Nakanihon Air, one of Japan’s largest helicopter operators, has placed orders with Airbus Helicopter’s for one H215 heavy helicopter.
The new helicopter will be used to undertake utility and aerial work missions for the Japanese operator.
“We are looking forward to receiving Airbus’ mission-proven H215 to support our wide-ranging activities in Japan,” said Taku Shibata, President of Nakanihon Air. “We believe the H215 offers the enhanced precision and stability we require, which will not only boost mission readiness but will also build up our fleet capabilities. We are happy to further this partnership with the Airbus Helicopters team in Japan that understands our needs and has supported our operations for many years.”
Nakanihon Air already operates a fleet of 45 Airbus helicopters for a range of activities such as emergency medical services, electronic news gathering, as well as passenger and goods transportation in Japan.
Nakanihon Airy also runs an Airbus-approved maintenance centre for H135 helicopters, while major inspections of the operator’s existing Super Puma fleet are performed at the manufacturer’s Kobe maintenance facility.
“We are pleased to support Nakanihon Air’s growing business. We thank our customer for their continued confidence in our long-lasting relationship as demonstrated by this first H215 order,” said Guillaume Leprince, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Japan. “Thanks to a 4-axis dual duplex digital autopilot system in an intuitive glass cockpit, the H215 provides enhanced mission efficiency and safety while simplifying crew workload. We are confident that it will be an asset to Nakanihon Air, offering the excellent performance they expect.”
The twin-engine, heavy-lift H215 is a member of the Super Puma helicopter family and is available in two versions – one tailored for multi-role operations and the other for aerial work and utility missions.
The Super Puma has proved a popular type in Japan with 28 of the type, currently in operation in Japan with civil operators, parapublic operators, and the Ministry of Defense for various search and rescue missions, coastguard operations, fire-fighting, as well as Private and Business Aviation and commercial air transport missions.
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