The Swiss air rescue service Rega has ordered 12 more Airbus H145s
Switzerland-based Air Rescue Rega has ordered 12 more light, five-wing, twin-engine Airbus H145 helicopters to replace its fleet of AW109SPs. This order follows an initial contract for nine H145s announced in march.
By 2026, Rega, which operates 14 helicopter emergency stations in Switzerland, will operate an all-Airbus fleet consisting of 21 five-wing H145s. Last year, its helicopter crews performed 14,330 missions, including transporting 471 COVID patients. “By choosing the five-bladed H145, we are ensuring that Rega will continue to be able to provide its patients with reliable and professional medical care from the air for the next 15 years,” says Rega CEO Ernst Kohler.
Rega’s helicopters will be custom configured with a Garmin GTN750 Xi flight management system that integrates and controls a multi-sensor system that enables highly precise navigation, aided by a Thales inertial navigation system that enables operations in low IFR conditions right down to the very limited visibility standard from RNP-AR 0.1. The H145s will also be fitted with the Vincorion lifting system.
The five-blade H145 features a 330-pound payload increase and a bearingless main rotor design. Powered by twin Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145 is equipped with full digital engine controls and the Helionix digital avionics suite, and features a 4-axis autopilot.
More than 1,600 helicopters from the H145 family are in service, which together have flown more than seven million hours.