Japan-based operator All Nippon Helicopter (ANH) has signed two contracts to support its H160 helicopter, the first ever H160 in the country.

The operator took delivery of the aircraft from the Airbus facility in Kobe in December 2021, where flight training and specialised equipment installation for electronic news gathering are being performed for the helicopter's entry into service later this year. The EASA, JCAB and ANAC-certified multi-role H160 integrates sound-reducing Blue Edge blades and superb external visibility.

A five-year HCare Smart parts-by-the-hour contract with Airbus Helicopters guarantees the supply of spare parts and repaired parts at a fixed rate per flight hour. With a dedicated pool of parts maintained by Airbus, ANH will be able to benefit from optimised inventory and maintenance cost control.

“Safety, availability and speed are core tenets of our news gathering business. As we prepare to introduce this new aircraft to our fleet, we are happy to be the first to benefit from this part availability programme for the H160,” says ANH president Jun Yanagawa. “We can now fully focus on our operations while Airbus takes care of the material support. We look forward to a smooth entry into service and seeing the H160 becoming a reliable asset in the country.”

HCare spans five domains: material management, helicopter maintenance, technical support, training and flight operations, and connected services, with experts available on-call 24/7.

“This being the first HCare Smart contract for the H160 programme is particularly meaningful for Airbus. The ability to support a long-standing customer such as All Nippon Helicopter as it launches the new helicopter in the country is even more gratifying. With our highly adaptive HCare offer ensuring aircraft availability, we are confident that ANH's H160 will always be mission-ready for all its demanding operations,” adds Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even.

The second contract is for Support-By-the-Hour (SBH) with Safran Helicopter Engines, and formalises an MRO and service agreement supporting the two H160 Arrano engines. This is the first-ever SBH contact signed for the Arrano and will be managed locally by Japan Aerospace Corporation and supported by Safran Helicopter Engines Japan.

SHEJ general manager Guy Bonaud says: “We are pleased that ANH is the first customer to rely on a SBH contract to support its Arrano engines. We look forward to delivering world-class services and supporting it in its most demanding missions.”

Safran's Arrano is a new-generation, 1,300 shp engine that offers around 15 per cent reduction in fuel consumption over other in-service helicopter engines. It is already certified to operate without restrictions with up to 50 per cent SAF. The support-by-the-hour programme makes engine operating costs predictable, eliminates cash peaks and allows flexibility for scheduled and unscheduled MRO coverage.