With more than 250 flight hours in 40 days at 11,000ft altitude, the H130 has successfully demonstrated its high altitude operational capability
India,18 October, 2016 – Ghodawat Aviation, the aviation division of Sanjay Ghodawat Group has successfully transported over 3,700 pilgrims in 40 days to the holy site of Kedarnath in its newly acquired state-of-the-art H130 helicopter.
“We are happy that the pilgrims can enjoy a smooth and safe ride while also admiring the breathtaking view of the Himalayas,” said Sanjay Ghodawat, Chairman of Ghodawat Aviation. “The platform offers the latest technology and safety features and has proved to be a truly economical solution.”
Kedarnath located at 11,000 ft. is one of the most demanding spots in the Himalayas for helipilgrimage operations, where pilots have to fly over treacherous mountainous terrains in crosswinds of 25kts to 40kts.
“The H130 has exemplified its operational competence at the high altitudes and extreme climatic conditions of the Himalayas. We are delighted to see that the aircraft is living up to our customer’s expectations in terms of performance, reliability and flight comfort,” said Xavier Hay, President, Airbus Helicopters Division in India.
“We look forward to supporting Ghodawat Aviation as they expand their commercial operations.” Airbus Helicopters’ lightweight multi-role H130 has a spacious cabin for one pilot and seats up to seven passengers. The largest of any single-engine rotorcraft in the world yet the quietest in its category, the H130 is suited for a wide range of missions, including passenger transportation, sightseeing, medical airlift, law enforcement and search and rescue.
Equipped with the Fenestron shrouded tail rotor and powered by the Arriel 2D engine, the H130 is operating at Vaishnav Devi besides Kedarnath. About Ghodawat Aviation (www.ghodawataviation.com) Ghodawat Aviation, part of Sanjay Ghodawat Group, is an aviation services company specialising in helicopter charter on short term and long-term basis.
Registered as a non-scheduled operator with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in India, it currently owns three helicopters – a singleengine H120, a single-engine H130 and a twin-engine H135 – for heli-pilgrimage, charter, sightseeing, aerial survey and other services.
About Airbus Helicopters (www.airbushelicopters.com)
Airbus Helicopters, a division of Airbus Group, provides the most efficient civil and military helicopter solutions worldwide. Its in-service fleet includes nearly 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in 154 countries. Airbus Helicopters employs more than 22,000 people worldwide and in 2015 generated revenues of 6.8 billion euros.
