Safran is congratulating Airbus Helicopters on the 20th anniversary of the entry-into-service of its H135 light twin. The first EC135, powered by Safran engines, was delivered in 1996.
Bruno Even, Safran Helicopter Engines CEO, said: “I wish Airbus Helicopters a happy anniversary for its H135 family. It is a great aircraft that over the years has demonstrated excellent performance coupled with low operating costs. We are proud to be onboard its latest variant with our Arrius 2B2Plus.”
Powered by two Arrius 2B, the EC135 made its maiden flight on Feb. 15, 1994. Certified on 28 May 1996, the 2B was the first engine to enter service on the rotorcraft. For 20 years, Safran has matched the evolution of this aircraft, bringing to its customers more safety, reliability and performance. In 2014 the Arrius 2B2Plus entered service on the latest evolution of the rotorcraft family.
Arrius 2B2Plus delivers increased power at take-off and during hot and high missions compared to the earlier 2B2 version, together with lower direct operating costs. The engine has also one of the highest TBO in its class (4,000 hours) and is also certified on the H135 with and without an inlet barrier filter.
Over the years, the Arrius 2B2Plus has continuously increased its popularity among operators, especially those dealing with demanding missions like emergency medical services, search and rescue, or military training.
In 2015, Norwegian Air Ambulance changed to this engine for its new H135 fleet. DRF Luftrettung also selected the 2B2Plus to power its three new H135. Last July, Safran also won the confidence of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, by being selected to power a new H135 military training fleet under the Military Flying Training System program.
Today, more than 500 H135s are powered by Safran. Each day, Arrius 2B1, 2B2 and 2B2Plus contributes to critical missions that save life and bring assistance to people.
With eight million recorded flight hours, the Arrius remains the most popular engine in its class. To date, Safran has delivered more than 3,000 Arrius engines to 430 customers in 60 countries.
