Airbus H160 Helicopter Receives EASA Certification, FAA Approval Expected Soon

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Airbus says its H160 helicopter has received type certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency; the aerospace company expects the H160 to receive FAA certification later this year, shortly before it delivers the first H160 to an undisclosed customer in the U.S. (Photo courtesy of Airbus.)

Airbus’ twin-engine, multirole H160 civil helicopter received certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency on July 1, marking what Airbus says is a new chapter for the H160 program. Airbus expects Federal Aviation Administration certification to follow later this year prior to delivering the first H160 to an undisclosed U.S. customer. Airbus is also working on an H160M military variant for service entry in 2026. Overall, Airbus manufactures civil, military, and ACH (Airbus Corporate Helicopter) helicopters in intermediate single, light twin, medium, super medium, heavy, and corporate categories for private and business aviation, emergency, oil and gas, commercial air transport, and other applications.

One Overriding Goal

The H160 falls between the H145 and H175 models in Airbus’ medium category. The chopper is the first member of the H generation, and was designed with one overriding goal, “to create added value for customers in terms of performance, economic competitiveness, safety, and comfort.” Accommodating one or two pilots and up to 12 passengers, the H160 is equipped with two Safran Arrano 1A engines that provide 1,300 shaft horsepower each. It has a maximum speed of 150 KTAS, a 475-nautical-mile (880-kilometer) range, a 13,338-pound (6,050-kilogram) maximum takeoff weight, and a 20,000-foot (6,096-meter) maximum flight altitude.

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Airbus marked the receipt of EASA type certification for its H160 in July 1. (Photo courtesy of Airbus.)

Airbus used three prototypes to develop and certify the H160 that have flown a combined 1,500-plus hours. The helicopter is designed to perform everything from offshore transportation to emergency medical service to private and business aviation missions. Safety features include accrued pilot assistance and automated abilities as well as flight envelope protection provided by a Helionix avionics suite.

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Noting that the H160’s type certification is the result of years of “tremendous work and efforts,” EASE certification director Rachel Daeschler says the H160’s design is not only versatile in terms of supported missions, “it’s also one of the most environmentally friendly with respect to fuel consumption, and one of the quietest helicopters of its class.”

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Source: Airbus