Airbus Helicopters is continuing to deliver on its commitment to safety as its number one priority with the release of the H175 Flight Crew Operating Manual (FCOM), coming just over a year after the release of the helicopter industry’s first-ever FCOM for the H225 in oil & gas configuration.

The newest FCOM, designed specifically for the super-medium H175 in offshore configuration, was developed using the same methodology and objectives as for the H225.

“The FCOM is an important source document providing best practices and recommendations directly from the manufacturer,” explained Gilles Bruniaux, Airbus Helicopters Vice President of Aviation Safety. “When we began working on the very first FCOM, it was already part of a larger strategy to expand to other aircraft in the Airbus Helicopters fleet. The H175 FCOM is the latest step in this roadmap, and we are proud to be able to offer this second information source that contributes to standardized operations throughout the industry.”

Following the model applied for the H225, topics covered by the H175 FCOM include aircraft manufacturer guidance for enhanced operational safety during both routine and abnormal situations, with work-share management among pilots, focusing on procedures for operating state of the art glass cockpits and automated systems. In this respect, the H175 FCOM brings new added value as being the first to introduce operational guidance for the latest-generation Helionix avionics systems.

Airbus Helicopters will continue to update both existing FCOMs in accordance with upgrades initiated on the helicopters. Plans are also underway to extend the scope to other missions, such as Search & Rescue (SAR) operations.