Airbus Helicopters Unveils New Light Twin
Newest Airbus offering fills the gap between its H135 and H145 models
Credit: Airbus Helicopters
The annual Verticon industry show (formerly HeliExpo) revealed another new product announcement today as Airbus Helicopters introduced its H140 light-twin turbine rotorcraft model. The announcement follows yesterday’s announcement at the Dallas show of the new Robinson R88 10-place turbine single, that company’s second turbine offering and its largest helicopter, ever.
The H140, now in flight-test at Airbus’s Donauwörth, Germany facility, will be powered by a pair of Safran Arrius 2E 700-shaft horsepower turbine powerplants. They are controlled with a dual-channel full authority digital engine control (Fadec) system, with computer-controlled one-engine-inoperative (OEI) capability. The power drives the same five-blade bearingless main rotor system introduced on the Airbus H145 six years ago and a fenestron tail rotor configuration. The flight deck features the same Helionix avionics suite installed in the H135, H145, H160, and H175 Airbus Helicopters models.
Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, said, “We worked hand-in-hand with our H135 customers to bring their additional requirements together in the H140’s efficient design. It enables customers to benefit from a bigger mission-enhancing cabin space that was sized to an optimized engine performance for the best-in-class payload and range.”
