North About to See More Competition in the Medium Helo Market

Airbus Helicopters has been granted Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) type certification for its H160 helicopter, positioning the aircraft for entry into the Canadian market.

The H160 has proven quite popular on its home continent since its unveiling in 2015. The medium utility helo has proven popular thanks to its typical Airbus DNA, offering buyers the usual combo of high-tech flight decks, quality furnishings, and safety accouterments. Little additions like the "noise-reducing Blue Edge rotor blades, a canted Fenestron tail rotor for greater useful load, and Airbus Helicopters’ Helionix avionics' make for nice touches compared to more run-of-the-mill rotary-wing offerings. The 15% fuel burn reduction and 50% quieter operation helps to minimize any over-the-shoulder commentary from local bureaucrats, too. Upon release, Airbus Helicopters Chief Exec called the H160 the “AW139 killer”, and judging from the frequency of contented press releases, sales might just be high enough to meet that moniker.

“The H160’s multi-mission capabilities and advanced features contributing to safety, comfort, and efficiency, have already generated strong interest across North America,” said Bart Reijnen, Airbus Helicopters Head of the North America region. “The TCCA certification marks yet another major milestone for the helicopter industry in Canada and raises the bar on innovative technology, not only in Canada, but also across the continent.”

FMI: www.airbus.com