Rotorcraft
Airbus H160 Pioneers Flight Control Safety Features
The Airbus H160's full-time automatic flight control system makes the pilot's job much easier.
Airbus Helicopters added pilot-friendly flight control features to the H160.
Airbus Helicopters added pilot-friendly flight control features to the H160.

Airbus Helicopters did more than create a new aerodynamic design for the H160 medium twin-engine helicopter; it also changed how pilots fly the unique new machine. While Airbus didn’t opt for costly and complex fly-by-wire, the H160’s full-time autopilot (or automatic flight control system or AFCS) offers many similar benefits to fly-by-wire flight controls.

Airbus calls the new design “accrued pilot assistance” and it includes flight envelope protection, all with the goal of helping pilots stay out of trouble or—if they do get into trouble—fix the problem before loss of control results in an accident.

Loading…