![]() Airbus Helicopters H160M Guépard mock-up at Paris Air Show 2019 On 18 December 2015, the second prototype, the first H160 to be equipped with Turbomeca Arrano engines, performed its initial ground run its maiden flight took place on 27 January 2016. By November 2015, the flight envelope of the prototype had been progressively expanded, having attained a maximum altitude of 15,000 feet (4,600 m) and a maximum speed of 175 knots (324 km/h 201 mph) so far. On 13 June 2015, the first prototype performed its first flight from Marignane. On, the first H160 prototype was unveiled at Airbus Helicopters' Marignane facility in France. ![]() Ī design emphasis was placed on using Airbus' production and support techniques as used for advanced fixed-wing aircraft such as the Airbus A350 passenger jet accordingly, a pair of test rigs were built to separately test the dynamic and system elements respectively to speed up the design process. The H160 began Airbus Helicopter's re-branded naming convention starting 1 January 2016, helicopters in the same range shall bear the 'H' designation, resembling how Airbus names their commercial aircraft. It has been marketed as a successor to the company's existing Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin and competes with the AgustaWestland AW139, Sikorsky S-76 and Bell 412 Guillaume Faury, Airbus Helicopters Chief Executive, referred to the H160 as being "the AW139 killer". On 3 March 2015, the X4 was formally unveiled under the H160 designation. Cutting-edge features, including proposed highly advanced control systems, were toned down or eliminated as too risky or costly. The development program for the X4 cost €1 billion ($1.12 billion). ![]() It was also announced that the X4 would be introduced in two stages: an interim model in 2017 with some of the advanced features absent, and a more advanced model following in 2020. The X4 was also described as having a "radically different" cockpit, Bertling stating that "The cockpit as we know it today will not be there". Early features alluded to include Blue Edge active tracking rotor blades, advanced pilot assistance functionality, and reduced vibration to "near-jet" levels of smoothness. Speaking in early 2011, Eurocopter (later renamed as Airbus Helicopters) chief Lutz Bertling declared that the X4 would be a "game changer", contrasting significance of the innovations it would feature with Airbus' development of fly-by-wire controls. The Airbus Helicopters H160 was first revealed to the public in 2011, at which point it was referred to by company representatives by the designation X4 – a designation which implied it to be a follow-on from the Eurocopter X3, a high-speed hybrid helicopter technology demonstrator. It received its EASA type certification in July 2020, and first deliveries were in December 2021.ĭevelopment Airbus Helicopters H160 mockup at the 2015 Dubai Airshow. In June 2015, the first test flight took place. Formally launched at Heli-Expo in Orlando, Florida on 3 March 2015, it is intended to replace the AS365 and EC155 models in the firm's lineup. ![]() The Airbus Helicopters H160 (formerly X4) is a medium utility helicopter being developed by Airbus Helicopters.
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