H175 arrives in Australia

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BABCOCK AUSTRALIA has shipped two Airbus Helicopters H175s to Australia for offshore operations from Dili in Timor Leste.

The helicopters arrived in Darwin aboard a chartered Antonov An-124 freighter on November 2017 and are the first of their type to operate in Australia. The super medium H175s will be operated from Dili by Babcock Offshore Services Australasia on contract.

Babcock Offshore Services Australasia Managing Director John Boag said: “Babcock’s investment in two brand-new H175s is a first for Australia’s aviation industry and is evidence of our commitment to growing our mission critical capabilities. Right across the globe, Babcock is trusted to deliver highquality services that our clients expect and we are delighted to be expanding our footprint in the region.”

The helicopters will be reassembled in Darwin by Babcock engineers before being flown to Dili. The contract will commence on January 1, 2018 and the two H175s will provide personnel transportation, search and rescue support and medical evacuation services over the Timor Sea, 500km (270 nautical miles) northwest of Darwin.

The company says Airbus Helicopters has trained 27 pilots and engineers to operate the new helicopters and it expects to employ a further 19 Timorese, including four local engineers. Boag continued:

“This contract represents a significant capital investment in aircraft, infrastructure and training by Babcock and is the culmination of many months of planning, preparation and implementation. Babcock has worked closely with Airbus to deliver training to our people on the ground and in the air that will ensure the safe and reliable assembly and operation of the new H175 helicopters for our client.”

Nigel Pittaway

Airbus Helicopters/Babcock Australia

AC312E completes altitude testing

CHINA’S XINHUA news agency has reported that the Harbin AC312E helicopter has completed altitude testing on the Tibetan Plateau, in the country’s Yunnan Province.

The testing, concluded in November, involved the helicopter operating at altitudes up to 20,670ft (6,300m) and the AC312E was based at Ninglang Luguhu airport, itself 10,800ft (3,293m) above sea level, for the testing work.

Xinhua reported: “In addition, taking off from an airport with an altitude of 14,763ft (4,500m) and cruising at an altitude of 16,400ft (5,000m), the aircraft has reached a range of 500km (270 nautical miles) with a 500kg (1,100 lb) payload.”

Developed by Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the AC312E flew for the first time in July 2016 and Xinhua reports that it is expected to receive type certification and begin deliveries to customers in 2018.

The first customer will be the China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Centre, which announced an order for a single helicopter at the 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition at Zhuhai in November 2016. In September 2017, an order for a further four aircraft was placed by the Tibet Development and Investment Group. Nigel Pittaway

Leonardo Airbus Helicopters notch up sales in the UAE

LEONARDO HELICOPTERS announced orders for both its AW139 and AW169 helicopters during the 2017 Dubai Air Show.

On November 12, the manufacturer announced that it will team up with leasing company Milestone Aviation Group to supply three AW169s to Falcon Aviation of Abu Dhabi. The following day, Leonardo announced it will provide two additional AW139 helicopters to Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA).

The three AW169s destined for Falcon Aviation will enter service in the first quarter of 2018 and they represent the first helicopter lease transaction for the UAE-based company. Falcon Aviation already operates two AW169s, as well as two AW189 and four AW109 Grand and GrandNew helicopters.

Carlo Gualdaroni, Leonardo Helicopters’ Chief Business Officer, said: “Falcon Aviation was the global launch customer for the offshoreconfigured AW169 and subsequently took delivery of a VIP configured version. We are thrilled the unique capabilities of this new generation model have met Falcon’s diverse operating goals and they have chosen to increase their fleet to include 11 Leonardo helicopters.”

The first AW169 delivered to Falcon Aviation has recently become the global fleet leader in terms of flight hours among the 40 of the type currently in service.

The company also announced an order for three additional Airbus Helicopters H160 helicopters at the Dubai Air Show, expanding its commitment from the original Letter of Intent for a VIP version of the helicopter signed in May 2016.

Captain Raman Oberoi, Chief Operating Officer of Falcon Aviation, said: “We took the decision to increase our request following a flight demonstration where we got the opportunity to test the H160s excellent passenger flight experience first hand. The H160 definitely meets our demanding standards for VIP travelling, in terms of comfort.”

The H160 will enter service in the oil and gas sector in 2019, followed by the emergency medical services version in 2021.

ADA signed a contract for the purchase of three additional AW139 helicopters at the show, with deliveries expected to occur before the end of 2017. The helicopters will be used in the offshore transport role and will join 15 earlier AW139s in the ADA fleet.

ADA chairman Nadar Ahmed Al Hammadi said: “The services provided by ADA are driven by customer’s needs. These helicopters are widely used in the United Arab Emirates, the GCC and the Middle East. The company has recently expanded its fleet to cover contractual obligations inside and outside the UAE and to further its investment in the aviation industry.” Leonardo said the order is part of an agreement with ADA announced at the end of 2015, covering a total of 15 AW139, AW169 and AW189 helicopters. Deliveries of the 15 helicopters will be undertaken through to 2019.

The helicopter manufacturer has sold more than 140 AW139s to operators in the Middle East and no fewer than 60 are in service in the UAE. ADA is the largest commercial helicopter operator in the Middle East, operating 16 AW139s, four Bell 206s, 19 Bell 212s and 15 Bell 412s.

ADA also announced at Dubai that it has been selected by Bell Helicopter Textron as an authorised Customer Service Facility for Bell 412s and 212s to support continued customer growth in the Middle East.

Nigel Pittaway