Airbus Helicopters in the UK is to provide four additional H145 helicopters as part of an expansion of the UK Military Flight Training System (UKMFTS).

The new helicopters will join the existing fleet of 29 H135s and three H145s, known respectively as Juno and Jupiter in UKMFTS service. They will be delivered during 2020.

Operated by Ascent Flight Training Management Ltd primarily from Royal Air Force (RAF) Shawbury and also RAF Valley on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, the aircraft are used to train all UK military helicopter pilots and rear crew.

Airbus Helicopters is fully embedded at both bases as the rotary wing aircraft service provider to Ascent.

Managing director of Airbus Helicopters in the UK, Colin James, said: «The H135 Juno and H145 Jupiter are demonstrating day-in and day-out their exceptional reliability and versatility in the training role at UKMFTS. It’s deeply satisfying for us to see the first aircrew having already graduated and we look forward to delivering the additional aircraft in the very near future».

The H145 helicopter family has completed more than 5.5 million flight hours worldwide with more than 1,300 aircraft in the global fleet.

 

Characteristics

DIMENSIONS
Length (rotor rotating)	44.72 feet/13.63 m
Fuselage length	38.35 feet/11.69 m
Height	13.12 feet/4 m
Main rotor diameter	36.09 feet/11 m
Width (blades folded)	8.89 feet/2.71 m
CAPABILITIES
Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW)	8,157 lbs/3,700 kg
Useful Load	3,900 lbs/1,769 kg
Sling load	3,307 lbs/1,500 kg
Maximum seating	1/2 pilots + 10/9 troops
ENGINE
2 × Turbomeca ARRIEL 2E turboshaft engines
Maximum Continuous Power (MCP)	2×771 shp/2×575 kW
Take-Off Power (TOP)	2×894 shp/2×667 kW
2 min One Engine Inoperative (OEI)	1×1,038 shp/1×775 kW
30 sec OEI-power	1×1,072 shp/1×800 kW
PERFORMANCE AT MTOW
Speed (Vne – never exceed speed)	135 knots/155 mph/250 km/h
Fast Cruise speed (Vh – maximum speed)	132 knots/152 mph/244 km/h
Maximum range	357 NM/411 miles/662 km
Hover ceiling OGE (TOP), ISA	8,858 feet/2,700 m