Airbus Helicopters is providing four additional H145 twins as part of an expansion of the UK Military Flight Training System (UKMFTS). The new helicopters will be used to train all UK military helicopter pilots and rear crew. They will be delivered this year and will be operated on behalf of the Ministry of Defence by Ascent Flight Training Management Ltd, primarily from RAF Shawbury and also RAF Valley.
Airbus Helicopters is the rotary-wing aircraft service provider to Ascent. The new H145s will join an existing fleet of 29 H135s and three H145s, known respectively as Juno and Jupiter, currently in service with the UKMFTS.
“The H135 Juno and H145 Jupiter are demonstrating day-in and day-out their exceptional reliability and versatility in the training role at UKMFTS. It’s deeply satisfying for us to see the first aircrew having already graduated and we look forward to delivering the additional aircraft in the very near future,” said Colin James, managing director for Airbus Helicopters in the UK.
More than 1,300 helicopters in the H145 family have been delivered worldwide and the fleet has amassed in excess of 5.5 million flight hours.