This Monday, June 19 2023, Paris Le Bourget, the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron arrived aboard an Airbus-Eurocopter H-160 helicopter. During his visit, the president met with players in the aeronautical sector and talked a lot about ecological sobriety.
This helicopter is certified to operate on 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)/biomass fuel. With its low fuel consumption, optimised maintenance costs and faster cruise speed, the H160 paves the way for economic competitiveness compared with other helicopters in its class.
Fuel consumption is reduced by 15% compared with the previous engine class for the same operations, while maintenance costs are reduced by almost 15% for the “airframe by the hour” and “service by the hour” options.
The H160 is fully in line with the aviation industry’s commitment to improving its sustainability.
Designed as a multi-role helicopter capable of carrying out a wide range of missions – such as offshore transport, emergency medical services, private and business aviation, as well as public services – the highly flexible H160 incorporates the latest Airbus innovations.
The H160’s more sustainable operating profile is further enhanced by the Blue Edge main rotor blades, which feature double-angled tips that reduce vane-vortex interaction for improved aerodynamic efficiency and lower noise levels. The latest version of Airbus’ Fenestron© shrouded tail rotor reduces the H160’s noise footprint while improving its performance. Together, they contribute to making the H160 one of the quietest helicopters in its class, with an external noise reduction of -15 dBA.
The H160 is one of the most technologically advanced helicopters, designed and built to offer the highest levels of operational safety while providing unrivalled comfort for a rotorcraft in its class. Customers also will appreciate flying more comfortably with an increase in volume per passenger compared to other medium-twin helicopters, as well as larger windows, creating the brightest cabin in its class.
For pilots, the increased visibility of the H160’s cockpit, as well as the helicopter’s flat attitude in all phases of flight – including landing and hovering – significantly improve essential situational awareness. Airbus Helicopters’ Helionix avionics suite provides an overview of relevant data whenever the flight crew needs it, reducing their workload.
In the cabin, the H160 offers the best comfort in all mission applications, from doctors treating MEDEVAC patients, to transporting teams to oil platforms, to flying with VIP passengers. Its cabin is specially designed to provide a spacious and comfortable environment.
It also offers a greatly improved maintenance system. The H160 has been designed to be serviced independently, even when away from the service location. It is therefore no longer necessary to return to the base every evening.
Its maintenance plan is optimised – engine and airframe maintenance plans are aligned – and has been defined in partnership with airworthiness authorities and operators. Additionally, the H160 features a paperless ecosystem with new digital tools for maintenance, helping to reduce operating costs and setting a new standard for uptime.
The location of equipment has also been optimised to facilitate accessibility, such as access to the large upper deck, access to the engine through a firewall panel and easy removal of the engine covers and gearbox. main gears, which are part of the innovations of the H160.
3D technical publications and easy digital troubleshooting tools give maintenance technicians the information to maintain this aircraft to the highest standards, even far from the maintenance base. Connected services – such as FleetKeeper, digital logcards, and Flight Planner – enable customers to manage their operations seamlessly. Equipment locations have been optimised for accessibility, while easy access to the large upper deck, engine access through a firewall panel, and easy removal of engine and main gearbox cowlings are among the H160’s innovations. With its light maintenance plan aligned between engine and aircraft, the H160 offers optimised operating costs and a new standard in availability.
France has ordered H-160 “Guépard” aircraft for its Gendarmerie (10) and plans to buy more for its Army (80), Navy (49) and Air Force (40). For export, we note among others, the Chinese company GDAT ordered 50 copies.
Technical characteristics:
- Cruise speed: 255 km/h
- MAX range with standard fuel tanks: 880 km
- MAX flight altitude: 6096 m
- Internal cabin volume: 7.3 m3
- Crew & PAX: 1 or 2 pilots up to 12 PAX
- MAX takeoff weight: 6050 kg
- Engine: 2 x Safran Engines Arrano 1A
© Benoît Denet
