Acceptance for HATS helicopter
The first Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) helicopter for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has achieved Factory Acceptance, Airbus Helicopters announced on 27 July.
HATS01 is the first of 15 military training helicopters being delivered to the ADF under JP 9000 Phase 7 HATS project led by Boeing Defence Australia.
The H135 (EC135 T2+) helicopters will be used to train pilots in the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army, along with flight simulators and a new sea-going training vessel with a flight deck.
The H135 training helicopter has a glass cockpit, multi-axis auto-pilot, and technologies to conduct training missions.
Peter Harris, head of governmental sales for Australia Pacific, Airbus Helicopters, said: 'Airbus Helicopters is thrilled that Boeing and the Commonwealth of Australia have demonstrated their confidence in our product by accepting this first EC135 T2+, on time and on budget, as part of a world leading high tech helicopter aircrew training system for the ADF.
'Following contract signature in November of 2014, the first aircraft took to the skies on the 16th of January 2015, and is now accepted by the customer. The next steps involve training of initial Boeing and Commonwealth aircrews and technicians here in Donauwörth, before shipment to Australia in January 2016.'
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