Pilot's Walkaround Tour Of India's First Airbus H160 Helicopter Worth 150 Crore: The Ambanis Own One
It isn't too big a surprise to see billionaires owning private helicopters or business jets. But the Ambanis recently made headlines after people spotted their newly bought helicopter, an Airbus H160, being transported on a trailer on public roads! India deliveries of the H160 began in 2025, and the Ambanis were one of its early adopters here. Now, a video surfaced online shows a pilot giving a complete tour of what is claimed to be the country's first H160...
The helicopter shown in this video doesn't belong to the Ambani family. It has been leased by Chipsan Aviation, a leading non-scheduled air operator in India. Chipsan has become the first Indian operator to lease this aircraft type. In Chipsan's fleet, the H160 slots in as the new flagship. In the video, we see the pilot talking about the helicopter and giving a quick tour of it.
He starts by saying that the H160 is one of the most sophisticated civil helicopters in the world. It is also claimed to offer one of the highest levels of operational safety. He then shows the main rotor blades of the H160. Usually, rotor blades are straight. On the H160, however, the edges of the rotor blades are shaped in a more aerodynamic way. They are slightly curved.
This technology is called the 'Blue Edge' and was developed by Airbus Helicopters together with the French aerospace laboratory ONERA and the German Aerospace Centre. The goal here is to reduce the rotor noise (also called the Blade-Vortex Interaction (BVI) noise) by up to 50%, and improve the overall aerodynamic efficiency.
The cockpit has a clean and ergonomic design- says the pilot. It also comes with advanced avionics (Airbus Helionix) and other connected features. There is a clear effort to reduce pilot workload.
Later in the video, the pilot gives us a detailed view of the cabin. The H160 usually comes as a 12-seater (plus two pilots). This particular example, however, has the VIP seating configuration with Mercedes-crafter interior. The luggage bay can accommodate as much as 300 kilograms.
Talking of the powertrain, this aircraft is powered by two Safran Arrano 1A turboshaft engines, each of which produces 1300 shaft horsepower. The aircraft has a top flying speed of 255 kmph and a max range of 890 km with standard fuel tanks. The endurance stands at 4 hr 30 mins.
This aircraft is claimed to deliver a 15% reduction in maintenance costs and an 18% boost in fuel efficiency. The H160 can be deployed in various roles like offshore transportation, private and business aviation, emergency medical services, commercial passenger transport and search and rescue. It is known for its excellent performance, range and efficiency.
Another interesting element is the twin stabiliser design at the rear- also called the Biplane Stabilizer. It has two dual-level interconnected stabilizers. This setup, a helicopter-first, improves aero efficiency. Again, the tail rotor gets a Fenestron (fan-in-fin) design. The airframe itself is lighter and more robust than that of the predecessor. Airbus Helicopters has used as many as 68 patented technologies in the H160. The aircraft also comes with an electric landing gear.
Chipsan Aviation currently has six Airbus helicopters in its fleet. These include two H145, two H135, and two H130s. These are now joined by the new H160.
"We are proud to be the first operator in India who brought H145 for commercial operations. We feel responsible for bringing the most sophisticated H160 for the first time in India for commercial operations. The first two H160s are mainly for the VIP plus corporate requirements. However, Chipsan aims to connect Lakshadweep Island with the mainland with the future inductions this year itself," Sunil Narayanan and Daisy Cherian, Founders of Chipsan Aviation Pvt Ltd said in a statement.