Airbus Helicopters has achieved another key milestone in more eco-friendly rotorcraft operations by successfully demonstrating low-noise helicopter instrument (IFR) approaches at an airport with commercial airline traffic.

As the final outcome of a seven-year project devoted to environment-friendly helicopter approach procedures, Airbus Helicopters used an H175 helicopter to fly low-noise IFR approaches to the heliport of Toulouse-Blagnac airport in south-western France.

The approach procedures were flown using accurate lateral and vertical guidance provided by EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service), the European Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS), and in the presence of airplane traffic simultaneously approaching and departing to/from airport runways, which proved the suitability of these helicopter-specific procedures to achieve Simultaneous Non Interfering (SNI) aircraft and rotorcraft IFR operations at a medium-size commercial airport.

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