Airbus Helicopters H160 (formerly X4)

[TomS]

This is not new for France. It should work fine... Maybe the US Coast Guard will need new helicopters. B)

With the current MH-65 rebuilds, not until the mid-2030s, supposedly.

Airbus might persuade senior civilians with the USCG otherwise.

I really doubt there will be any money. There's a reason they didn't buy new this time around and not for the lack of wanting a new helo.

 

[RavenOne]

I attended Le Bourget for Paris Air Show 2010 so Here are my photos of the H160M mock up, below.

cheers

 

[RavenOne]

Also officially there is order for 4 x SAR platforms for the Aeronavale. The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) is to supply four H160s to the French Navy for search and rescue missions through a partnership between Airbus Helicopters, Babcock, and Safran Helicopter Engines.

Four H160s for the French Navy’s search and rescue missions

The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) is to supply four H160s to the French Navy for search and rescue missions through a partnership between Airbus Helicopters, Babcock, and Safran Helicopter Engines.

www.airbus.com

This suggests to me a Little of the UK COMR - Commercial Owned Military Rotorcraft..program

cheers

 

[TomcatViP]

Was there ever any RFP issued? IMOHO a Puplic/private partnership to fill a public service need would have legally required one.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Was there ever any RFP issued? IMOHO a Puplic/private partnership to fill a public service need would have legally required one.

"My Lord...is that legal?"

"I will make it legal."

 

[MihoshiK]

Was there ever any RFP issued? IMOHO a Puplic/private partnership to fill a public service need would have legally required one.

IIRC not for defense purposes. Any RFP related to Defense is a courtesy, and once issued must be followed, but an EU country can just say "I want that" and be done with it.

 

[TomcatViP]

Search & rescue is civilian. COMBAT Search & rescue is military. The French Navy field a public services mission for sea search & rescue. Those are not combat helo and does not constitue a defense sovereign force.

See here (In French) :

SAUVETAGE EN MER - snsm, crs, pompiers, marine, gendarmerie, douanes, securite civile

Sauvetage en mer : Tout un dossier synthétique sur l'organisation et le déroulement des opérations de secours sur notre littoral français. snsm, bnssa, bateau, marine, sauvetage en mer, mer, plage, plongee, gps, marine nationale, meteo, meteo france, secourisme, maritime, meteo marine, webcam...

sauvmer.free.fr

So we are where I said we were.

 

[MihoshiK]

Search & rescue is civilian. COMBAT Search & rescue is military. The French Navy field a public services mission for sea search & rescue. Those are not combat helo and does not constitue a defense sovereign force.

See here (In French) :

SAUVETAGE EN MER - snsm, crs, pompiers, marine, gendarmerie, douanes, securite civile

Sauvetage en mer : Tout un dossier synthétique sur l'organisation et le déroulement des opérations de secours sur notre littoral français. snsm, bnssa, bateau, marine, sauvetage en mer, mer, plage, plongee, gps, marine nationale, meteo, meteo france, secourisme, maritime, meteo marine, webcam...

sauvmer.free.fr

So we are where I said we were.

French. Navy.

That's defense. It might be a public service, but it still falls under the ministry of defense.

Also holy shit, that website comes straight out of the nineties.

 

[bob225]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKOIAM9BcWQ


Cool video

 

[TomcatViP]

Yes cool one. Scary low at some point.
Sad they did not adopt a special paint sheme for the occasion...

 

[Archibald]

La mort aux trousses !

Nowadays F1 cars are really ugly.

 

[TomcatViP]

As good as real: behind the scenes of the H160 full flight simulator’s qualification - Vertical Mag

Airbus provided a look inside the elaborate and collaborative process of constructing what is described as "an indispensable training tool for H160 pilots".

verticalmag.com

 

[RavenOne]

First H160 for All Nippon Helicopters flew yesterday on 95 minute flight

All Nippon Helicopter’s H160 completes first flight

All Nippon Helicopter’s (ANH) H160 has performed its first flight test, a 95-minute flight at the Marseille Provence Airport.

www.airbus.com

cheers

(photos courtesy of Airbus)

 

[RavenOne]

This is not new for France. It should work fine... Maybe the US Coast Guard will need new helicopters. B)

With the current MH-65 rebuilds, not until the mid-2030s, supposedly.

Airbus might persuade senior civilians with the USCG otherwise.

Well during the USA tour post Heli Expo 2018, the USCG folk got to play around with it .

cheers

 

[sean hunter]

wow. this thing doesnt even look like a warbird even with side weapons. and another thing i noticed was the camber of the tail rotor. ?????????? anybody know why?

 

[riggerrob]

was the camber of the tail rotor. ?????????? anybody know why?

The tail rotor is tilted to allow it to assist with pitch trim when poorly-balanced.
Tilted tail rotors debuted on Sikorsky Ch-53 later models and H-60 Blackhawks.

 

[TomcatViP]

The main rotor blades rotation induces a difference of lift b/w the side of the advancing blades (more speed->more lift) and the one with the retreating ones (less speed... Less lift). This creates a banking motion that has to be compensated through trim (the rotor disc is canted regarding the vertical axis of the fuselage trough the swashplate). This lead to a loss of total lift since the acting Lift component is only the rotor lift time the cosinus of the angle (it also results in less travel amplitude for each blade motion (pitch)).

It is obvious to undertand that the more power, the more lift, the more losses you get that way.
Canting your anti-torque rotor to balance the difference of lift along the main rotor disc is a good way to obtain a similar result without most of the trim losses. The rear rotor push downward to balance the helicopter.

 

[sean hunter]

was the camber of the tail rotor. ?????????? anybody know why?

The tail rotor is tilted to allow it to assist with pitch trim when poorly-balanced.
Tilted tail rotors debuted on Sikorsky Ch-53 later models and H-60 Blackhawks.

ooooohhhhhhh thank you that makes so much more sense
as far as i know they have never done that thx!

 

[yasotay]

This is not new for France. It should work fine... Maybe the US Coast Guard will need new helicopters. B)

With the current MH-65 rebuilds, not until the mid-2030s, supposedly.

Airbus might persuade senior civilians with the USCG otherwise.

Well during the USA tour post Heli Expo 2018, the USCG folk got to play around with it .

cheers

Given that the USCG has a history with AIRBUS, with the Dauphin are getting old, I think there is a fair chance for the H160. Most of the US offerings are either not ready (FVL types), or too large (Bell 525, S-76) I think, The exception maybe more H-60 (single type supply with all US DoD, might be an argument there), to reduce the USCG to one helicopter type across the board. H-60 however may be too big to operate from some of the USCG cutters, necessitating a smaller craft.

 

[sean hunter]

This is not new for France. It should work fine... Maybe the US Coast Guard will need new helicopters. B)

With the current MH-65 rebuilds, not until the mid-2030s, supposedly.

Airbus might persuade senior civilians with the USCG otherwise.

Well during the USA tour post Heli Expo 2018, the USCG folk got to play around with it .

cheers

Given that the USCG has a history with AIRBUS, with the Dauphin are getting old, I think there is a fair chance for the H160. Most of the US offerings are either not ready (FVL types), or too large (Bell 525, S-76) I think, The exception maybe more H-60 (single type supply with all US DoD, might be an argument there), to reduce the USCG to one helicopter type across the board. H-60 however may be too big to operate from some of the USCG cutters, necessitating a smaller craft.

i feel like they are gonna go for it. they have always been the ones to accept new tech and this is definitly not an exeption that's for sure.

 

[TomcatViP]

Definitely an aircraft based on any of FVL airframe will revolutionize the USCG.

That was already the case when both the Dauphin and Falcon 20s were selected. Times have changed...

 

[yasotay]

Definitely an aircraft based on any of FVL airframe will revolutionize the USCG.

That was already the case when both the Dauphin and Falcon 20s were selected. Times have changed...

I woud fully agree with you if the FVL platforms were more mature and did not promise to be more expensive. IF the Dauphin can hang on another decade there might be an FVL option for sure. During that time AIRBUS will be plying the USCG with great offers. Even through H160 would only be a slight progress over Dauphine, I think USCG will be tempted at a lower cost option.

 

[RavenOne]

4 x H160 for the Gulf of Mexico as PHI ordered them for Shell contract

ttps://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2021/02/Shell-selects-H160-for-operation-by-PHI-in-Gulf-of-Mexico.html?fbclid=IwAR1fiIOHWfyZKueoEw7axJtSCOGKB-WIdulTCudBfyUayz1I-nPIPQl0zJs