Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first five-bladed H145 aircraft for use in the offshore wind sector to HTM Helicopters, a Germany-based offshore helicopter service provider which will deploy its new aircraft on offshore wind projects from its bases at Norden-Norddeich, Emden, Borkum and Helgoland.
The new version of Airbus’s H145 light twin-engine helicopter features a new five-bladed rotor which increases the useful load by 150 kilograms. To undertake its offshore wind missions, involving passenger transport to and from offshore wind farms and hoisting technicians to the wind turbines, HTM’s new fleet addition is equipped with a hoist, floatation equipment, and a cargo hook.
“With its outstanding performance for the transport and hoisting of wind farm technicians, the H145 can address more than 95% of the world’s current and future offshore wind farms projects” , Airbus Helicopters said in a press release.
The delivery follows HTM Helicopters’ order for two H145 helicopters for offshore wind operations, placed with Airbus Helicopters last year. The aircraft manufacturer first delivered a four-bladed H145, which was said to be later upgraded with the new five-bladed rotor system by HTM’s maintenance organisation.
“We already operate one four-bladed H145 in the offshore wind segment which has proven to be the perfect fit for our operations in often challenging environments”, said Bernd Brucherseifer , Pilot and Managing Director at HTM Helicopters. “The increased useful load, the smoother ride on board and the excellent OEI performance of the five-bladed version will help us to further enhance our mission capabilities.”
HTM, together with its compatriot Wiking Helikopter Service, tested Airbus’s twin-engine multipurpose H145 helicopter in offshore wind operations in 2016, with the flight test programme including missions such as approaching the Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm in the German Bight, landing on the transformer platform, and hoisting technicians onto the offshore wind turbines.
HTM Helicopters was also the first to order and use Airbus’s H135 aircraft for offshore wind operations.