The Estonian interior ministry has signed a contract to acquire an AgustaWestland AB139 medium twin helicopter, and taken an option on a second aircraft, both to be used by the country’s border guard. The acquisition is being made using European Union Schengen Facility programme funds, with Estonia preparing to join the EU zone in 2007.
Source: Flight International
Airbus Helicopters has reduced the published empty weight of its new H160 medium-twin by 100kg (220lb), driven by analysis of the airframes built so far and better than anticipated fuel consumption.
Airbus Helicopters has been awarded a £122 million ($152 million) contract to supply six H145 light-twin helicopters to the UK for troop transport duties in Brunei and Cyprus.
The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) has ordered three additional Airbus Helicopters H225s, which will take its eventual fleet to 18 examples of the heavy-twin.
