Helikopter - Airbus Helicopters markedsfører sin kontroversielle H225 på Heli-Expo 2024- AIN

 

Heli-Expo 2024

 

ROTORCRAFT

Airbus Seeks To Boost Output and Performance

Rotorcraft accounted for the strongest earnings growth across the Airbus group

 

Airbus Helicopters arrives at Heli-Expo on a rising tide of demand across its rotorcraft portfolio.

 

By CHARLES ALCOCK • Managing Editor

February 25, 2024

Last year saw Airbus Helicopters logging encouraging—and hopefully sustainable—levels of growth with net orders rising by just over 8 percent to 393. Announced as part of the European aerospace and defense group's 2023 financial results on February 15, the company said the new business was spread across all its helicopter programs and amounted to a book-to-bill ratio above one, both in terms of units and value.

Revenues for the division were 6 percent up at €2.7 billion ($2.9 billion). More impressively, its earnings showed the highest rate of increase among all Airbus business units, climbing by 19 percent to €307 million.

As with much of the rest of the rotorcraft industry, Airbus continues to face production and customer support challenges resulting from pinch-points in its complex supply chain. But this hasn't discouraged it from implementing new technologies and performance improvements right across its product family. 

For instance, the latest innovation for the H130 helicopter will see a new three-axis autopilot introduced. This is now being developed with Garmin and should be certified in 2025, at which point it will be available for retrofit under an STC and as an option for new aircraft. This will protect pilots throughout all stages of flight and include a recovery mode.

According to Jérôme Ronssin, head of Airbus’ light helicopter program, the company is still determining whether to make the H130 capable of flying in IFR conditions. This capability is now available for its H125 sibling through a supplemental type certificate, and an example of this aircraft is on display at the Heli-Expo show this week with supplier Genesys Aerosystems.

From 2026, Airbus aims to start production of its H130 and H125 models at a new assembly line in India. This addition has been agreed under the government-backed Made in India program, with the exact location still to be announced.

Ronssin reported that 2023 saw Airbus’ largest number of light helicopter deliveries in the past 10 years. New business has included orders for the ACH VIP/business configuration, including one deal with Italy-based Air Corporate for 43 aircraft.

Demand Rising For H145

The European manufacturer reported strong demand for the H145 in 2023, with 186 orders, including 62 of the H145M military version. Axel Humpert, senior v-p and program head, told reporters during a pre-Heli-Expo show briefing that it was the most in-demand rotorcraft in the world last year.

There are now 1,676 H145s in service with 341 operators across 66 countries, and the worldwide fleet has logged 7.6 million flight hours. The Asia-Pacific region is home to 15 percent of these aircraft. Collectively, military and EMS applications account for just over two-thirds of all the H145s. 

Over the past year, Airbus has certified several new features on the H145. These include the Helionix avionics update, including ADS-B In with a Lynx transponder, an automated flight control system that can handle assisted Cat A takeoffs from helipads, automatic hold height capability, and vortex ring state warnings.

To respond to additional requirements, the manufacturer is now working to add several other offerings. These include a police mission system, a new type of hoist, a Honeywell RDR7000 search and weather radar, ILS for Cat 2 approaches, RNP-AR 0.1 navigation system, a rotor strike avoidance system, HTAWS for offshore operations, TCAS II, and a flyable boarding step.

Humpert reported that Airbus has conducted flights with the H145 in Sea Stage 6 conditions in the North Sea. With military versions, it has demonstrated how paired drones can be controlled from the helicopter, either from the point of takeoff or by taking over control when already in flight.

Flexibility To Meet Operators' Needs

Airbus is looking to diversify the market for its H175 twin in part by seeking framework agreements with operators covering both firm orders and options. According to program manager Jerome Fagot, the greater visibility of demand these arrangements give both parties increases the manufacturer’s flexibility in making delivery slots available and means that it is now experiencing stronger demand for the type than the 14 helicopters booked in 2023 might indicate.

The airframer is seeking to boost the annual production rate by a factor of four by 2026. By then, it aims to have achieved type certification with both U.S. and Canadian regulators.

The energy sector, where Fagot said the super-medium H175 has benefitted from both Sikorsky’s scrapping of its S-76 model and uncertainty over a possible S-92 replacement, now accounts for 72 percent of the fleet. Airbus is seeking sales growth in both business aviation, for which a 12-seat VIP cabin is available, and public service. The type certificate issued last year by the Civil Aviation Administration of China has created an opening for the geographic expansion of its customer base.

There are now 56 H175s in service. This fleet logged 40,800 flight hours last year, taking the total above 210,000 hours, with the fleet leader accounting for 9,500 of these hours.

According to Fagot, in 2023, the H175s in service delivered operational cost savings and carbon dioxide reductions of around 30 percent compared to the larger S-92 and 10 percent compared with Leonardo’s AW189.

As the fleet has gained operational experience, Airbus has been able to reduce the burden in terms of maintenance tasks and hours of skilled labor by 25 percent for the 400-flight-hour inspection and by 50 percent for the 800-hour inspection. At the end of 2023, EASA extended the time between overhauls for the main gearbox from 1,600 to 2,400 flight hours.

With missions such as search and rescue in mind, Airbus is now investing to develop new equipment and functions including EOS, FIPS, and Helionix. The H175 can perform rescue missions beyond 200 nm from its operating base. Last year, the aircraft also demonstrated extremely hot and high performance during flight trials with prospective operators in Saudi Arabia.

H160 Prepares To Start North American Operations

While Airbus achieved U.S. type certification for the H160 helicopter in June 2023, followed by Transport Canada approval in December, the company still has a few modifications to complete before the twin can enter service in the North American market. Program head Gilles Armstrong said the company is well placed to expand international sales with certification now complete in Mexico, the Philippines, Malaysia, and India, and the process is now underway in China.

With high expectations of demand from the energy sector, Armstrong reported that route-proving exercises will soon begin with U.S. customer PHI, and four aircraft have been delivered for this purpose. Chinese oil and gas group GDAT has 50 H160s on order for applications such as offshore transportation, wind farm support, and harbor piloting.

Last year, the manufacturer booked orders for 26 more H160s, which are set to more than double the current 25 aircraft in service. These have already logged more than 4,000 flight hours, with the fleet leader being the French Navy.

Airbus recently delivered the first VIP-configured ACH160 Exclusive model, and another example of this version has since gone to The Helicopter Company in Saudi Arabia. Air Corporate in Italy has three ACH160s on order, and another aircraft is going to a customer in India. Meanwhile, the manufacturer is working to secure certification for the new "Lounge" variant.

Armstrong told reporters that his team is working toward a target of producing 40 H160s each year by 2026. This would represent a doubling of output compared with 2023.

The H160 features multiple innovations that Airbus has brought to market in recent years. These include a canted fenestron to improve performance and stability with larger payloads, Blue Edge blades that should cut noise by up to 50 percent, and the new Helionix. The aircraft is powered by a pair of Safran’s latest Arrano engines that are expected to cut fuel consumption by 15 percent.

H225 Could Fill Large Gap

According to Airbus, market shifts over the past 12 to 18 months have driven a rebound in flight hours for the largest of its helicopters, which it expects to remain in production beyond 2040. The H225 is now in service with new oil and gas sector customers, such as COHC in China and VNHS in Vietnam, and it is also active for exploration flights in Namibia and Brazil.

Régis Magnac, the program's head of energy, said that the new-generation Super Puma is effectively the only available helicopter to replace Sikorsky's S-92 model for long-range missions. "In places where longer-range, de-icing capability, and a large cabin are required, this is where the 225 comes into play," he said.

The H225's redesigned main gearbox, introduced to remedy the main causes of a pair of offshore accidents in the North Sea, is now standard on newly built helicopters and is being retrofitted across the fleet. Program head Michel Macia said that the unit now includes an upgraded vibration monitoring system.