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Japan Coast Guard and Singapore Add Airbus H225 Helicopters

Japan Coast Guard (JCG) will expand its fleet with two new Airbus (OTC: EADSY) H225 helicopters, taking its total Super Puma fleet up to 17, comprising two AS332s and 15 H225s. The largest Super Puma operator in Japan received its tenth H225 in February this year. The new helicopters will join its growing fleet to support territorial coastal activities, security enforcement, as well as disaster relief missions in the country.

JCG’s H225 fleet is covered by Airbus’ highly adaptive HCare Smart full-by-the-hour material support. This customised fleet availability programme allows the national coast guard agency to focus on its flight operations whilst Airbus manages its assets

Offering the industry’s best range, speed, payload and reliability in the 11-ton-category twin-engine rotorcraft, the H225 is the latest member of Airbus Helicopters’ Super Puma family that has accumulated more than 5.7 million flight hours in all-weather conditions around the world. Equipped with state-of-the-art electronic instruments and renowned autopilot precision, the H225 offers outstanding endurance and fast cruise speed, and can be fitted with various equipment to suit a variety of roles.

Close to 30 helicopters from the Super Puma family are currently flown in Japan by civil, parapublic operators, and Japan’s Ministry of Defense for various search and rescue missions, VIP, fire-fighting, and passenger and goods transportation.

Also, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has taken delivery of its first H225M helicopter. Airbus Helicopters signed the contract with Singapore’s Ministry of Defence for the acquisition of H225M Medium Lift Helicopters in 2016.

Singapore’s fleet of H225Ms is expected to assume a wide range of roles, including search and rescue, aeromedical evacuation, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

A combat-proven multi-purpose and versatile asset, the H225M enables military forces to deploy wherever and whenever needed. 104 H225Ms are currently in service across the world, having accumulated more than 143,000 flight hours. The H225M is relied upon by Brazil, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico Thailand to support their most demanding missions.

Airbus Delivers 1,000th Super Puma Helicopter

Airbus’ 1,000th Super Puma helicopter – A civil H215 to be operated by the German Federal Police

Marignane – Airbus Helicopters has delivered its 1,000th Super Puma helicopter: a twin-engine multi-role H215 assembled in Marignane, France, and handed over to the German Federal Police (Bundespolizei) to support the German Havarie Command, which manages maritime emergencies off of Germany’s coast.

This delivery completes the German Federal Police’s order for four H215s, the first three of which were delivered in December 2018, and increases the German Federal Police’s Super Puma fleet to 23, including 19 AS332 L1s, making the police force one of the largest operators of Super Pumas in the world today.

“The Super Puma family of civil and military helicopters has consistently performed well thanks to its ability to appeal to many different mission segments, whether you’re fighting fires, building power lines, transporting troops, or saving lives in extreme environments,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “Thanks to our close partnerships with long-standing customers like the German Federal Police, who we are honoured will operate our 1000th Super Puma, we are able to continuously improve so that this important product continues to meet the evolving market needs for decades to come.”

Today, the Super Puma is operated by nearly 100 customers in 59 countries representing all regions of the world. The Super Puma family is composed of the H215 and H225 for the civil market, produced by Airbus Helicopters for law enforcement, aerial work, search and rescue, offshore transport and governmental missions, and appreciated for their versatility and ability to operate in extreme environmental conditions. In the military sector, Airbus Helicopters offers the H215M and H225M for search and rescue, troop transport, special ops and utility missions, among others.

Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018, it generated revenues of €64 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

China’s First Airbus H215 Helicopter Delivered to SGGAC

From http://www.airbus.com

Beijing – China’s State Grid General Aviation Company (SGGAC) has taken delivery of one heavy twin-engine Airbus H215 helicopter – a member of the mission-proven Super Puma family – becoming the launch customer for the H215 in China.

A subsidiary of the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), the world’s largest utility company, SGGAC performs aerial construction and maintenance work along China’s network of high and very-high voltage power lines. 

The H215 will join the company’s existing fleet of 15 Airbus helicopters, comprised of H125s, an H120 and an H225. This addition will enable SGGAC to perform new missions such as cable repair, cable laying, cargo transportation, and power line pylons constructions in difficult-to-reach areas.

The helicopter comes equipped with a 4.5-ton cargo sling, hoists, weather radar, and a wire-strike protection system. The configuration features 17 comfortable seats equipped with oxygen jackets for high altitude missions.

“Our cooperation with Airbus Helicopters since 2012 has been a true success. Thanks to the H215’s outstanding performance in high and hot conditions coupled with strong support and services from Airbus Helicopters, we are confident that we will continue to develop our capabilities performing new utility missions,” said Wu Jielong, Chairman of SGGAC.

“It’s an honour to see SGGAC becoming the first operator of the H215 in China”, said Marie-Agnes Veve, General Manager of Airbus Helicopters China. “This achievement reinforces the long-term and strategic cooperation we have developed with the company, which also became a certified Airbus Helicopters’ maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre in China in 2018.”

The H215 combines advanced avionics and a reliable platform for rugged multi-mission capabilities in the world’s harshest environments. Its baseline configuration offers extremely competitive direct operating and maintenance costs. Standard features include proven Makila 1A1 engines, the latest generation flight management system, and the most modern technologies, which includes a glass cockpit avionics system and the renowned 4-axis autopilot from Airbus Helicopters’ advanced H225.

The introduction of this H215 increases China’s Super Puma fleet to nearly 40 aircraft, performing a wide range of missions from oil & gas to aerial work to VIP transportation. The fleet is supported by Airbus Helicopters’ China technical team, its approved helicopter MRO centre in Shenzhen, and an H225 full flight simulator located in Beijing.

About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018 it generated revenues of € 64 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

Icelandic Coast Guard Upgrades to Airbus Rescue Helicopters

Reykjavik, Airbus Helicopters is supporting the Icelandic Coast Guard (ICG) with the entry into service of two Airbus H225 heavy search and rescue (SAR) helicopters as the first step in a renewal of the agency’s helicopter fleet.

The aircraft are replacing two of the ICG’s three existing Airbus AS332L1 Super Pumas, the first of which entered service in 1995. They are being leased from Norwegian helicopter lessor Knut Axel Ugland Holding AS and will both be in service by the end of April 2019. The ICG plans to purchase permanent replacements for all three aircraft in its fleet by 2022.

Airbus Helicopters is providing pilot and technician training on key features of the H225 and ongoing maintenance and support under an HCare Smart Parts By the Hour contract.

The 11-tonne category, twin-engine H225 is the latest member of Airbus Helicopters’ Super Puma family with more powerful engines providing a smoother ride and enhanced performance compared to the AS332L1.

Equipped with state-of-the-art electronic instruments and a 4-axis autopilot system, the H225 offers outstanding endurance and fast cruise speed, and can be fitted with a wide range of SAR equipment. Operated by two pilots, it can be configured with up to 18 seats or six stretchers.

The H225 and military H225M are benchmarks in SAR and combat SAR and are operated by 20 nations worldwide.

Commander S.G. Sindri Steingrimsson, Director Flight Operations at the ICG said: “The experience with our current fleet of Super Pumas has been excellent through the years. Overall they have done a fantastic job for us here at the Icelandic Coast Guard, in some of the most challenging conditions for aircraft SAR operations in the world. We fully expect that the new Super Pumas will add great value to the safety and security of our operations, increasing capability and reliability while at the same time modernising our technological standards to meet current needs.”

The attached photo shows one of the new leased aircraft.

About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018 it generated revenues of € 64 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

Airbus Helicopters sees strong sales increase in 2018

  • Gross orders up 18 percent to 413 units
  • First orders for the next-generation H160
  • Increasing share of the military market

Marignane, 23 January 2019 – Airbus Helicopters delivered 356 rotorcraft and logged gross orders for 413 helicopters (net: 381) in 2018 (up from 350 gross orders in 2017), maintaining its lead in the civil & parapublic market while reinforcing its position in the military market thanks to key successes with international campaigns. The company also booked 148 orders for light twin-engine helicopters of the H135/H145 family and secured 15 orders for the next-generation H160. At the end of last year, the overall backlog increased to 717 helicopters.

“Our commercial performance in 2018 demonstrates the resilience we have developed as a company to help us navigate what remains a challenging environment,” said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO. “Even though the civil & parapublic market remains at a low level worldwide, we have managed to maintain our global leadership thanks to our wide and modern portfolio of products and services and our international footprint. Meanwhile, we have increased our market share in the military sector by securing major contracts with leading armed forces worldwide, with best-in-class solutions. These positive trends give us the means to prepare the future and continue our transformation, with innovation at our core and customer loyalty at heart.”

In 2018, Airbus Helicopters delivered the first of 100 H135s for China in Qingdao, where a dedicated final assembly line will serve the growing demand of the Chinese market for civil & parapublic helicopters. Meanwhile, Hong Kong Government Flying Service took delivery of the first H175s in public services configuration.

Last year also proved successful for the Super Puma family which demonstrated its versatility by being selected in key military campaigns, while attracting new civil & parapublic customers with repurposed H225s previously operated on the oil & gas market. Likewise, 2018 proved to be a very positive year for the NH90, which attracted orders for 28 units in Qatar while being selected by Spain in the frame of a follow-on order for 23 units.

Key programme milestones were achieved in 2018, including the power-on and ground testing of the CityAirbus electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology demonstrator, ahead of a maiden flight expected early 2019. The first H160 in serial configuration entered flight trials in 2018, while the VSR700 unmanned aerial system demonstrator performed its first unmanned flights at the end of the year.

Footnote:
The Full-Year 2018 net orders and backlog represent the contractual view. The Full-Year 2018 backlog value will be measured under IFRS 15 and will reflect the recoverable amount of revenues under these contracts. The FY 2017 backlog will not be restated.

Story and image from http://www.airbus.com