France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has taken delivery of the Airbus H160 helicopter.
The aircraft will be used by the prestigious EPNER flight test school to train future generations of test pilots, engineers, and aircrew.
Patrice Gaillon, deputy director of EPNER and head of training, announced the delivery, calling the new aircraft a vital addition to DGA’s capabilities.
“Today I am privileged,” Gaillon said. “With the EPNER helicopter chief instructor pilot, we transported yesterday this superb aircraft that is the new H160 of DGA EV. Before the penultimate addition to the Airbus Helicopter range (and yes, the H140 has already shown the tip of its blades), it will enrich the fleet of DGA EV that has been engaged for many months in its renewal.”
The H160 is set to replace the Dauphin SA 365 N, which has been in service with EPNER for test crew training since the mid-1980s. The helicopter, part of Airbus Helicopters’ new generation of medium-lift aircraft, brings enhanced capabilities and performance that will help shape the next phase of flight test training.
“After the undisguised excitement and impatience to operate this new aircraft, it is an essential but so-rewarding and exhilarating mission that awaits the EPNER instructors and all the DGA EV teams (Air Resources, Ground Resources, Test Facilities, Air Traffic Controllers, etc.) who will have to integrate it as soon as possible into the syllabus of the various courses,” Gaillon added.
The H160’s integration will expand the scope of training offered at EPNER, one of the world’s leading test pilot schools. With its advanced avionics, improved aerodynamics, and enhanced mission systems, the helicopter offers superior flight characteristics and mission flexibility. It also provides a valuable platform for students to train on cutting-edge technology, preparing them for the complex operational challenges of modern aerospace testing.
The new platform will complement the H225 HBE (Helicopters Test Bench) already in service, further strengthening the capabilities of France’s flight test infrastructure.
The arrival of the H160 is part of a broader renewal effort to modernize the DGA’s fleet, ensuring that French test and evaluation capabilities remain aligned with the evolving needs of defense and aerospace programs.