Following the Heli-Expo trade show in Kentucky in early March, Airbus Helicopters took their H215 demonstrator from there on a tour across the US.  The series of flights naturally visited both current and prospective customers, and has concluded with the aircraft on static display at the Aerial Firefighting International in Sacramento, California.

The three week long tour included flights for over 100 people, including 40 pilots.  The helicopter flew 63 flight hours and covered nearly 6,000 miles (9,500 km).

The H215 – previously marketed as the AS332C1e – brings advanced avionics and other new features to the well-known AS332 airframe.  It has a fully glass cockpit and the same 4-axis autopilot used on the H225.

Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com