Royal Dutch Touring Club ANWB and Airbus sign framework contract for six H135s

Airbus Helicopters and air rescue operator Royal Dutch Touring Club ANWB, have signed a framework contract for up to six H135s with Helionix. Additionally, they have activated a first batch of three aircraft to be delivered in 2019 and 2020. 

“The people in the Netherlands rely on the HEMS services we provide in cooperation with four university hospitals, and we are confident that the H135 is the best helicopter available for our missions,” said Petra van Saaze, Director of ANWB Medical Air Assistance. “Helionix will especially help us to enhance our 24/7 operations.”

“We thank ANWB for their continued trust in Airbus Helicopters and particularly in the H135”, said Thomas Hein, Head of Sales Western Europe at Airbus Helicopters. “The H135 is a proven but modern reference in air rescue all around the world.”

ANWB Medical Air Assistance is 100% owned by Royal Dutch Touring Club ANWB and is the sole Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) operator in the Netherlands, performing more than 8,500 missions per year, for which it is operating six helicopters of the H135 family. With their helicopters ANWB serves four trauma centres in the Netherlands, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. ANWB is renewing its fleet to the latest technical standards with their new H135s. Additionally, ANWB operates two H145 helicopters which carry out over 600 air ambulance missions per year for the Dutch Wadden Isles in cooperation with the local ambulance service provider, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. 

The H135 is a helicopter of reference for HEMS operators worldwide. It combines a wide, unobstructed cabin with excellent performance, range and payload capacity – along with low-noise operations. The oversized sliding side doors and rear clamshell doors enable fast loading/unloading of patients, with additional safety during ground operations provided by Airbus’ signature shrouded Fenestron tail rotor.

On top of the 4-axis autopilot, Helionix offers an innovative cockpit layout which helps to increase situational awareness. Designed with three large electronic displays on the H135, the cockpit is Night Vision Goggle compatible and includes a First Limit Indicator which highlights the appropriate engine instrument data for the pilot in one indicator. 

To date, more than 1,270 helicopters of the H135 family are in operation around the globe with close to 5 million flight hours.