H160

The H160 opened a new chapter in the history of Airbus helicopters. Joining its rotorcraft product range in a size that is positioned between the company’s H145 and H175, this innovative medium helicopter became the first member of the H generation.

The entire design is based on one overriding goal: to create added value for customers in terms of performance, economic competitiveness, safety, and comfort. With reduced fuel consumption and perceived sound, the H160 is cleaner and quieter than others in its class, and allows customers to take a step towards reducing their environmental footprint.

Innovation at your service

The H160 is about breakthrough design, providing customers with the highest level of innovation, integrating as many as 68 different patents for a customer step change. The aircraft was developed using three prototypes and two test platforms – the dynamic helicopter zero and the system helicopter zero – to ensure the highest level of maturity ahead of service entry.

This rotorcraft comes with enhanced safety features and sets a new standard for passenger comfort. Innovations include the Airbus-developed Helionix avionics suite for reduced pilot workload, the canted Fenestron® for greater useful load and a flat attitude in flight, and sound-reducing Blue Edge™ rotor blades for quieter operations.

Customers also will appreciate flying more comfortably with an increase in volume per passenger compared to other medium-twin helicopters, as well as larger windows, creating the brightest cabin in its class.

Safety enhancer

Simple and intuitive to operate, innovative features such as simplified pre-flight checks and two-minute automatic start-up procedures make the H160 very easy to fly and to maintain. Helionix’s accrued pilot assistance reduces crew workload, and the helicopter’s exceptional handling and external visibility, contribute to greater situational awareness, enabling pilots to focus on the mission at hand. 

Safety also is enhanced with integration of the first-ever computerised rotorcraft flight manual (C-RFM), providing the crew with essential information about the aircraft’s performance in accordance with the conditions of the day, the optional equipment, and the desired flight profile.

The H160’s new automation modes also provide additional comfort to the pilots, enabling them to perform operations with greater ease. Equipped with the world’s first-ever ground helipad assisted take-off procedure, pilots will experience a secure and optimal helipad liftoff, and benefit from a reduced workload and the risk of human error.

The vortex pre-alerting feature also increases safety by warning pilots when they enter flight conditions that could lead to a vortex ring state if they do not take immediate action. The H160 also includes a tail fin camera, Sea State 6 emergency floatation system and windows that exceed EASA Type IV emergency egress size requirements.

Enhanced support concept

3D technical publications and easy digital troubleshooting tools give maintenance technicians the information to maintain this aircraft to the highest standards, even far from the maintenance base.

Connected services – such as FleetKeeper, digital logcards, and Flight Planner – enable customers to manage their operations seamlessly.

Equipment locations have been optimised for accessibility, while easy access to the large upper deck, engine access through a firewall panel, and easy removal of engine and main gearbox cowlings are among the H160’s innovations.

With its light maintenance plan aligned between engine and aircraft, the H160 offers optimised operating costs and a new standard in availability.

Right economic balance

With low fuel consumption, optimised maintenance costs and faster cruise speed, the H160 paves the way in economic competitiveness when measured against other helicopters in its class.

Fuel consumption is reduced by 15% compared to the previous class of engines for the same operations, while maintenance costs are reduced by nearly 15% on “airframe by the hour” and “service by the hour” options.