New Deal Includes Twenty H175 and Eight H160 Models

Airbus Helicopters and Petroleum Helicopters International Group (PHI) have signed a framework agreement comprising commitments for twenty super-medium H175 helicopters and eight H160 (formerly X4) medium utility helicopters.

The 28 state-of-the-art rotorcraft will better position PHI to respond to the expected near-term growth of the global energy market and the demand for offshore transportation inherent thereto.

The commitments consist of firm orders as well as purchase options PHI may exercise over the agreement’s duration.

PHI Group CEO Scott McCarty stated: “PHI strives to lead the industry in operating the safest and most reliable fleet of helicopters.  This agreement is a component of our broader strategy to bring new technology into an industry that has experienced a strong rebound after years of underinvestment.  We look forward to our continued partnership with Airbus as we prepare to enter these aircraft into service with our customers around the world.”

Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Evans remarked: "We are proud of our ongoing partnership with PHI, a company recognized in the industry for its leadership in innovation and safety. We thank them for renewing their confidence in the H160 and for adding the H175, for their long-range missions, to their growing fleet. At a time when passenger-safety, economic-competitiveness, and energy-efficiency are key to conquering any market, the H160 and the H175 are reliable options for the years to come and we look forward to supporting their operations worldwide.”

PHI operates upwards of two-hundred helicopters in service of the global energy and aero-medical industries—which the company has served for 74-years. PHI’s Airbus fleet includes H125, H135, H145, H160, and H175 family helicopters.

FMI: www.airbus.com/en/products-services/helicopters