Story ID: 273 BLR H125_rrpHAI2016
Airbus H125 Getting BLR FastFins
By: AIN Staff
Caption: FAA certification is expected later this year, with EASA and ANAC nods to follow.
Word Count: 241
BLR Aerospace completed proof-of-concept flight tests of its FastFin tailrotor enhancement and stability system on the Airbus Helicopters H125 (AS350B3e) last year. Now the company expects to complete flight testing and to receive FAA certification for the product later this year, with approvals by EASA and Brazil’s ANAC to follow.

Dave Marone, BLR v-p of sales and marketing, told AIN that BLR bought an AS350B3e last year to do the proof-of-concept work on the helicopter. “Working together with Airbus Helicopters on development of the system was significant and accelerated development of the program,” he explained.

BLR’s AS350B3e with the FastFin is undergoing flight testing, so is not being displayed here at Heli-Expo. The test program showed that FastFin improves wind-azimuth tolerance and increased useful load in a hover. Detailed performance data will be provided after certification, when FastFin will be offered as an aftermarket modification and as an option on new H125s.

Separately, BLR announced that 1,000th FastFins are flying on helicopters in 35 countries. The 1,000th FastFin went to Agrarflug of Ahlen, Germany, for a Bell 212 on January 29.

In 2005, an AS350B3 flown by one test pilot broke the world record for the highest-altitude landing and takeoff, performed on Mount Everest at 29,035 feet (8,850 meters). Perhaps Airbus Helicopters will attempt to exceed this record with a FastFin-equipped H125 with two pilots on board.