The first Airbus Helicopters H-135 for the United Kingdom's Military Flying Training System (MFTS) made it's first flight on July 29th at Donauworth in Germany.
The helicopter is construction number 2001 and wears German test registration D-HECZ.
Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter) was contracted in May of this year to provide 29 H-135s and 3 H-145s to replace the Squirrels and Griffins currently in use at RAF Shawbury. Deliveries will begin in the latter part of this year and continue through 2017 with the final aircraft being delivered in early 2018.
The helicopters will wear the same black and yellow colour scheme as the Squirrels and Griffens already sport.