Mexican air operator Transportes Aéreos Pegaso announced the establishment of a framework agreement to acquire 10 H145 from Airbus on Thursday at the Paris Air Show.
The agreement makes Pegaso the first Latin American customer for the H145 four-ton twin engine rotorcraft.
Pegaso is expected to place its first firm order in the next several months, with deliveries planned to start in 2016 for seven years.
Pegaso will use the H145s to replace its current Airbus lightweight rotor fleet of 16 EC145s and four EC135s, Airbus said. The new aircraft will be configured for the company primary mission of providing airlift services to the energy industry, focusing on Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activity.
Pegaso is also the Latin American launch partner for the H175, a new super-medium-lift aircraft that will start to be delivered in 2016.
“We highly value the longstanding partnership with Pegaso, and appreciate its confidence in our products. Pegaso can count on the best-in-class support to guarantee the highest availability of its new rotorcraft,” Francisco Navarro, general manager of the Airbus Helicopters de México customer center, said in a statement.
“The EC145 has performed very well in our operations, and we look forward to experiencing the enhanced capabilities of the new H145 version,” Pegaso CEO Enrique Zepeda, added.
Airbus highlighted the H145’s advancements, which include the Helionix® avionics suite, 4-axis autopilot, increased performance Arriel 2E engines, an anti-torque system with the latest version of the Fenestron® shrouded tail rotor, a new tail gearbox and an upgraded main gearbox, Airbus said.
This agreement extends a three decade-long Pegaso-Airbus partnership.