training programme.

EXPERTISE

P O R T F O L I O

© Patrick Heinz

© A. Pecchi		© A. Pecchi

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VSR700 ACHIEVES AUTONOMOUS TAKE-OFF

AND LANDING FROM MOVING PLATFORM

This important milestone for the VSR programme validates its autonomy to operate to and from a moving platform, advancing the programme towards its goal: offering a tactical unmanned aerial system (UAS) with ATOL capacities for global navies.

Watch the video here

© Eric Raz

BUNDESWEHR ORDERS 31 NH90s

FOR SHIPBORNE OPERATIONS

The German Bundeswehr has ordered 31 NH90 helicopters, to be known as Sea Tiger, for the German Navy's shipborne operations. The helicopters will replace the German Navy's Sea Lynx Mk88A fleet which entered into service in 1981. The Bundeswehr has already ordered 18 NH90 Sea Lion naval transport helicopters, seven of which have already been delivered.

The widespread use of the NH90 TTH by the German Army and the NH90 NFH by the German Navy enables considerable synergies in terms of logistics and training. Both the Sea Tiger and the Sea Lion are derivatives of the NH90 NFH.

FIRST NH90 DELIVERED TO THE SPANISH AIR FORCE FOR SAR MISSIONS

The Spanish Air Force took delivery of a first NH90, which will boost their search and rescue (SAR) and combat search and rescue (CSAR) mission capabilities. The Spanish Air Force will receive 12 NH90s intended to replace its aging fleet of AS332 Super Pumas and which will be based in Cuatro Vientos, near Madrid. Spain has ordered a total of 45 NH90s in the tactical transport version, to be operated by the three armed forces. Thirteen helicopters have already been delivered to the Spanish Army Airmobile Force (FAMET) for the Maneuver III Battalion in Agoncillo. Airbus Helicopters in Spain is involved in the manufacturing of the NH90's fuselage and the avionics software development and integration.

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P O R T F O L I O

WORLD SUCCESS FOR THE ACH130 ASTON MARTIN EDITION

The ACH130 Aston Martin Edition will enter service in Latin America, North America and Asia Pacific over the coming months. The first example in Asia Pacific of this exceptional model was ordered by an existing Airbus customer in New Zealand. It will be used privately as well as in VIP charter operations.

In Latin America the ACH130 Aston Martin Edition has just entered service with an undisclosed VIP customer in Guatemala. Most recently another undisclosed private customer in Canada has ordered

the third example. Launched in January 2020, the ACH130 Aston Martin Edition is a stylish special version of the ACH130, and particularly features a range of interior and exterior designs created by Aston Martin.

© Adrien Daste

EXCEPTIONAL

A. Pecchi		Patrick Heinz
©		©

S P O T L I G H T

FIVE-BLADED AIRBUS H145 RECEIVES FAA TYPE CERTIFICATION

The new five-bladed H145 helicopter has received its certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The first five-bladed H145 delivery in the US is set to take place in early 2021.

Celian Bauduin

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MILESTONE BECOMES FIRST LEASING CUSTOMER FOR H160

Milestone Aviation and Airbus Helicopters have agreed to include six H160s in Milestone's orderbook, the first of which is set to be delivered in 2023. The helicopters will be destined for a range of missions including offshore transportation and emergency medical services.

Milestone supports over 45 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.

THE 1,400th H135 IS DELIVERED

TO MONT BLANC HELICOPTERS

In 2020, the H135 family reached a major milestone:

the company's 1,400th H135 was delivered to the French operator Mont Blanc, adding to a fleet of more than 20 H135 and H145 helicopters in service with the operator to provide helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) in France. Since first entering into service in 1996, the H135 family

of helicopters has gone through regular improvements in performance and capabilities to respond to the unique needs of HEMS operators. Today, the H135 is a leader in the HEMS industry, currently holding 25% of the global market share for HEMS and boasting over 650 units in service.

©

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C O N T E N T S

08

P A N O R A M A

Airbus Helicopters news and events by the numbers

20

U P A B O V E

The new alternate gross weight of the H135 gives operators an increased MTOW

of up to 120 kg

22

09

F E A T U R E D

A R T I C L E S

Testing the future

28

B E H I N D

T H E S C E N E S

Ferry flights deliver on a promise

30

P R O F I L E S

Is there a doctor onboard?

32

O F F T H E

B E A T E N T R A C K

A Super Puma in Paris

© Dianne Bond

Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters

"Engineering the future cannot be improvised."

M I S S I O N

Tigrex in the Sahel

24

M I S S I O N

Storm Alex: What really matters

26

M I S S I O N

34

S E R V I C E S

H160 simulator: As good as real

After the difficult year we have just left behind, I like the idea of starting in 2021 with this issue of Rotor Magazine dedicated to innovation. Innovation

is all about hope, optimism, new challenges

and preparing the future, the self-same values that we all share here at Airbus Helicopters.

2020 was a tough year for us all, with our industry having to face a number of setbacks that were impossible to foresee. Despite this incredibly difficult context, Airbus Helicopters managed to resist the effects of the crisis in terms of market share, especially thanks to the success of the H160 and the new H145, two helicopters which were certified in 2020. These achievements were

vision as it takes time to mature technology and ensure it can meet a market need. Engineering the future cannot be improvised.

Our innovation strategy is intimately linked to our values, with a firm focus on making helicopters and VTOL aircraft even safer, easier to fly, more accessible and sustainable in the interests of both the environment and society as a whole. We want to improve the things that are truly important to you, our customers and users.

However, innovation is not just a question of figures, investment and budgets; above all, it comes down to attitude and values. We have to provide the necessary conditions to foster

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H225M: Stronger together

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	Communication Director: Yves Barillé (Publication
	Director), Editor in Chief: Belén Morant (contact.
	[e-mail]), Director of
	photography: Jérôme Deulin, Translation: Airbus
Deulin	Translation Services; Amplexor. Published by:
	(Copyright Airbus Helicopters
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borne out of the boldness, determination and foresight of our predecessors, who chose the path of innovation then so that we can reap the rewards now.

That's why it is up to us as leaders in the helicopter industry to continue to trust in innovation despite the hardships of the current situation. We need to bring incremental innovation to our current products and in parallel keep a long-term

creativity, enthusiasm and willingness to go the extra mile, and we cannot do this alone. Indeed, at Airbus Helicopters we are conscious that innovation is also a matter of humility: we know that we don't have all the answers and we need the ground-breaking ideas of our partners, suppliers and collaborators in order to shape the future. By innovating together, we will all go even further.

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