Thierry Dubois is a freelance writer specializing in helicopters, business aviation and aerospace technology. He earned a degree in fluid dynamics from an engineering school in Toulouse, France in the mid-1990s. At an unexpected crossroads, he found his first job in journalism. In 1997, he started working for French aerospace weekly Air &amp; Cosmos in Paris. This lasted until 2000, when he moved south to Lyons. He then became a freelancer, working for various aerospace publications and has been part of the AIN team since late 2000. In addition to writing about business aviation, Thierry shares responsibility for the rotorcraft section. He also is a regular on-site writer for AIN’s daily editions at international airshows such as the Paris, Farnborough, Dubai and Singapore shows, as well as at EBACE in Geneva.
In 2007, he won the Honeywell award for “Best systems or technology submission” at the Aerospace journalist of the year awards. In 2013, he won an Aerospace Media Award for the "Best Safety, Training &amp; Simulation Submission."
In other activities, Thierry moderates international conferences on aviation technology topics. Thierry is married and has three children, who seem to begin enjoying the mountains–as their parents do.

Writer

Thierry Dubois

Airbus Helicopters is experiencing slower-than-expected deliveries for the H175 super-medium twin, certified during the oil-and-gas market’s frenzy but now, as with every rotorcraft in its category, suffering from the sharp downturn.

 


In May 2014, 21 deliveries were planned over the 2014-2015 period. At the&nbsp;time,&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;could see at least 14 H175s on the final assembly line. Yet, only six aircraft were in service as of late February 2016.

 


Only one company, Belgium-based NHV, is operating the type. NHV has logged 3,000 hours in 1,500 flights with its H175s. The operational readiness rate is above 90 percent, according to oil-and-gas sales manager Travis&nbsp;Latiolais.

 


The second launch customer, France's&nbsp;Héli-Union, has canceled its order, according to a source close to the operator. Russia's&nbsp;UTAir, the third one, did receive one example of the H175 but has leased it back to Airbus. The&nbsp;airframer&nbsp;is using it for marketing purposes. Last June, Milestone Aviation Group announced that it had increased its orders and options for the H175 to a total of 28.

 


In addition to the six aircraft in service and to the leased-back one, three additional H175s have been rolled out of the factory. Two are to be delivered to NHV and one to Mexico's&nbsp;Pegaso, which will operate it in the Gulf of Mexico. A total of 10 deliveries are scheduled this year.

 


The first handover of a VIP-configured H175 is slated for mid-year. “We have to certify VIP-specific components such as the swing door, steps, etc.,” industrial program officer&nbsp;Grégoire&nbsp;Verlut&nbsp;said. The first search-and-rescue variant, also undergoing a certification process, is to be delivered next year to Hong Kong’s Government Flying Service.

 


The weak production rate so far has been largely offset, in terms of workload, by changes requested by customers, according to Patrick&nbsp;Bessière, H175 program manager. For example, a last-minute choice for the windshield deicing option involves a lot of rework, he said. Airbus’s&nbsp;efforts to standardize the offshore oil-and-gas configuration mainly relates&nbsp;to electrical harnesses, but options normally have to be integrated early in the manufacturing process.

 


The standard production&nbsp;lead time&nbsp;for the H175’s oil-and-gas version is 30 weeks. Chinese partner&nbsp;Avicopter, which supplies subassemblies such as fuselages and&nbsp;tailbooms, is said to have “the basics in place.” The 50-percent stakeholder in the program has thus reached “the breaking point to accelerate” production. An Airbus employee is in charge of quality control in Tianjin, China before the subassemblies are shipped.

 


​​Further Developing the H175’s Oil-and-gas Version

 


A number of options and improvements are to become available soon on the H175, especially for offshore oil-and-gas operations. ADS-B out was certified in mid-February. A search-and-rescue mode for the autopilot&nbsp;is expected to be approved&nbsp;this summer.&nbsp;The optional&nbsp;Rig’N&nbsp;Fly automated system, designed to make approaches to platform-based helipads safer and simpler, is to be certified in the first half of 2017.

 


This year, mtow will be raised to 7.8 metric tons (17,180 pounds). This will translate into a 300-kg (660-pound) payload enhancement or an additional 40 nm in range. Whether the new mtow will be offered as standard or as an option is not determined yet. It does not involve any hardware or price change but may impact service life, program manager Patrick&nbsp;Bessière&nbsp;explained.

 


Limited icing protection is to be certified by year-end, too, with full protection planned for 2019 or 2020. ­

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