WINGS
Cabin Cruiser
Airbus makes its new copter lighter, faster, quieter.
52
AUGUST 2020
A
rriving in the US later this year, the eagerly awaited ACH160 Exclusive is a step up from Airbus’s previous generation of executive helicopters. The new interior is a game changer, with its improved sound insulation and expansive, double-paned windows that open up the view even as they cut back on engine noise. Co-created by Airbus and yacht designer Harrison Eidsgaard, the ACH160 was designed to provide a large blank canvas for whatever an owner wants in the cabin: lounge chairs arranged for a tête-à-tête, three seats across or any other configuration of seating for up to eight. The obsessive attention to detail continues with as many as eight coats of varnish for the woodwork and grain-matched veneers. Other nice touches include outer steps that lower at the touch of a button and get close to the ground for easier boarding. The Safran turboshaft engines deliver a fast cruise speed of 172.6 mph and a range of 512 miles, while burning 15 percent less fuel. The chopper’s intuitive Helionix flight deck is also a technical assist for the pilots. The ACH160 will have a maximum endurance of four hours and 30 minutes. Michael Verdon
