March
18, 2015 - Helicopter Links Opinion Piece
Airbus Helicopters Heli-Expo
2015 "H" Announcement
By Mike Hampson, owner,
Helicopter Links
(San
Diego, California, USA): A month or two before Heli-Expo
2015, Airbus Helicopters
started a
branding campaign for its highly anticipated X4
helicopter. I am not quite sure when the X4 artist
conception was first actually revealed to the public
(I found an article online dating as far back as
August
11, 2011 with the X4 artist conception);
however,
that first
artist drawing (shown to the right) for the X4 was
a highly stylized helicopter
including
large
windows in front,
a sleek nose and simply a very futuristic looking
helicopter.
The front windows of the Airbus Helicopters
X4 helicopter (Originally the Eurocopter X4) were
similar to the very modern and beautiful — and
almost ready for production —
Marenco Swisshelicopter SKYe SH-09
(and yes Swiss-made) single-engine
turbine helicopter using Formula 1 lightweight
high crash resistant composite material for the
cabin
with a glass window on the floor between the two
pilot's seats. The Marenco Swisshelicopter SKYe
SH-09 is quite amazing helicopter, indeed with
incredible
visibility! But I digress.
When
Airbus Helicopters published their first video announcing
the X4 will be at Heli-Expo
2015, I noticed were using a stylized "H" for
their ads.
Once I
saw the "H" being used, I
quickly thought back to Heli-Expo 2012 (held
in Dallas, Texas, USA), again digressing, when Bell
Helicopter was ramping-up to roll out the mock-up
of their
new
super-medium twin engine turbine helicopter (which
we now know as as the Bell 525 Relentless). Bell
Helicopter revealed a very
stylized
"R" and the name of their new helicopter
was called the "Relentless". What a fantastic name
for a helicopter!
I found the Airbus Helicopter "H" (photo
to the right) at Heli-Expo 2015 which was projected
by light on the dark blue carpeting
found on the 2nd floor of Airbus Helicopter's trade
show booth. As a duly qualified member of the
press,
I was
allowed to sneak up to the 2nd floor to take some
good photos of their trade show booth and found
the "H" and got the picture.
But back to Airbus Helicopters. Since Airbus Helicopters
X4 helicopter was going to be replacing their
Dauphin
helicopter,
I thought their
plan was to name the new X4 with a word starting
with "H". Due to what Bell did for their
Relentless helicopter in 2012.
I even ask Helicopter
Links Facebook Followers to guess what they
think the new name
for the Dauphin helicopter would be. Me and
others on my Facebook page came up with "Halo",
"Helix", "Hydra" and "Heron".
But I did not like any of these names and simply
could not imagine what they'd name the new "Dauphin"
helicopter. However,
no one guessed that the "H" was to be
the beginning of their helicopter models under the
Airbus Helicopters name.
For
20 years, Eurocopter had made a name for themselves
with their helicopter models starting with EC. On
January 1, 2014, Eurocopter officially became Airbus
Helicopters. However, the problem with designating
Airbus Helicopters'
helicopters
models starting
with the
two-letter "AH",
is that in the helicopter world, "AH" means
Attack Helicopter! (To the right is the newest Airbus
Helicopters' helicopter model called the H160 and
what used to be called the X4.)
I am not sure how many people in the
helicopter industry have finally accepted Airbus
Helicopter's name but believe me, during Heli-Expo
2014 (in Anaheim, California, USA), I had many
conversations with people (who I did not know) who
were aghast, deeply troubled and/or angered by the
name change from
Eurocopter to Airbus Helicopters.
In
fact, during 2013 and the months leading up to Heli-Expo
2014, when I
talked
to
people
in the helicopter industry either over the phone,
in person, reading helicopter magazine editorials,
or seeing comments on social media, the overwhelming
reaction
from the helicopter community was
very
negative. (To the right, a front-side view of the
new Airbus Helicopters H160 mock-up.)
I think most people in the helicopter
community recognized that the name Eurocopter was
marketing
genius and many thought that this genius
was being passed over what seemed to
be only for the sake of corporate think.
However,
what I found interesting,
is
when I discussed Eurocopter's name change with
my fixed-wing
friends (or friends who were not helicopter
aficionados or had little interest in aviation),
they immediately
told me that the Eurocopter name change wasn't
an issue and thought that Airbus Helicopters was
a
fine name. So,
when Airbus Helicopters revealed their new X4 helicopter
at Heli-Expo 2015, I had forgotten that Airbus Helicopters
still had
the helicopter model name
designation
problem hanging
over their
head. The "H" for the X4 reveal was not about re-naming
their new helicopter but to reveal that all the
EC helicopter model designations would simply be
changed to "H" for the word helicopter.
Obviously,
they were very clever by keeping things simple.
Just
use the
letter "H" for
all their helicopter models and don't even mention
the "A".
Easy, simple and a good solution. And so Airbus
Helicopters
X4 helicopter
did not have a new name but was simply assigned
the model number H160. (A view from the rear-right
side of the helicopter of the new tailboom
biplane-horizontal stabilizer.)
After the H160 was revealed on March
3rd at Heli-Expo 2015, most people who I talked
to loved the look of the new helicopter. It is an
amazing helicopter to see in person, it is really
a big helicopter!
However, if after seeing the original
artist impression of the X4 for several years,
and anticipating the new helicopter, when I saw
the
new H160 mock-up, I have to admit
that
I was
slightly
disappointed.
However,
during Heli-Expo 2015, several people mentioned
to me that the nose of the H160 looks suspiciously
like the H175 (formerly the EC175) helicopter;
however, they really liked the design of the H160.
And it's easy to see the similarity between the
two
helicopters. Which now begs the question,
will Airbus Helicopter eventually go the way of
AgustaWestland and
try
to make all
their new helicopters look similar to the H175
or not? Regardless, with some clever thinking,
the I do like the "H" designation. It keeps it simple,
easy and to the point.
Here are some of the new name Airbus
Helicopters name designations (this is not a complete
list):
H120 (formerly EC120, EC120B)
H125, H125M (formerly AS350 B3e)
H130 (formerly EC130, EC130 T2)
H135, H135M (formerly EC135, EC135 T3/P3)
H145, H145M (formerly EC145, EC145e, EC145 T2)
H155 (formerly EC155)
H175 (formerly EC175)
H225 (formerly EC225)
H225M (foremly EC725)
NH90 (stays the same)
Then for Airbus Helicopters' military
helicopter model designations, just add the letter
"M", like this: H145M. However, this is
just the beginning and there are some exceptions
to the rule.
End article.
Reference:
Stylized: Using the word "stylized" when
talking about fonts is what graphic designers use
when customizing a font to be unique for the
situation
required.
About Helicopter Links:
Helicopter Links is an online
directory which lists helicopter manufacturers,
operators, suppliers, services, magazines, helicopter
trade shows, air shows and conferences, museums,
associations and more. We also offer one free link
to any helicopter related business in the world
and are media partners with at least 18 helicopter
trade shows and associations around the world. Our
Free Listing Offers are here: Free
Listing Offers.
Helicopter Links had over 91,000
visitors from around the world, in 2014 with over
107,000 clicks on the company links listed on our
website. Our website is free to use by anyone and
we also have nice advertising opportunities for
any company looking to advertiser directly to buyers
in the helicopter industry. Please contact
us to find out about our affordable advertising
opportunities.
Back
to 2015 news stories
|