Phoenix Heli-Flight, a charter helicopter company operating out of Fort McMurray, Alta., yesterday took delivery from Airbus Helicopters Canada of the first every utility-configured H130 aircraft.
The H130 uses composite materials and offers many possibilities for operators thanks to its wide, unobstructed flat-floor cabin which makes it ideal for utility operations because it is able to accommodate an array of equipment.
Phoenix Heli-Flight services a wide variety of industries including exploration, wildlife surveys, utilities, oil and gas, forestry, construction, infrastructure maintenance, corporate transport, general transportation of personnel, freight and wildfire suppression and helicopter emergency medical services to the Fort McMurray and the Wood Buffalo areas.
“Phoenix Heli-Flight’s missions are Airbus Helicopters’ missions and we look forward to supporting and assisting them with their future business objectives,” said Romain Trapp, CEO of Airbus Helicopters Canada, in a press statement yesterday.
“After having the opportunity to demo the H130 aircraft, I knew that this aircraft was a natural evolution for us from the EC130B4. The B4 is an outstanding machine with state of the art technologies,” said Paul Spring, president of Phoenix Heli-Flight “But the H130 with this specifically designed utility package will enable us to better serve our clients with increased and elevated level of safety, efficiency and reliability”.
The Airbus Helicopters specially designed utility package for the H130 is equipped with numerous Airbus Helicopters STC’s such as the cargo mirrors, a cargo sling, cargo pods, and longline controller (50 amp).
The H130 comes equipped with a Vehicle and Engine Multi-function Display (VEMD) which enables the pilot to concentrate on the mission and improving flight safety. The trademarked Fenestron: which increases efficiency, provides a very low noise signature, and a high level of safety for ground personnel. Energy-absorbing seats are standard for the crew and passengers.