Rega Swiss Air-Rescue Orders Nine 5-Bladed Airbus H145 Helicopters

(11 Mar 2022, 11:38 +07)  Rega, the Swiss Air-Rescue Service, has ordered nine five-bladed Airbus H145 helicopters to replace its current four-bladed versions.

Rega’s new H145s will be equipped with an integrated multi-sensor navigation system that will use capabilities of the Flight Management System GTN750 Xi by Garmin. Even in the event of GPS signal loss, the helicopter will be able to navigate safely thanks to Thales’ inertial navigation system.

The solution will further boost the navigation performance in low IFR conditions and allows the helicopter to be certified as navigation procedure RNP-AR 0.1, which is the most accurate navigation procedure in the helicopter environment.

Rega Swiss Air-Rescue has ordered nine 5-bladed Airbus H145 helicopters

The configuration also includes a new hoist by Vincorion that is being certified on the five-bladed H145.

“The H145 has fully proven itself in our operations since entering into service in 2018,” said Ernst Kohler, CEO of Rega. “We look forward to operating the five-bladed version on our HEMS bases in Switzerland. The helicopters will allow us to further boost our mission capabilities and safety of our operations.”

Rega operates 13 HEMS stations in Switzerland. In 2021, the helicopter crews carried out 14,330 missions, including transporting 471 COVID patients. Rega’s current fleet includes seven H145s and one H125 used for pilot training.

“We are very grateful to open another chapter in the relationship between our two organisations with this order for our five-bladed H145,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “We are always looking at ways to evolve our helicopters by taking into account the feedback of those who operate them each and every day.”

Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the new version of the H145 features an innovative five-bladed rotor, increasing the load of the helicopter by 150 kg. The simplicity of the new bearingless main rotor design also eases maintenance operations, further improving the benchmark serviceability and reliability of the helicopter, while improving ride comfort for both passengers and crew.

The new H145 also features a wireless Airborne Communication System (wACS), allowing seamless and secure transmission of data generated by the helicopter and upgrading on-board connectivity for passengers and crew.