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Airbus H160 is a helicopter that is a beacon of innovation. After all, it has integrated 68 different patents. According to Airbus, the H160 "exceeds the requirements of the latest and most demanding regulations (European EASA CS-29 certification standards) and the most stringent guidelines from the International Association of Oil andamp; Gas Producers (IOGP 690 and CAP best practices)."Photo: Anna Zvereva | Wikimedia CommonsThe Bell 429, which was introduced in 2009, has already clocked 735,000 total fleet hours, and also holds the distinction of being the aircraft used by W.R. "Bob" Dengler and Steven Dengler to set the record of being "the first father and son to circumnavigate the world by aircraft." The Bell 429 has been used in a variety of missions, such as corporate roles, used as Helicopter Air Ambulance (HAA), for Emergency Medical Services (HEMS), and for public safety. Some of the features of the Bell 429 involve clamshell doors, wheeled landing gear, and suite-sized cabins.
But which among the H160 and the Bell 429 offers the best blend of technology and operational efficiency? Let's find out.
Taking a look at some of the innovations of the H160
The H160 belongs to the Airbus H generation of helicopters. H160 is equipped with the Helionix avionics suite, which was developed in-house by Airbus Helicopters. It features four multifunction displays (MFD). In addition to the Helionix four-axis autopilot, the H160 also has terrain avoidance capabilities and synthetic vision cockpit technology.
For the H160, Airbus developed an automatic system that takes over from the crew when the cabin pressurisation system fails. The system then brings the H160 to an altitude where people on board can breathe normally. In addition, the H160 also features a jettisonable frame that allows for dumping the windows and evacuating faster. The fly-by-wire H160 also features an Airbus flight envelope protection that prevents exceedance of critical operational limits, such as:
High angle-of-attack protection, which helps avert situations such as aerodynamic (during gusty conditions and/or dynamic manoeuvres)
High-speed protection during overspeed situations or structural problems that arise during high aerodynamic loads
Bank angle protection prevents excessive banking, steep turns, and inversion of aircraft.
Photo: Mztourist | Wikimedia CommonsAirbus states that "LOC-I accidents have been reduced by 89% for the latest generations of commercial aircraft equipped with such flight envelope protection".
Some noteworthy features of the Bell 429
The Bell 429 has optional retractable wheeled landing gear, which helps it taxi comfortably. In addition, the wheeled landing gear also helps reach the desired destination quicker. The wide aft doors (clamshell doors) of the Bell 429 help fit unwieldy cargo more easily. Further, the 429, which has the widest cabin door in its class, features a customizable cabin that can fit six passengers in club seating.
The satellite-based landing system of the 429 allows it to land in tricky situations, such as a 9-degree approach or a 250-foot ceiling. The Bell 429 is equipped with Bell BasiX-Pro™ Integrated avionics system (2nd Gen) and is optimized for IFR (dual-pilot IFR option is available), Category A, and EU-OPS compliant operations. Alongside digital data bus technology, the fully integrated cockpit of the Bell 429 features:
All Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS)
Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) featuring redundant digital flight control computers (FCCS) and providing 3-axis or 4-axis capability
Communication, navigation and surveillance system using Garmin GTN-750/650 NAV/COM/WAAS GPS system
Other aircraft systems interfaces, warnings, cautions, aural alerts, and automated performance features are provided through the remotely located Aircraft Data Interface Unit (ADIU)
Power and performance situational awareness is enhanced through Bell's patented power situation indicator (PSI) gauge
Photo: Kevin.B | Wikimedia CommonsThe H160 has a greater range than the Bell 429
The Bell 429, which can carry seven passengers, has a range of 372 nautical miles. This is 108 miles less than that of the H160, which can carry up to 12 passengers. Let's compare a few other specifications of these two:
Bell 429 Airbus H160
Maximum Take-Off weight 7000 lbs 13,338 lbs
Internal Cabin Volume 130 cubic feet 258 cubic feet
Service Ceiling 2,000 ft 20,000 ft
While the H160 can carry a useful load of up to 2,000 kg, the Bell 429 has a Max Payload capacity of 4409 lbs. The H160 has a greater fuel capacity too (2,469 lbs vs 1471 lbs).
Some final notes on the two choppers
The Airbus H160 has 18% lower fuel consumption compared to the previous class of engines for the same operations, whilst also having 15% lower maintenance costs on "airframe by the hour" and "service by the hour". Furthermore, the H160 can operate on 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)/biofuel. The Airbus' Fenestron shrouded tail rotor alongside the main rotor blades with double-swept tips reduces the H160's noise footprint by as much as 50% compared to helicopters with conventional blades.
With such marvellous engineering, one might feel that the H160 is beats the Bell 429 in almost all grounds. But one also has to note that the H160 is almost three times as expensive, too. While the Bell 429 takes $ 1,075.85 per hour to operate, the operation costs of the H160 are almost three times higher.