Story ID: 
NASA Selects Airbus HCare for H135s
By: Mark Huber
Caption: NASA has signed a $15 million HCare Infinite maintenance agreement with Airbus Helicopters.
Word Count: 219
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has signed a $15 million HCare Infinite maintenance agreement with Airbus Helicopters Inc., the manufacturer's U.S. operation. The contract covers NASA’s three H135s that are entering service this month at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida.

Airbus will be responsible for H135 helicopter flight operations at KSC, supporting NASA with two pilots, two mechanics, and a program manager on site. NASA will operate the H135s for a variety of missions, including security around rocket launches, emergency medical services, and personnel transport. 

The maintenance agreement initially covers two years with the option to extend it up to 10. HCare Infinite guarantees the customer’s full fleet operational availability, including maintenance, technical support, and the supply of spare parts, tools, and consumables.

Airbus Helicopters’ range of HCare material management services starts with Easy (on-request catalog services) and Smart (four by-the-hour options), before progressively building up to Infinite (full availability commitments). “Our customers’ success lies in their ability to ensure aircraft are ready to take off the second they need them, and our HCare support solutions provide the guarantee that we have taken care of everything to ensure their full fleet availability,” said Anthony Baker, v-p of customer support and services at Airbus Helicopters Inc.