Airbus New H160/X4 Helicopter

Airbus Helicopters unveiled the new medium class twin engined helicopter H160 formly called X4 in the Heli-Expo in Orlando,Florida on 3 March 2015. It is expected to enter into service in 2018 but it test its first flight in 2015.

H160 is expected to replace AS365 and EC155 Dauphin family and gives direct competition to AgustaWestland AW139 with its better performance and fuel saving efficiency.This is the first Airbus helicopter with ‘H’ designation.

Airbus New H160 Helicopter

Design And Power Airbus H160/X4

The 5.5-6t H160 is powered by two Turbomeca Arrano turbo-shaft engines that is capable of carrying 12 passengers up to 120nm and provides a smooth ride even at cruise speed of 160kts.It is capable of hovering out of ground effect at 5,000ft.It has a gross weight of 5,500 kg to 6,000 kg with the range of 450 nm.

With a full composite air frame the H160 is also equipped with electrically actuated landing gears that is more safer and lighter than hydraulic gears.The electric landing gears helps to reduce maintenance.

Airbus new H160 Helicopter

A biplane stabilizer is the another aerodynamic innovation which improves its main rotor efficiency and stabilize it at very low speeds.It also reduces the masking effect of surface on the main rotor and hence increases its payload capacity.

Its design sheet includes The attractive Blue Edge main rotor blades which featured double-swept shape that reduces the noise level up to three decibel by controlling on blade vortex .The tail rotor has a special Fenestron design which is canted at 12 degree that increases the payload up to 100 kg by combining normal anti-torque role and a vertical lift component.

The Helionix flight deck and the avionics are similar to that of EC175 with the improved exterior visibility in cockpit’s design. H160 will be operated by single or two-pilots.Its cockpit is a revolution.In its helionix cockpit all the work and complexity is done by system,No need to confuse yourself.

Airbus new H160 Helicopter

The hub of H160 is made from carbon fiber with a thermoplastic resin that will help in reduction of weight and increases its damage tolerance which makes it more lighter and safer helicopter.

With all such features H160 will claimed as a leader in the medium segment in terms of performance , safety levels , reliability , availability , cost-effectiveness and comfort of passengers due to its low noise,safer flight,lighter design and low level of vibration.

The airbus H160 helicopter ready to take orders from 2016.

No doubt H160 is the direct competitor of AW139 but it also replace Sikorsky S-76D.

Check out the 9 specifications why Airbus H160 is better over AW139.

NEW Name Scheme

All the airbus helicopters are being renamed with the ‘H’ as First letter thus droping their previous Eurocopter’s EC acronym.The AS initils models will keep their name(exception AS365 and AS332).From now every single,twin engined helicopter will be named by this scheme.