Aircraft Overview: Airbus Helicopters H160

The H160 is a twin-engine medium helicopter produced by European manufacturer Airbus Helicopters. 

Following its March 2015 debut at that year’s Heli-Expo, the H160 made its first flight on June 13, 2015, a flight that was performed by an airframe registered as F-WWOG. 

The H160 was certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on July 1, 2020, with the first delivery—to Japan’s All Nippon Helicopter (ANH)—announced on Dec. 10, 2021. 

The type subsequently received FAA approval on June 30, 2023, ahead of the first U.S. delivery to PHI to be utilized for “offshore transportation in the Gulf of Mexico.” 

According to the EASA type certificate data sheet (TCDS) for the H160—which designates the airframe as the H160-B model—the helicopter is capable of accommodating up to 14 occupants, including the one required pilot, in a cabin that can have an internal volume of as much as 257.8 ft.³ 

Although it is certified for up to 14 occupants, Airbus Helicopters markets the H160 as able to carry 12 passengers, with “three rows of four seats” available for offshore transportation operations. 

When operating offshore, a stretcher is also able to be installed in lieu “of the center row.” 

The size of the cabin—which is described as being the “largest cabin in its class”—as well as its “positionable stretcher capacity” and sliding doors, are noted as being of value to helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) operators, as is the capability to carry “one or two stretchers in longitudinal or transversal positions.” 

Beyond its ability to perform HEMS missions, this Airbus helicopter can also perform “public services missions” such as law enforcement, maritime and search and rescue. 

For the business and private aviation market, Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) offers a version of the H160—the ACH160—that can seat up to 10 passengers, with six- and eight-seat configurations noted as being available. 

Specific to the aft cabin of the ACH160, it can be outfitted with either a modular bench that offers seating for up to four passengers or “two armchairs with a galley.” 

Pilots operate the H160 by utilizing the Helionix avionics suite—which was developed by Airbus and is promoted as having pilot-workload benefits—while offshore operators benefit from “an avionics enhancement” called Rig’N Fly, which allows for “automatic rig approaches.”