Airbus to Supply 19 H135 Helicopters to Train Canadian Air Force Pilots

Airbus Helicopters has signed a contract with SkyAlyne, a joint venture between CAE and KF Aerospace, to provide the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with 19 Airbus H135 helicopters to train  RCAF Pilots.

The contract is part of Canada’s Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) Program and marks the first time that Airbus helicopters will fly as part of the Canadian Armed Forces. Deliveries are expected to begin in the first half of 2026.

The twin-engine helicopters will be completed and delivered from Airbus Helicopters’ industrial facility located in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. They will be customised with a number of Canadian developed Supplemental Type Certificates, including modifications to the avionics suite and communications systems, as well as custom development in the cockpit.

“Securing the Airbus H135 fleet for the RCAF is an important milestone for SkyAlyne and the FAcT Program as it solidifies a core element of the program schedule,” commented Kevin Lemke, SkyAlyne’s senior executive.

The agreement consists of H135 aircraft acquisition and a support and services package, support for the development of a Ground-Based Training Solution, and advanced engineering support for the release to service.

The H135 facilitates the development of core skills while providing twin-engines and advanced avionics, allowing easy and safe pilot transition to more complex helicopters in the RCAF’s fleet.