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First HATS H135 arrives at Nowra

written by australianaviation.com.au | April 4, 2016

The first HATS EC135 T2+ arriving at Nowra on March 31 from Bankstown. (Defence)
The first HATS H135 arriving at Nowra on March 31 from Bankstown. (Defence)

The first of 15 Airbus Helicopters H135 (EC135 T2+) for the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) arrived at its new home at HMAS Albatross, Nowra on March 31 after flying in from Airbus Helicopters’ facility at Bankstown Airport.

The H135 carries the ADF serial of N52-001, cab number ‘841’ and the civilian registration VH-AQG. It also wears ‘NAVY’ and ‘ARMY’ titles on the port and starboard sides of the vertical fin, respectively, above a fanged Taipan emblem, the unofficial emblem of Navy’s 723 Squadron.

Boeing Defence Australia is the prime contractor for the $600 million HATS contract to train Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army pilots at HMAS Albatross.

N52-001 made its first flight on January 16 2015 and has since been used to train initial Boeing Defence Australia and ADF aircrews and technicians in Donauwörth, Germany.

The 15th and final H135 is due to be delivered during the first quarter of 2017.

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Comments (4)

  • Tomcat Terry

    says:

    Great aircraft and well done by Boeing Australia

  • ULISES VELEZ

    says:

    The australian defense force get new ec-135 helicopters for training purposes. At last the aussies get brand-new equipment.

  • Bill

    says:

    I still find this funny that Boeing managed to outbid Airbus for their own gear. Either way, the budget wins. Fantastic looking bit of kit nethertheless.

  • BH

    says:

    @Bill…
    I dare say that the aircraft itself only represented a small part of the overall project criteria and associated costs. The determining factor would’ve been more the make up of the training package and the cost of the overall package…

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