Airbus Helicopters raises the MTOW of the H145 to 3,700kg

Airbus Helicopters H145 (Credit: Anthony Pecchi)

EASA has certificated an increased maximum take-off weight (MTOW) for the Airbus Helicopters H145.

The helicopter can carry an extra 50kg, raising the MTOW to a total of 3.7 metric tons. It will be available for customers in early 2016.

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Manfred Merk, head of the H145 programme said: “By raising the MTOW we are improving the mission capability of the H145, which is highly beneficial for all operators, especially in emergency medical services (EMS), law enforcement and offshore missions, where both high payload and maximum range are directly relevant for efficient helicopter operations. The new MTOW converts in pure useful load, be it more payload or more fuel.”

The H145 is powered by the Arriel 2E engine with a Fenestron tail rotor. The global H145 customer fleet has already accumulated more than 11,000 flying hours since the first delivery in July 2014. Today, some 53 helicopters are already in operation in 14 nations.