Airbus Helicopters has undertaken the successful inaugural flight of its second H140 prototype, dubbed PT2. Intended to bridge the gap between its existing H135 and H145 light twins, the upcoming H140 has been designed to offer improved performance, a larger cabin, and optimized economics, retaining the same Helionix avionics suite as its already-certified siblings but incorporating a new Safran Arrius 2ES engine.
PT2 is the latest in a projected series of four test aircraft. Its first flight took place on Friday from Airbus’ Donauwörth, Germany facility and lasted for approximately 15 minutes— curtailed due to an upcoming thunderstorm. During the flight, the helicopter behaved as expected, its manufacturer confirmed. Building on work conducted by PT1, which first flew in June 2023, PT2 will be used for various test campaigns, including winter, snow, and hot-and-high conditions.
The first flight for PT3 is planned for next year, with PT4 following at the end of 2026. Once certified to EASA CS-27/FAA FAR 27 requirements, the upcoming type is set to enter service in 2028. EMS operators such as Global Medical Response (GMR), ADAC Luftrettung, and ÖAMTC Flugrettung are instrumental in the H140’s development, Airbus said.