At HAI Heli-Expo 2024, Hillsboro Aviation owner and CEO Max Lyons gave Vertical a tour of the company’s brand new Airbus H145 – which also happens to be the world’s first H145 custom-configured by the OEM for firefighting operations.
The aircraft is the end result of years of consultations and development between Airbus and Hillsboro, and was on public display for the first time at the event.
“From the time that we put in the purchase order, we started looking at ways to lighten the aircraft to get it as close to the current 205 capability as possible,” said Lyons. “We were able to take off a substantial amount of weight.”
The H145 has utility seating in the cabin to carry nine firefighters, and externally is equipped with a hook for bucketing or utility operations, and has hoist provisions for a dual hook system for short haul or human external cargo work.
“We believe it’ll become the safest, fastest, most sophisticated helicopter to ever transport firefighters in U.S. Forest Service history,” said Lyons.
Hillsboro took delivery of the aircraft in December 2023, and it is on contract to begin firefighting operations this summer.
