Airbus Helicopters, in cooperation with DRF Luftrettung, has performed the first retrofit of a four-bladed H145 into the new five-bladed version. The helicopter, an H145 of the German HEMS operator, was first delivered in 2018 and will be deployed at DRF’s base in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany.

The upgrade to the five-bladed version can be performed by every Part145 maintenance organisation by following the associated service bulletin issued by Airbus Helicopters. It consists in exchanging the rotor system, updating the helicopter’s Helionix avionics suite and installing a new horizontal stabilizer.

The innovative five-blade bearingless rotor increases the useful load and further enhances the mission capabilities of the aircraft, while eliminating rotor hub maintenance.

Airbus release