Airbus Helicopters Japan has secured a contract for one H125 with Akagi Helicopter Co., Ltd. The proven helicopter from the Ecureuil family will join the company’s fleet for various transportation missions, in June 2018.
Akagi Helicopter currently operates two Aérospatiale SA315 Lamas and four Airbus Helicopters AS350s. This will be the first H125 to be operated by the Japanese company.
“Akagi has enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Airbus Helicopters in Japan over the last three decades,” said Junichi Sakamoto, president of Akagi Helicopter. “Building on this success, we are excited to introduce the H125 into our fleet as we prepare for the retirement of our two long-standing SA315 workhorses. The new helicopter will continue to play an important role of transporting the famous Japanese cedar Yoshino from the mountains.
“Safety remains our foremost priority, which is why we decided to acquire this Airbus helicopter to fulfil such delicate missions,” continued Sakamoto. “We expect to continue to grow our business relationship with Airbus Helicopters for many more years to come.”
The new H125 will replace the two SA315s, which have been operating since 1985. These two Lamas are the last aircraft in service in Japan, which are planned for retirement in 2018.
“Akagi Helicopter has been our long-standing partner for more than 30 years, and its decision for our H125 as a successor aircraft is a vote of confidence to Airbus’ product quality and performance,” said Olivier Tillier, managing director of Airbus Helicopters Japan. “We strongly believe that our H125 will be able to fulfill every mission excellently and safely in the steep mountainous and forested areas, as how this helicopter is built to perform.”
The H125 is a member of the rugged and proven Ecureuil family. The H125 outclasses all other single-engine helicopters for performance, versatility, safety, low maintenance and low acquisition costs. It is mainly used for aerial work and high performance missions in high and hot conditions around the world.
In 2005, it broke the world record for the highest-altitude landing and takeoff, performed on Mount Everest at 8,850 meters (29,035 feet). About 6,000 Ecureuil aircraft have been delivered in nearly 120 countries for some 1,800 operators to date.
