EASA approves foldable five-blade Airbus H145D3

摘要

Airbus Helicopters' new, foldable five-blade H145D3 twin has received EASA certification. FAA approval is expected by year-end and a military variant is anticipated to win certification in 2021. Customer deliveries begin later this summer. The European certification covers single-pilot IFR operations (SPIFR), single-engine Cat. A/VTOL, and night vision capability. Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even called the helicopter "an excellent example of our quest for continuous improvement and providing incremental innovation that responds to our customers' requirements." Announced in 2019, the D3 features the new bearingless main rotor design that provides a smoother ride, requires less maintenance, and increases useful load by 330 pounds. Compared to the four-bladed H145D2, it has a slightly smaller main rotor disk, from 36 feet to 35.4 feet.