H140 UPDATE
The focus of the H140 has been on helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) since the beginning. It is easy to envision the smooth lines and wide, shaded windows appearing in a James Bond serial, but ultimately, it is a life- saving machine that premiered at VERTICON in March 2025. This year has been declared “the year of testing” for the aircraft, with orders being secured for a 2028 release. “Today there are more than 100 commitments, 61 of which are firm contracts. The H140 is the most successful light twin from a sales standpoint in the lineup of Airbus helicopters,” said Dirk Petry, program director of the H140.
Currently, three prototypes are flying in high-and-hot weather conditions in Spain and France, with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius/104 degrees Fahrenheit and elevations up to 10,000 feet. They have also conducted cold-weather, snow, and high-wind testing in Finland and Norway. They seek to verify the performance down to -40 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) and in heavy snow conditions, which was accomplished in Norway. Components testing continues on the H140 prototypes. Dirk Petry, program director of the H140, said the helicopter is “highly desired in this market.” Fuel system testing for crashworthiness and EASA testing have occurred on PT2. PT3 was released in August 2025. Airbus said they have over 60% market share in the HEMS market. A fourth prototype will be released in winter 2026/2027 and is being prepared for assembly. The segment of helicopters will be released over five years, from HEMS/Air Medical to passenger transport, an Airbus Corporate Helicopter (ACH) line that seats six passengers, offshore/ utility/harbor/oil & gas, and a final version in 2031/32.
ACH140 CORPORATE
Spring 2026 marked the announced launch of the ACH140, a new corporate helicopter scheduled for service in 2030. Frederic Lemos, head of corporate helicopters-ACH, said the ACH140 is the “birth of an icon” for the business aviation segment. His insight is that they are creating design solutions for their clientele. “What we sell are solutions to specific operations; to be able to be where it matters, when it matters.” They plan to sell initial products in Latin America, the United States, and Europe. “When we look at the
66 Mar/Apr 2026
“What we sell are solutions to specific operations; to be able to be where it matters, when it matters.”
- Frederic Lemos
aircraft, we believe it will be a game changer. The aircraft design is stylish, with a signature diamond shape and breakthrough design for this market segment, featuring a five-rotor system. The ride will be exceptionally smooth. We have designed around the customer experience,” he said. The cabin is modern and spacious, and Lemos said this version will reflect a new DNA and “style language.”
The T-Tail with Fenestron, enclosed tail rotor, provides safety and encapsulation of an anti-torque tail rotor with eight blades. For a sophisticated experience, they have partnered
with Mercedes-Benz and Aston Martin for higher-end interiors. Designed with the passenger experience in mind, the ACH140 will feature large passenger windows, high ceilings, smooth finishes, precision-molded storage solutions, panoramic views, ergonomic seating, and different modular layouts with cabin set-ups. In the interior, seating features long, vertical lines and shapes that indicate upward motion. They are leveraging previous proven tech from the H135 and their test labs. Finally, the aircraft will feature larger sliding doors for loading people and objects with ease.
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