Airbus Helicopters Introduces the H160: Innovation and Versatility in the Aviation Landscape

On June 14, 2024, Airbus Helicopters unveiled the first H160 helicopter delivered in Italy at its headquarters in Trento. The buyer, Air Corporate – the launch customer for the H160 in Italy – further bolsters its fleet with this delivery. This helicopter, the first of five H160s for Verona-based Air Corporate, is part of a larger order of 43 Airbus helicopters announced during the 2023 edition of EBACE.

“We are very proud of the latest addition to our fleet: with its 68 patents, the twin-engine H160 sets a new benchmark for style, performance, economic competitiveness, maintenance, safety, and low environmental impact comfort. As an ambassador for Airbus Helicopters’ transformation plan, the H160 establishes new standards in the way helicopters are developed, produced, supported, and its versatility makes it suitable for a wide variety of missions,” said Alexandre Ceccacci, General Manager of Airbus Helicopters Italy.

A quiet, safe, and balanced helicopter: thanks to its Blue Edge® blades, the H160 has reduced perceived noise by 50%, and its external dimensions allow for safe takeoff and landing. Moreover, its lighter weight in the “Lounge” configuration ensures lower fuel consumption and potentially enhances its value retention through ease of reuse in a wide range of missions.

“The delivery of the first H160 in Italy also marks another milestone for Airbus Helicopters Italy, having prepared the Trento center for all maintenance and repair activities for this model. Trento’s MRO is indeed the only maintenance center in Italy and one of three in Europe qualified to operate on Safran engines, with specialization in H160 models now a flagship feature of our site,” Ceccacci concluded.

The modern version unveiled on Friday, June 14, is configured for six passengers with two seats and a four-passenger bench seat, but the helicopter is also available in an eight-passenger configuration with two bench seats. Other significant features include the extremely large windows typical of the H160, the airy cabin, and numerous industry-leading technological features.

To date, over 100 H160s have been ordered and are operational in many countries worldwide. It already serves various configurations such as Oil & Gas, Commercial Air Transport (CAT), Private and Business Aviation (PBA), Emergency Medical Transport (EMS), and Public Services/Search and Rescue (SAR).

Sources

• Airbus press release