Story ID: 
Airbus Helicopters Performs H175 Engine Removal
By: Thierry Dubois
Caption: Pratt & Whitney Canada turboshaft was replaced at altitude airport in France
Word Count: 170
An Airbus Helicopters H175 underwent unscheduled maintenance at Courchevel Airport, at 6,500 feet of altitude in the French Alps earlier this month. A prototype being used for optional system testing, the aircraft had one of its Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-67E turboshafts removed. Another one had to be shipped from the manufacturer's Marignane, France, headquarters overnight. The replacement started on site immediately.

“It was a preventive removal and is part of our standard process and procedure,” Pratt & Whitney Canada said. An Airbus Helicopters spokeswoman said that “inspecting one of the engines appeared useful.” Company technicians performed the removal without any particular difficulty, which thus showed the maintainability of the helicopter, she added.

The prototype was at Courchevel to test “systems for flight in snow conditions.” AIN understands it includes tail rotor blade de-icing, as the photo suggests. The spokeswoman added the simulated conditions were beyond those encountered in real life.

The H175 medium twin has been in service since December 2014.