News
LPR expands H135P3 fleet
February 22, 2016 By Pratt & Whitney Canada
LPR (SP ZOZ Lotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe) has added four more aircraft to its fleet of Airbus H135P3 helicopters powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada's (P&WC) PW206B3 turboshaft engines - bringing the size of the fleet to 27 aircraft. An emergency medical services (EMS) customer in Poland, LPR started operating these new aircraft in early 2016.
“P&WC has maintained a strong presence on the H135 since the first variant was introduced 20 years ago – and with the PW206B3 powering the H135P3, we intend to keep it that way,” said Irene Makris, Vice President, Marketing, P&WC. “We have steadily introduced new technologies into the engine and worked closely with Airbus Helicopters to meet the aircraft’s needs, all while maintaining and improving the PW200’s world-renowned durability and dependability as well as P&WC’s unmatched customer service capabilities.”
The PW206B3 engine is a growth variant of the highly successful PW206B2. It shares the same engine architecture as the PW206B2, which is designed for ease of maintenance, but also offers up to 10 percent more thermal takeoff power in hot and high conditions. The engine has automatic start and automatic power sharing between the two engines. It features the lowest emission levels in its class and competitive maintenance costs. Its time-on-wing is further enhanced by a 4,000-hour time between overhaul (TBO) with on-condition hot section inspection (HSI).
“Our helicopters are dispatched in high-priority emergency cases,” said Wojciech Wozniczka, LPR’s Deputy Director of Continuing Airworthiness. “In a life-and-death situation, aircraft reliability has to be assured. We chose the PW206B3 engine because it has been proven in the field in countless settings – including EMS, where it is in widespread use.”
“The H135 helicopter has endured because of its reputation for delivering the perfect combination of power and maneuverability – and we are confident this will continue with the PW206B3,” added Makris.
The PW200 now powers more light-twin helicopters than any other engine in this segment. There are approximately 3,500 PW200 engines currently flying in 80 countries around the world, which have accumulated nine million flying hours. It is regarded as the industry benchmark for the 600 to 700 shaft horsepower class. Its superior engine performance, low maintenance costs and extensive customer support network make it the engine of choice to power modern light-twin helicopters, which enjoy strong demand in EMS as well as utility, law enforcement and general business aviation.
