Maintaining a high level of safety in flight operations has always been a top priority for Airbus Helicopters, which is why the company introduces safety-related initiatives on a regular basis. One such initiative, the deployment of state-of-the-art H125 Loft Dynamics virtual reality (VR) simulators in the training network, takes into account the ability of new-generation devices to revolutionise the way future pilots are trained, creating an environment that not only fosters technical skills, but also ignites a true passion for flying.

These VR simulators are in service at the Airbus Helicopters Training Academy, whose role is also to prepare the future and help alleviate the looming pilot shortage. Customers have access to this new training device at the Marignane Training Academy in France, recently upgraded with dual control and demo mode that aims to meet Airbus Helicopters type rating training standards.

In addition, in September a new simulator was installed at the training academy in South Africa, where the team is actively working on the qualification process, with the ambition of completing it by the end of 2024. Regional customers will benefit from this local access to the simulator at Airbus Helicopters' facilities in Midrand (Johannesburg). This new asset enriches Airbus' range of training devices in its global network. It will offer refresher and type rating training, the use of which Airbus Helicopters is working with local aviation regulators, to further innovate and develop the training portfolio offered in South Africa. With the H125 Loft Dynamics VR simulator, a new step forward has been taken for the simulator's global expansion in the Airbus Helicopters training network.

In parallel, with the support of customer centres, the Training Academy closely monitors a deployment roadmap so as to install the appropriate number of simulators according to the operational needs of its worldwide customer base.

In a related effort, Airbus Helicopters has been actively collaborating with Loft Dynamics and Marshall University to obtain the simulator's FAA level 5 qualification (achieved in July 2024). Level 7 qualification is expected in the coming months. This is the first virtual reality flight simulation training device (FSTD) to be FAA-qualified in North America.

As part of the cooperation with Marshall University, an H125 VR simulator has been installed at their Huntington (W. Virginia) facilities, in addition to an H125 helicopter, to provide competitive ab-initio training to pilots in the future. This initiative also strives to close gaps in the pilot shortage in the aeronautics industry, a key concern for Airbus Helicopters.

Learn more about the VR Simulator

H125 VR Simulator

H145 VR Simulator in development

For more information, please contact a Sales Manager or Airbus Helicopters through the “Contact us” button.

Airbus Helicopters continuously supports its customers to perform their missions and helicopter operations at the highest level. To enhance mission efficiency, the H145 light twin-engine aircraft programme has designed a new main tank air-no-fuel-valve to prevent air from being trapped in the fuel system.

The enhanced air-no-fuel-valve has been designed with:
-    Aluminium housing to avoid deformation due to fuel immersion
-    New flour silicone O-rings with improved shore hardness and modified groove, drastically limiting seal swelling and seat deformation.
This modified valve significantly limits the fuel leakage in vent systems and thus air from being trapped in the fuel tanks, while increasing tanks’ filling rates and thus reducing refuelling times.

This new solution, implemented in serial production on BK117 D-3 from rank SN 21071, is already available for BK117 C-2, BK117 D-2 and BK117 D-3 in-service aircraft via the three service bulletins: MBB-BK117 C-2-28-006, MBB-BK117 D-2-28-002 and MBB-BK117 D-3-28-001, published in December 2021. Twenty-one man hours are required for its installation to replace the air-no-fuel-valves inside the fuel tanks.

For more information, please contact a Sales Manager or contact Airbus Helicopters.

Airbus Helicopters is continuously improving its Technical Request service with new features to get requests underway and under resolution, thus enhancing the usability and mobility of this service.

●    Share Technical Events (TE) with another company through AirbusWorld platform
AirbusWorld users can now communicate more transparently and more easily with other stakeholders (e.g. secondary company, service centre, CAMO, etc.) and get better visibility in real time on TEs; both companies can communicate with Airbus Helicopters Technical Support and upload attachment files.

●    Offline mode now accessible in the mobile application
To consult a technical request without an internet connection, customers are advised to remember to load the TE that they will need before going offline.

●    Create a TE directly through an O.R.I.O.N note and eDTS (Dynamic troubleshooting)
As a time-saving and effortless improvement, customers can now easily and automatically transform the following into a Technical Request:
     -    a note created under the O.R.I.O.N. viewer
     -    an unsolved troubleshooting result in the eDTS service.
These new TEs can then be directly managed in the Technical Request service; this improves information sharing through an integrated process, with all technical requests centralised under the Technical Request service.
A video tutorial is available through https://www.dailymotion.com/video/k43bFSAmV7rjR2w4jwF

Thanks to these new features, customer expectations are being answered on a progressive basis. Airbus Helicopters is intent on providing the right solution and is continuously improving its level of service through more simple, integrated and digitalised processes for a better user experience.

Access the mobile Technical Request application through the link https://airbusworld.helicopters.airbus.com/webtek-request and install it on your device by using “Add to Home Screen” function. This user-friendly app is compatible with Android and iOS and with all types of device. A user guide is available on the AirbusWorld collaborative platform.

For more information, please contact a Sales Manager or contact Airbus Helicopters.

In September 2021, in the frame of the Life Extension Programme, the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands and Airbus Helicopters signed a contract for the upgrade of 12 Cougar AS532 U2 helicopters, covering:

-    The terms and certification of the upgrade modification, which includes a new glass cockpit for vehicle and mission management, a new Radio Com system meeting the latest NATO standards and additional provisions for tactical operations
-    Training services for pilots and technicians
-    Spare parts supply.

The Netherlands will benefit from a certified upgrade definition supplied by Airbus Helicopters’ OEM engineering department and access to the Airbus Helicopters industrial network, ensuring flexible planning to perform the aircraft modifications.

Under the terms of the contract, the first two prototype aircraft upgrades will be performed in France and the ten next aircraft in Romania. The first RNLAF aircraft landed at Marignane-Provence airport (France) in June 2022 for its upgrade in the new configuration.

This contract reinforces the long-term cooperation between RNLAF and Airbus Helicopters, and serves to maintain the RNLAF Cougar AS532 U2 fleet at the latest standard of operation for the next 10 years.

For more information, please contact a Sales Manager or contact Airbus Helicopters.