Story ID: 
Public Services H175 Completes First Test Campaign
By: David Donald
Caption: Certification is planned for next year.
Word Count: 206
Airbus Helicopters completed the first phase of flight trials of the H175 medium twin last week. This initial campaign comprised 12 flights and included a first demonstration of the variant for the launch customer, Hong Kong’s Government Flying Services (GFS). That operator ordered seven in September last year, with initial service-entry planned for late 2017. Two further aircraft will join the test fleet when it resumes flying in December, leading to certification next year.

For the GFS the H175 will primarily fill the search-and-rescue role, for which it has been outfitted with an electro-optical sensor system controlled from a console with an enhanced digital map display in the cabin. The aircraft will be equipped with two hoists, a steerable searchlight and a loudspeaker.

The aircraft is fitted with an autopilot with advanced SAR modes to reduce pilot workload. These modes have also been approved for the oil-and-gas-support version of the H175, allowing it to provide a secondary SAR capability in addition to its primary offshore transport role.

The H175 public services variant also serves EMS, firefighting, law enforcement and security patrols (over land and water). The cabin has been designed to allow for rapid reconfiguration between mission system fits.