Airbus Helicopters has delivered a new H135 with Helionix to Mainichi Newspapers, in an entry-into-service ceremony held at the Mainichi Newspapers’ base in Haneda, Tokyo.
The new H135 will complement Mainichi Newspapers’ existing fleet of three H135 helicopters, replacing its Airbus AS350B. The four H135 helicopters will be jointly operated by Kyodo News from April 2019, in electronic news gathering (ENG) missions in Japan. This H135 fleet will also support upcoming events including the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, as well as the Paralympic Games.
The new helicopter brings improved maneuverability and best-in-class performance. Equipped with state-of-the-art Helionix avionics system, the H135 offers increased mission flexibility and enhanced operational agility to pilots.
Leveraging the latest technology, the H135 is the market leader in the light twin-engine helicopter segment, and is the perfect fit for a variety of missions, including emergency medical services, law enforcement, VIP and business passenger transportation, and military training.
In Japan, H135 operators benefit from training support offered by Airbus Helicopters’ Kobe-based H135 full flight simulator center.
There are currently 91 H135 helicopters operating in Japan today. Globally, Airbus has delivered more than 1,350 H135s to close to 300 customers, clocking in over five million flight hours.
