NHV has taken delivery of the first of two Airbus H160s which will form the nucleus of a a new fleet for the Ostend based offshore energy support provider. This aircraft along with the second, due for delivery next week were both acquired on leases from GD Helicopter Finance (GDHF). While the type has already proven itself in the more benign operating environments found in the Gulf of Mexico and the Brazilian continental shelf the acquisition of the aircraft, configured for Oil and Gas and Offshore Wind crew change operations marks the H160s debut into the more demanding North Sea sector.
Interestingly, the delivery was itself a microcosm of the industry in the round where small but ultimately mission delaying snags one regulatory the other the kind of de-bug problem that is easily rectified though not without a further delay yet ingenuity and team working meant that the aircraft still arrived on base on the appointed day albeit some hours later than planned overcoming not only the ground issues but also but headwinds in excess of 40knots in the first part of the delivery flight.
Commenting in the company announcement NHV CEO Lars-Henrik Thorngreen, CEO said: “The introduction of the H160 represents an important objective for NHV. It underlines our commitment to building a modern, efficient and resilient fleet that can support the evolving needs of our customers. As we add the H160 to our medium helicopter fleet, we strengthen our operational offering and create new opportunities to support NHV’s
continued growth in Europe and Africa. With latest-generation technology, improved environmental performance and high operational availability, the H160 is a strong complement to our existing fleet”.
“With the H160, we have introduced a truly next-generation platform that redefines the standards of safety, efficiency, and passenger comfort for the most demanding offshore missions,” added Régis Magnac, Head of Energy, Leasing and Global Accounts at Airbus Helicopters. “Its arrival in the European offshore energy market is a pivotal moment; by integrating this advanced technology, GDHF and NHV are raising the benchmark for modern fleet operations across the region. Airbus is fully committed to supporting NHV’s growth as they lead the way with the H160.”
The importance of the type’s introduction was evident in the excitement of the company’s headquarters team a large number of which staying on long after the working day was over to check out the first aircraft during a fuel stop at the company’s Ostend facility.
Over the coming weeks the initial tranche will begin operations from the company’s base at Den Helder expanding to Danish, Polish, German, Dutch bases with the United Kingdom operation joining the party later on.
GDHF has also invested heavily in the H160 as a solution with around 50 examples on order or option with Airbus commenting on the delivery Michael York, CEO of GDHF said: “We are very pleased to support NHV with the introduction of two H160 helicopters into its fleet. NHV is a highly respected operator with a strong track record in offshore operations, and the H160 is ideally suited to meet the evolving requirements of its customers. This transaction reflects GDHF’s focus on placing new technology, multi mission helicopters with leading operators through flexible leasing solutions”.
With the first two aircraft at Den Helder from next week, Route proving and aircraft optimisation is expected to take a further few weeks with the first commercial flights scheduled for May 2026.
Image: RHI
