Last year, one of HTMs H145 D2s was used to trial support operations to a floating wind turbine, a world first. Photo: HTM
HTM Helicopters has placed an order for one Airbus H145 with options on two more. The new aircraft will be used in offshore wind operations, transporting technicians and materials to wind farm turbines off the coasts of Germany and France.
“Over the past 15 years in the offshore wind business, we’ve seen projects move further out from the coast and require additional payload, which has led us to add additional H145s to our fleet,” said Bernd Brucherseifer, Managing Director for HTM Helicopters. “In addition to excellent OEI performance, the H145 offers the chance to quickly perform role changes for various customer missions and is very reliable and easy to maintain. The H145 is the perfect tool for the operation and maintenance phase in offshore wind operations, and we will see a lot more demand for it in this market in the near future.”
Head of the H145 programme, Axel Humbert, added, “The H145 is ideally suited for offshore wind operations due to the significant capacity it offers for transporting passengers and cargo, as well as its outstanding hover performance for hoisting operations. As our long-standing partner, we’re pleased HTM has seen the value that the H145 provides and continued to place their trust in our helicopters as they expand their fleet.”
HTM was the first operator to take delivery of a five-bladed H145 D3 specifically for offshore wind support. Presently HTM operates a fleet of 18 Airbus Helicopters, a mix of H125s, 135s and 145s. If all the options are exercised, the HTM H145 fleet will hit double digits with 10 aircraft, seven of which will be tasked with offshore wind support missions.
