The popular Airbus H125 will move into IFR operations following a joint project between the OEM and avionics manufacturer Genesys Aerosystems. The pair announced the plans at the Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo in Atlanta on Wednesday.
The single-engine turbine H125 follows on from the Eurocopter AS350 B3 model. The earlier AS350 B2 model is featured on the cover of the March 2023 edition of FLYING.
The Genesys Helicopter Suite comprises dual IDU-680 EFIS displays, a Genesys VHF NAV/COM aircraft digital radio, a Genesys IFR helicopter autopilot, dual redundant ADAHRS, dual GPS/FMS, and other equipment as required to achieve IFR certification. The DO-178C Level A, IFR certified, IDU-680 displays utilize high-resolution LCD glass and can depict 3D synthetic vision, highway-in-the-sky (HITS), enhanced HTAWS terrain awareness, an integrated FMS, and hover vector features.
Airbus and Genesys plan to complete the supplemental type certification process by the second half of 2024. The STC will be used for factory new deliveries in North America, with other approvals to follow in countries allowing for single-engine rotorcraft IFR operations.
“Genesys is excited to partner with Airbus to offer an avionics solution to the H125 that allows an affordable option for IFR operations,” said Jamie Luster, director of sales and marketing for Genesys Aerosystems. “We expect the IFR option to be a popular choice in civil and special mission applications.”
“The H125 remains an unrivaled product thanks to its continuous improvements,” said Jérome Ronssin, head of light helicopters programs at Airbus Helicopters. “This new IFR feature will expand the helicopter’s mission capabilities in all weather conditions especially for critical missions such as public services, including Law Enforcement and EMS, and enhanced training.
“The choice to partner with Genesys was made based on their extensive experience in designing state-of-the-art avionics and in particular their experience certifying platforms for IFR operations,” Ronssin concluded in a statement.
