Plus two

The H145's success as an emergency medical evacuation helicopter continues, and the five-blade version adds further capabilities. The latest purchaser of the machine is Norwegian Air Ambulance, which has ordered two five-blade H145s to be used for rescue missions in Norway. "The five-blade H145 has proven to be the ideal helicopter for our HEMS [Helicopter Emergency Medical Services] operations," said Leif Olstad, CEO of Norwegian Air Ambulance. Today, Norwegian Air Ambulance operates Norway's 13 HEMS bases with a fleet of H135s and H145s equipped with 100% Helionix avionics. The organisation's parent company, the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, was the first operator in the world to take delivery of a five-bladed H145 in 2020.

Five-bladed H145

The new version of Airbus' best-selling light twin-engine H145 helicopter adds an innovative new five-blade rotor to the multi-mission aircraft, increasing the helicopter's payload by 150 kg. The simplicity of the new bearingless main rotor also facilitates maintenance operations, further improving the H145's serviceability and reliability, while enhancing passenger and crew comfort.

1,600 H145 family helicopters

In total, more than 1,600 H145 family helicopters are in service, with more than seven million flight hours. Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145 is equipped with a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and the Helionix digital avionics suite. The latter includes a high-performance 4-axis autopilot, which increases safety and reduces pilot workload. Its particularly low noise footprint makes the H145 the quietest helicopter in its class, while its CO2 emissions are the lowest among its competitors. Airbus Helicopters is the leading helicopter supplier to the air medical transport industry, providing approximately 54% of the 2,700 EMS helicopters flying in the world today.