Mexican operator Transportes Aéreos Pegaso has established a framework agreement to acquire 10 H145s, becoming the initial Latin American customer for this latest member of Airbus Helicopters’ four-ton-class twin-engine rotorcraft product range.
Announced today at the Paris Air Show, the agreement foresees Pegaso placing its first firm order in the coming months, enabling deliveries to begin in 2016 and continuing for seven years.
The H145s will succeed Pegaso’s current lightweight rotorcraft fleet, consisting of 16 EC145s and four EC135s. It also operates Airbus Helicopters’ EC130s and EC155s, and is the Latin American launch customer for new super-medium-lift H175 – with these aircraft to be delivered beginning in 2016.
“We highly value the longstanding partnership with Pegaso, and appreciate its confidence in our products,” said Francisco Navarro, General Manager of the Airbus Helicopters de México customer center. “Pegaso can count on the best-in-class support to guarantee the highest availability of its new rotorcraft.”
Pegaso’s H145s will be configured for the company’s primary mission of providing airlift services to the energy industry, with the focus on Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activity. “The EC145 has performed very well in our operations, and we look forward to experiencing the enhanced capabilities of the new H145 version,” stated Pegaso CEO Enrique Zepeda.
The H145 joins Airbus Helicopters’ proven multi-purpose EC145/BK117 family, from which some 1,000 rotorcraft are in service worldwide today – logging a combined total of more than four million flight hours.
Enhancements incorporated in the H145 version include Airbus Helicopters’ innovative Helionix® avionics suite and 4-axis autopilot; increased-performance Arriel 2E engines; an anti-torque system with the latest version of the company’s signature Fenestron® shrouded tail rotor; and a new tail gearbox as well as an upgraded main gearbox.
