About the Juno HT1

ROLE

The Airbus Helicopters H135 Juno (Juno HT Mk.1) provides the basic rotary wing training role with No.1 Flying Training School (1 FTS) at RAF Shawbury, the oldest military pilot training school in the world.

CAPABILITY

With all but a handful of the UK’s frontline military helicopters equipped with glass cockpits, the H135 (Juno HT1) has brought helicopter training into the modern era.  It also ensures continuity and a logical progression for Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and Army Air Corps students through the UK Military Flying Training System.

The type serves with 60 Squadron at RAF Shawbury, and 202 Squadron at RAF Valley which delivers maritime, mountain, and search and rescue training to helicopter aircrew

TYPE HISTORY

In 1988, MBB flew the BO108 technology demonstrator with the ultimate aim of replacing the highly successful BO105 in its helicopter line-up.  DASA bought MBB the following year, flying a further prototype in 1991, although the design was subsequently altered quite dramatically, including provision of a Fenestron in place of the conventional tail rotor.

Now under Eurocopter control after Aerospatiale and DASA merged their helicopter divisions, prototypes of what had become the EC135 (Juno HT1) flew for the first time on February 15 and April 16, 1994.  First customer deliveries followed in July 1996, since when the type has undergone considerable evolution and found favour with a host of civilian, military and para-military customers.  After consolidation within the EADS and Airbus groups, Eurocopter became Airbus Helicopters on January 17, 2014.

Among its most successful products, the latest H135 (Juno HT1) standard offers exceptional performance yet remains the quietest helicopter in its class.  The type was included alongside the larger H145 in the UK MFTS rotary wing training package offered by Ascent as the current DHFS provision neared contract end.  With Ascent chosen for UK MFTS helicopter training early in 2016, some 29 H135s (Juno HT1s) and three H145s were contracted from Airbus Helicopters in Germany, for completion and initial instructor training in the UK.

The first Juno HT1 (Juno HT1) helicopter arrived at RAF Shawbury on April 3, 2017.  Release to service was issued on May 12 and the first trainee pilot flew the aircraft on 25 April 2018.

Based at

Flying with

Specifications

Airbus Helicopters H135 Juno (Juno HT1)

  • Powerplant two Safran Helicopter Engines Arrius 2B2plus turboshafts
  • Length overall 39ft 8½in (12.10m)
  • Height 12ft 3½in (3.75m)
  • Maximum take-off weight 6,570lb (2,980kg)
  • Maximum speed 140kt (278km/h)
  • Maximum range 329nm (609km)
  • Hovering ceiling in ground effect 12,700ft