Aerometals Begins H225 Inlet Barrier Filtration Production

Aerospace design and manufacturing company Aerometals has shifted to the production of an inlet barrier filter (IBF) for the Airbus Helicopters H225 after completing flight testing of the air intake filtration system. The H225 is powered by a pair of Safran Makila 2A turboshafts.

The first production units have been delivered to fleet customer Air Center Helicopters, marking the system’s initial operational deployment on the H225. Air Center also supported the program by providing an aircraft and test pilot—company CEO Rod Tinney—for the IBF flight testing.

“This IBF will be a game changer for Air Center Helicopters and others operating in austere conditions, especially with dust,” Tinney said. “Many of the Southwest U.S. locations we operate in have a talc-like dust that severely impacts engines that the [multipurpose air intake] does not filter or catch. We also encounter similar conditions in Africa, where we have a no-fail mission for the U.S. government. These IBFs will go a long way to preserve engine life and make it possible for the engines to achieve TBO.”

According to Aerometals, the H225 IBF delivers a “substantial” improvement in filtration performance when compared to legacy particle separator systems. The company claims its IBF achieves a 99.3% SAE coarse-dust filtration efficiency, protecting against FOD, erosion, fouling, and corrosion.

In addition, the H225 IBF offers a reduced weight compared to previous systems and incorporates several advanced design features, Aerometals said. These include an integrated bypass door and removable filter elements that allow for simplified cleaning and maintenance. Constructed from composite Kevlar materials, the system is certified for bird-strike protection and has been tested under inadvertent icing conditions.