Airbus Helicopters has performed the first conversion of a four-blade H145 light twin to the new five-blade version, the company announced on Tuesday. The helicopter, which was handed over in 2018 to German air ambulance operator DRF Luftrettung, will be located at DRF’s base in Villingen-Schwenningen.

The new five-blade bearingless rotor eliminates rotor hub maintenance, increases the 145’s useful load by 330 pounds, provides a smoother ride, and enhances the mission capabilities of the aircraft. This upgrade can be performed by any qualified Part 145 maintenance organization via the associated service bulletin issued by Airbus Helicopters. It consists of exchanging the rotor system, updating the helicopter’s Helionix avionics suite, and installing a new horizontal stabilizer. 

Airbus announced the upgrade in 2019, with EASA approval following last June and FAA validation in November. It is also the configuration for new-production H145s, now known as the H145D3. Compared to its H145D2 predecessor, the D3 has a slightly smaller main rotor disk, from 36 feet to 35.4 feet. The D3’s twin Safran Arriel 2E engines now incorporate Fadec and the digital Helionix avionics suite incorporates a four-axis autopilot and an integrated wireless airborne communications system.