Airbus Helicopters has introduced its H140 rotorcraft which is expected to enter service in 2028 for emergency medical services.
The multi-mission helicopter was unveiled during the vertical lift industry show VERTICON in Dallas, Texas, Airbus announced on March 11, 2025. The company said that the helicopter “raises the bar” in the light twin-engined category, for “performance, cost-effectiveness, and passenger and crew comfort.”
“Introducing a new helicopter to the light twin engine segment is a testimony to our commitment to meeting our customers’ evolving mission requirements, leveraging our R&T programs such as Bluecopter,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters.
The H140 is a 3-ton-class rotorcraft designed for the emergency medical services, passenger transport, and private and business aviation markets.
According to Airbus, the H140 features a new T-shaped tail boom with an optimized Fenestron that reduces sound levels, a five-blade bearingless main rotor, and new engines. The helicopter also features a larger cabin space, large windows and optimised cabin layout that can accommodate up to six passengers.
The company said the H140 was “designed with accessibility in mind” with its large clamshell doors and the high tail boom, and its rear loading capabilities allow the use of different types of stretcher systems, including those for intensive care and transport incubators.
The helicopter is powered by the Safran Arrius 2E 700 shp engine, Airbus stated. It has two engines controlled by a dual-channel full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) system. The system ensures high performance during normal operations and offers considerable power reserves if one engine fails.
The new H140 also features the same five-bladed rotor system that was introduced on the H145 in 2019. The H140 will also feature Helionix, Airbus Helicopters’ avionic system, which is also used in the H135, H145, H160 and H175.
In total, the company will have four dedicated prototypes of the H140 helicopter, with the first aircraft already undergoing flight tests at the company’s facility in Donauwörth, Germany.
