Page 27 - Flight International (January 2020)

COVER STORY

Progress in

revolutions
Now nearing the end of its development cycle, the H160
may appear like just another rotorcraft, but manufacturer
Airbus Helicopters promises a step-change in performance

outside at least, the H160 appears to be more
DOMINIC PERRY MARSEILLE
evolution than revolution. There are distinc-
or Airbus Helicopters, the end of the tive tweaks, such as the hockey-stick-shaped
long road to certification for the H160 main rotor blades, canted Fenestron and “bi-
now appears to be in sight. Launched plane” horizontal stabiliser, but it still appears
Fin 2015, the medium-twin is in the much as you would expect a helicopter to.
final stages of its development campaign; test Its engines do offer a step change in
flights ended in late 2019 and, at the time of performance, however: Safran Helicopter
writing in mid-January, Airbus Helicopters Engines promises that its 1,280shp (955kW)
was preparing to submit the final pieces of Arrano 1A turboshaft will offer a specific fuel
documentation to the European Union Avia- consumption improvement of 10-15% over
tion Safety Agency. previous-generation powerplants.
Deliveries are due to begin in the second
half of 2020 – about two years later than ini- NEW PRIORITIES
tially planned – with the first aircraft to be But the real differences are under the skin.
handed to an unnamed US customer. As you might expect from a test pilot, Gensse
Experimental test pilot Olivier Gensse has waxes lyrical about the H160’s handling –
been involved in the programme since its something he later shows off during a
very beginning: during a media event to 40min demonstration flight – but also points
launch the H160 in 2015 he “flew” journalists to the enhanced levels of comfort the
on the airframer’s system helicopter zero, helicopter offers. we could and then said to customers that they
a simulation device intended to ensure early He says that the H160 marked a departure could put whatever they liked in the back.”
maturation of the aircraft. for Airbus Helicopters in that it was the first This time, customer perspective has been
As you might expect, Gensse is immensely aircraft it developed with customer priorities front and centre. Gensse likens it to the auto-
proud of the 6t-class H160, believing it to offer at the heart of the effort. motive industry – where two cars can be pro-
a step change in performance over the previ- “Until the new generation, we focused on duced to the same safety standards but, for
ous generation of helicopters. But from the the vehicle and tried to build the best aircraft some reason, one feels better than the other.
“What you could sell in a car 40 years ago
you can’t sell today – and that’s the same with
helicopters,” he says.
Improved passenger comfort has been
driven by work across “four axes”, says
Gensse: vibration, noise, visibility and
climate control.
Low levels of vibration and noise have
been achieved without a need for add-on sys-
tems, delivering what Gensse calls “a new
standard”. Improvements can be traced to fea-
tures including the new main rotor blades
and Fenestron, but also the general stability of
the H160. In addition, the fact that no extra
vibration damping system is required saves
40-50kg (88-110lb) in unneeded equipment.
Airbus Helicopters or cooling system as soon as the engines
Stability is enhanced by canted Passengers are now able to use the heating
Fenestron and 'biplane' stabiliser are running. However, Gensse notes that

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