Airbus Delivers First 5-Bladed H145 to Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation

Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first five-bladed H145 to the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation.

The new version of the H145 light twin-engine helicopter increases load by 150 kg whilst delivering new levels of comfort and connectivity.

Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145 is equipped with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and the Helionix digital avionics suite. It includes a high performance 4-axis autopilot, increasing safety and reducing pilot workload. Its particularly low acoustic footprint makes the H145 one of the quietest helicopters in its class.

“We’re proud to be the first operator to use the new five-bladed H145 for our research and development projects,” said Hans Morten Lossius, Secretary General of Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation. “The increased useful load and the smooth flight make the new H145 the perfect choice for these purposes, which aim to further push the boundaries and enhance Helicopter Emergency Medical Services in Norway and in the whole air ambulance community.”

The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, founded by Norwegian doctor Jens Moe in 1978, is the mother company and owner of the Norwegian Air Ambulance. It brought HEMS to Norway by opening a first base near Oslo, using a BO105 helicopter rented from Germany. Today, Norwegian Air Ambulance operates all 13 HEMS bases in Norway and all 4 bases in Denmark using a 100% Helionix-equipped fleet of H135s and H145s. This helicopter is dedicated to support the Foundation’s important work to improve the HEMS operations.

“I would like to thank the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation for their trust in our helicopters and especially in the H145 family of helicopters. I can’t wait to see this new version in operation, contributing to the success of life-saving missions,” said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO. “Our teams have worked hard to bring this enhanced multi-mission helicopter to the market quickly.”

The 5-bladed H145 received certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency in June. Certification by the Federal Aviation Administration is under review and expected soon. The certification for the military version of the five-bladed H145 will be granted in 2021.

 The H145 is developed jointly with Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The first delivery by the Japanese cooperation partner is scheduled for early next year.

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