Helicopters Airbus gives a successor to Dauphin – Le Figaro

The manufacturer introduced the H160 at the show in Orlando. It should make its first test flight in June 2015. The production will rise initially to 50 aircraft per year.

Name X4 code. Christian name, H160. Helicopters Airbus unveiled Tuesday, March 3, at Heli-Expo in Orlando Area, Florida, United States, 1 scale model of a new device. He succeeds Dauphin, one of his best-selling 1100 copies sold since its commissioning in 1974.

H160, where the manufacturer has invested one billion euros, is a twin gear new generation, carrying technological breakthroughs. To develop the Group subsidiary Airbus helicopter was inspired by the work processes and the experience gained by the manufacturer for testing campaign including tests on the ground, the use of composite materials and creating a common universe across families of aircraft in its class.

Improved performance

H160, futuristic design, is equipped with avionics and a new generation of cockpit pilots find aboard helicopters future of the group. “This commonality allows them to move more easily from one device to another, which results in lower training costs,” says the manufacturer. First Airbus Helicopters device with a composite fuselage, the H160 is a craft medium weight (5.5 to 6 tonnes) multimission. It transports passengers to oil platforms, conducts rescue or police missions or coastal surveillance. Its performance is improving, with a 50% noise, thanks to lighter pale boomerang-shaped. It also boasts an energy efficiency increase of 15-20% compared to former generation helicopters, thanks to new turbines which Turbomecca (Safran group) is the sole provider.

With the H160, first helicopter developed out cooperation from the EC 225 certified in 2004, Airbus Helicopters continues to renew its civil range. Last year, the group recorded “an unprecedented level of certifications and entry into new helicopter service” with the EC175 (7 tonnes) developed in cooperation with China, the EC145 light twin T2 and new versions the EC135

Redevenir market leader

The unit can weigh up to 6 tons Photo credits: That said Productions ©

The helicopter presented Tuesday must allow the builder to resume leadership that robbed him Italian Agusta-Westland in this market segment estimated at 200 units per year. Until the early 2000s, the famous Dauphin dominated with 35% of the total. But by launching its AW 139, a subsidiary of Finmeccanica exceeded the Dauphin, whose market share has plummeted to 15%. The H160 has to return in 2018 after obtaining his certification, three years after its first test flight, scheduled before June 2015.

About 600 people are involved in this program in France who performs most of the equipment, from design to assembly in Marignane through the construction pale in La Courneuve in Paris, and Germany in Donauwörth which is in charge of composite parts. The manufacturer plans to increase the production rate of 50 aircraft per year faster but “the assembly line is sized to produce more,” said the group led by William Faury. The CEO also announced a name change for all of helicopters ranges. Like Airbus which precede the name of their aircraft with an A (A 320, A 330, etc.), helicopters adopt the letter H, a way to simplify very complicated names.