Urban air mobility company, BLADE India entered into a partnership with Airbus, to further expand its “on-demand” helicopter services. To meet the significant demand and response in India, BLADE will be inducting five new H125 to its fleet initially. The helicopters will be provided to operators by a GIFT-City based leasing company taking advantage of the Government of India’s new initiative. BLADE will be underwriting flight hours through partner operators who have been specifically chosen based on their experience in ensuring the highest level of safety standards, equipment maintenance and operating protocols.
“BLADE India is delighted to announce the expansion of its services and network by selecting the H125. We are pioneering short-haul air mobility services in the country in partnership with Airbus. Indian cities rank amongst the most congested in the world. Our economy is being powered by several disruptions in digital, fintech, etc. Short-haul air mobility is poised to be the next big one,” said Amit Dutta, Managing Director – BLADE India. “We are fortunate to have excellent support from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, India, which recently announced sweeping policy changes to accelerate the growth of the vertical lift industry.”
Airbus H125 has proven to be a market leader for urban transportation, Heli-Tourism, Emergency Medical Services and other multi-missions in India and globally. The H125 is a member of Airbus’ Ecureuil family, which has accumulated almost 36 million flight hours worldwide. The optimised cabin of the H125 features a flat floor that can be easily and quickly reconfigured for various mission types. It features dual hydraulics, dual channel engine FADEC, a crash resistant fuel system, and advanced glass-panel cockpit displays. In 2005, an AS350 B3 broke the world record for the highest-altitude landing and takeoff, performed on Mount Everest at 8,848 metres, a title still held today.
