FlightGlobal
• Dominic Perry
Romania has signed a contract for 12 Airbus H225M multirole helicopters, formalizing a procurement plan approved in July at an estimated €757 million ($845 million). The aircraft will begin replacing the country’s IAR-330 Puma fleet for conventional and special operations; the purchase is being made through the EU’s SAFE program.
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The upgrade replaces the H135’s existing battery with a lithium battery across all model variants. EASA approval clears the modification for use in the aircraft, with Heli Austria and Heli Werk presenting it as a performance and efficiency improvement.
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Romania has signed a contract for 12 Airbus H225M multirole helicopters, formalizing a procurement plan approved in July at an estimated €757 million ($845 million). The aircraft will begin replacing the country’s IAR-330 Puma fleet for conventional and special operations; the purchase is being made through the EU’s SAFE program.
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KLM has taken delivery of its first A350-900 in Toulouse, introducing the Airbus widebody into a long-haul fleet that has been dominated by Boeing aircraft. The airline’s business-class seats are nearing certification but will be blocked on the aircraft’s initial flights, limiting the cabin configuration at entry into service.
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