Airbus has delivered the first production H160 medium-twin helicopter to Japanese operator All Nippon Helicopter (ANH). The H160 was certified by EASA in July 2020, followed by approval from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) in May 2021 and the Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency in September 2021.
ANH’s H160 was delivered from Airbus’ helicopter facility in Kobe, Japan, where flight training and specialized equipment installation for electronic newsgathering will be performed before the helicopter’s entry into service next year. It will join ANH’s existing Airbus Helicopters fleet of five AS365s and five H135s used for electronic newsgathering for the TV stations across Japan. “I can’t wait to see this next-generation helicopter flying the skies of Japan, playing a key role in the country’s electronic newsgathering market,” said Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even.
The H160 was designed as a multi-role helicopter capable of performing a wide range of missions such as offshore transportation, emergency medical services, private and business aviation, as well as public services. The aircraft makes extensive use of carbon-fiber composites in the fuselage and main rotor blades that enhance the helicopter’s corrosion resistance, especially in maritime operations. Power comes from a pair of Safran Arrano engines. Its Helionix avionics system incorporates the world’s first ground helipad-assisted takeoff procedure, a vortex ring state pre-alerting system, and a recovery mode to automatically regain stabilized flight.