Enter the Airbus H135
At Heli-Expo in January 2020, Airbus Helicopters reached a new milestone when NASA placed an order for three H135 helicopters as part of a fleet modernization program. This event marked the first-ever partnership between the U.S. space program and the OEM. For decades, NASA had relied on a fleet of three Bell Huey 2 helicopters to perform its support missions.
Two of the three H135 helicopters were
delivered to the space agency in the fall of 2020, with the third helicopter scheduled for delivery this spring.
“NASA chose the H135 because Airbus was able to meet all the NASA mission requirements, which include personnel movements, airborne law enforcement roles, aerial firefighting, weapons training, and overwater operations,” said Dave Ramsey, NASA’s chief of flight operations at the Kennedy Space Center, in a written statement.
Given the 30-year-long history of NASA aviation ops with the Bell Huey 2, it seems the new aircraft will have big shoes to fill, at least from an emotional standpoint. However, pound for pound, the H135s will enhance operational safety and bring new capabilities to the mission.
The H135 T3 helicopters are IFR-certified, twin- engine aircraft with a four-axis autopilot, state- of-the-art single-pilot IFR Helionix cockpit, and a variety of special missions equipment. The H135s will be used in a true multi-mission role.
The H135s will be tasked with many security missions. Also, since Florida is known as the lightning-strike capital of the U.S., brush fires are a real risk to the facilities and surrounding landscape, so the aircraft must have firefighting capability as well. The aircraft are also outfitted with a light air ambulance interior in case an injured or sick person needs to be transported to a hospital. Of course, many of these operations can occur both at night and/or offshore, so special capabilities like FLIR (forward looking infrared) and night vision goggles further enhance safety.
Since the KSC borders the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, the helicopters also support bio- research efforts. For example, flight operations may be tasked to fly biologists to count fledgling eagles. The upgraded FLIR cameras on the H135s allow teams to zoom in on eagle nests, eliminating the need to get close to the nests in order to perform these counts.
GOOD TO KNOW INFO:
H135 MISSIONS MAY INCLUDE: VIP transport Air ambulance Security operations Firefighting
Day/Night/IFR SAR
Bio-research
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Jan/Feb 2021
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