Achieving 30,000 flight hours another feather in the cap for RMAF
KUCHING: The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) celebrated yet another milestone with its H225M fleet, known locally as EC725 Caracal, achieving 30,000 flight hours – one of the highest in Asia-Pacific.
The event held at RMAF’s Labuan Air Base was attended by RMAF chief Gen Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan.
Also present were A irbus chief representative for Malaysia Burhanudin Noordin Ali, and Airbus Helicopters Malaysia managing director Axel de Pascal.
In congratulating the Air Force at the event, De Pascal said Airbus was proud of how the H225M fleet had served the RMAF effectively and efficiently over the last decade, playing a critical role to all its strategic and tactical missions.
“We are very honoured to join the air force in celebrating such an important flight milestone underscoring the significance of this asset to RMAF’s operations,” he said in a release.
De Pascal also presented Mohd Asghar Khan with the award to commemorate this milestone.
The RMAF’s pilots who had achieved 2,000, 1,500, 1,000 and 500 flight hours on the H225M helicopter, were also presented with flight hour achievement awards.
The event also marked the first successful installation of an enhanced main gear box (eMGB) outside of Europe on one of RMAF’s H225M helicopters.
The eMGB will provide an improved mechanical system, and an innovative monitoring feature that reduces the maintenance workload of the H225M fleet.
The RMAF’s fleet of 12 H225M helicopters has been in service since 2012.
Designed for the most demanding missions, these combat-proven multi-role H225Ms have participated in various exercises and humanitarian missions, including flood rescue and life-saving operations. A combat-proven multi-purpose and versatile asset, the H225M enables military forces to deploy wherever and whenever needed.
Currently, 170 H225M units are in service across the world.
Over 200 Super Puma family helicopters are currently operating in the Asia-Pacific region.
Besides Malaysia, the H225M is relied upon by Brazil, France, Hungary, Indonesia, Mexico, Singapore, Thailand and Kuwait to support their most demanding missions.