H140: finding the perfect balance on the cutting edge

Airbus Helicopters’ latest helicopter has been designed to be high performance and highly efficient. Dr. Dirk Petry, Vice President H135 and H140 Programmes, explains how the programme arrived at the ideal blend.

What were the key drivers for launching the Airbus H140?

Dr. Dirk Petry: The major motivation is the clear market demand for efficient, high performance helicopters with larger cabins, low operating cost and an attractive acquisition price. The H140 meets this demand, providing a spacious cabin that can seat up to six passengers comfortably, in a helicopter that is easy to maintain. It is essentially an efficient, compact helicopter with an optimised cabin that performs well at altitude and in hot conditions as well. There is also a large replacement market for helicopters that are performing medical missions worldwide. The H140 is designed to perfectly meet the needs of these operators. Other helicopters offer a large cabin, but they are not optimally positioned in terms of operating cost or performance. We are bringing a product to the market which will offer a perfect combination of low operating cost, larger cabin and a better performance than its rivals. 

What is being introduced to the design of this helicopter that will ensure such a high performance?

D.P.: Naturally, as it is a new helicopter, the H140 will benefit from design solutions, proven throughout the rest of the Airbus Helicopters range —and from our demonstrators such as Bluecopter. The most obvious examples are the T-shaped horizontal stabiliser, the new Fenestron design and the five-bladed rotor. What it will deliver to operators is an attractive ratio of useful load versus maximum takeoff weight (MTOW). It will be fast but with a smooth flight which will really make an impact for medical operators. Indeed, for our operators’ helicopter emergency medical service missions, the H140 will offer excellent rear-loading capability and a cabin that is the perfect size for their patients and crew—meaning a new standard in terms of the care that they can deliver. This means it will be easier to load patients onto the helicopter as well as allowing more complex intensive care missions. 

Will the Airbus H140 also deliver missions other than HEMS?

D.P.: Yes, definitely. In keeping with the versatility of Airbus Helicopters’ range, the H140 will be a fully multi-mission helicopter. While we have designed a cabin with HEMS operators, like every Airbus helicopter, the H140 will feature the modularity necessary to perform a complete range of missions. As such, it is a multi-purpose helicopter, which can cover law enforcement, firefighting and ultimately all mission segments. Its large cabin, for example, will prove very interesting to the private business aviation sector. It is also well worth mentioning how seamlessly the cabin can be modified for different missions. It is designed to allow quick cabin conversions, so public service operators that fulfill a range of missions will have effortless transitions. For instance, in countries where the paramedic and firefighting services are conducted by one operator, this could be very useful.

How many people are working on the H140 programme?

D.P.: There are several hundred people working on this project—across many sites. All the company is contributing to the development, production and support of this helicopter. In this context Airbus Helicopters’ site specialisation is playing a huge role. The final assembly line and the programme are based in Donauwörth (Germany) where the airframe is assembled and the airframe major component assembly is integrated as well; the dynamic components are being done in Marignane (France), Paris Le Bourget is supplying the main rotor blades and Albacete (Spain) is assembling the tail boom. This shows you the sheer scope of the project to design and deliver this helicopter. Thankfully we can count on an incredible team of colleagues to work together to do it.