Airbus H125 and H130 helicopter customers will get a boost in their operations thanks to a significant reduction in direct maintenance costs for the Safran Arriel 2D engine, which equips both single engines. The two main improvements provided by Safran are the extension of 25 % of the time between overhaul (TBO) to 5,000 hours for new and in-service helicopters, and the new three year/ 2,000 hours warranty conditions - replacing the previous two year/1,000 hours warranty - for all H125 and H130 helicopters delivered in 2018.

"Safran continuously works to make its engines more robust and easy-to-use", says Nicolas Billecocq, Safran Helicopter Engines' vice president of the Light Helicopter Engines Program. "Extensive endurance tests conducted on the Arriel 2D and analysis of engine fleet data have enabled us to further validate the engine's strength and simplicity. Thanks to these new improvements, the Arriel 2D will feature one of the lowest direct maintenance costs of its class."

"Improving customer satisfaction and the competitiveness of our products is one of our top priorities at Airbus Helicopters. These engine durability enhancements are a clear illustration of our efforts in this direction," said Axel Aloccio, Head of the Light Helicopter Programme at Airbus Helicopters. "The TBO and warranty extension are very concrete improvements for H125 and H130 operators around the world: those two types keep offering the best value for money."

H125 and H130 customers will also benefit from the removal of the calendar limitation, which until now required an engine inspection at a repair centre every 15 years, regardless of the number of hours logged. The robustness of the Arriel 2D eliminates the need for a calendar limit on modules 1, 2, 4 and 5, while for module 3, the engine's condition can be restored during a periodic visit performed at a maintenance centre.

The H125 and H130 lead the single-engine helicopter market, accounting for almost 70% of deliveries in the last five years. The H125 outclasses all other single-engines thanks to its performance in high and hot environments, versatility and low operating costs. The H130 is the quietest and safest helicopter in its class, having become the reference for passenger transport.

More than 1,000 Arriel 2D-equipped H125 and H130 helicopters are in service worldwide and have collectively logged over one million flight hours. The Arriel 2D offers extremely competitive operating costs, 10% lower in average than those of earlier variants. The Arriel 2D is also backed by a complete Safran service package, notably the Support By the Hour (SBH®) contract and the 5Star programme, fully adapted to customers operating fewer than five helicopters.

Contributed by Airbus