Metro Aviation has ordered 25 EC145e helicopters that it will place into service providing air medical transport and other aerial services. It is one of the larger commercial helicopter orders ever booked by the U.S. based company.
Metro was the first customer for the lighter weight and lower cost version of the EC145 when it was launched by Airbus Helicopters in 2015, placing an initial order for six aircraft. The helicopter was launched initially only for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) use and Metro put it to work in air medical transport and utility markets.
Since that time Metro, working with Genesis Aerosystems has developed and received Federal Aviation Administration Supplemental Type Certificates for a VFR electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) and an autopilot and stability augmentation system for the EC145e. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) certification is expected this year.
Airbus Helicopters will produce the EC145e at its final assembly plant in Columbus, Miss. where it also produces the UH-72A Lakota for the U.S. Army and the H125 commercial helicopter for the North American market. Metro will customize the aircraft for individual customers at its completion center in Shreveport, La.
