Airbus' Five-Bladed H145 Arrives in Chile for High Altitude Flight Tests

The prototype of Airbus' five-bladed twin-engine H145 has arrived in Chile where it will start a high altitude flight campaign.

EASA certification is expected in early 2020, with deliveries following later that year.

The new H145 is ready to take on the Andes, with altitudes up to 20,000 feet above sea level, after having already performed some altitude tests in the French Pyrenees during the summer of 2018.

The objective of this latest campaign is to expand the flight envelope of the new helicopter and demonstrate its capabilities at high altitudes.

The H145’s new five-bladed rotor brings a significant increase in overall performance, with a maximum take-off weight raised to 3,800 kg and a useful load now equivalent to the aircraft’s empty weight. Airbus says that the simplicity of the new bearingless main rotor design will also ease maintenance operations, further improving the benchmark serviceability and reliability of the H145, while improving ride comfort for both passengers and crew. In addition, the reduced rotor diameter will allow the H145 to operate in more confined areas.

The new H145 features the wireless Airborne Communication System (wACS) which allows seamless and secure transmission of data generated by the helicopter in real-time, including in-flight.

See latest HD Video Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: Airbus, H145, Chile, Helicopters.