LONDON – The Combat Aircraft Program Coordinating Committee (COPAC) announced today that the Brazilian Armed Forces have acquired 27 single engine H125 Helicopters. These will help boost training capacities of the Brazilian Navy and Air Force.
The H125’s will be produced in the final H125 assembly line in Itajubá, Brazil. They will be produced at Helibras’ factory, the same factory producing the H225’s for the Brazilian Armed Forces.
The H125’s were ordered to replace the ageing fleet of AS350 and Bell 206 helicopters currently in service with both, the Brazilian Air Force and Navy.
Management statements
“This joint procurement contract represents the realization of a project that will equip both the Brazilian Air Force and Navy with modern aircraft that will meet the needs of the Forces for the next 30 years” Lieutenant Brigadier Carlos de Almeida Baptista Junior, Commander of the Air Force said.
Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters added that: “Airbus Helicopters is proud to see the H125 supporting the training of the next generation of pilots of the Brazilian armed forces.”
“The H125 is a versatile helicopter used widely in both the civil and military markets as a training platform thanks to its ruggedness, reliability, and easy maintenance. We are honored by the continued confidence of the Brazilian armed forces after more than 40 years of cooperation.”
About the H125 helicopter
The new H125 helicopters will feature a G500H TXi glass cockpit and VEMD (Vehicle & Engine Multifunction Display). The cockpit will also be compatible with the use of night vision goggles. It will include different types of mission equipment, such as a winch and a hook, making the training of future pilots as realistic as possible.
The Brazilian Armed Forces currently have a fleet of 156 Airbus helicopters, based at 8 bases across the country. Their fleet ranges from the light single engine Ecureuil family to the multi purpose heavy H225M helicopter of which 67 and 41 helicopters are operated.
These aircraft cover a wide range of missions, such as tactical military and humanitarian aid transport, search and rescue and civil population support.
In Brazil the helicopter has been in use with the Air Force, the Navy, the Sao Paulo State Police and the Minas Gerais State Police. Brazil is one of the biggest operators of the H125.
The Brazilian Armed Forces operate a fleet of 34 Fennec and 33 H125 helicopters, as well as 5 H135, 34 Panther, 10 Cougar and 41 H225M helicopters.
H125 helicopter data
The H125 has a length of 10.93m and a height of 3.145m, with space for 1 crew and up to 6 passengers. The helicopter has an empty weight of 1,174kg and a max. take off weight of 2,250kg.
It has a rotor diameter of 10.7m, a range of up to 662km, with a cruise speed of 245km/h and a maximum endurance of 4 hours and 6 minutes.
The service ceiling of the H125 is 4,600m – though the highest ever flown H125 touched down on the top of the Mount Everest at 8.848m in May 2005.
The H125 has been a proven helicopter, with over 5350 currently in operation and over 37 million total flight hours accumulated. The H125 has been known for its robustness and is widely used in high performance missions.
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