In real life, the Airbus H125 is a single-engine light helicopter with over 40 million service hours, according to Wikipedia. It costs – second hand – just under 4 million dollars to buy and is used for a wide range of roles.

But what is it like to actually fly?

Startup and Shutdown

As usual with aircraft that come with the sim, you can walk around and perform a variety of fascinated activities like remove the engine cover and open/close engine cowlings and the cargo compartment.

In order to get the engine started and rotors turning, you only need to go through six clicks – these being starting the battery, light, avionics, starter, disengaging the rotor brake, etc. The rotors get up to RPM quickly. The control panels are simple, restrained, and easy to use. As usual with helicopters, you need to wait for RPM to pass 90 before you can takeoff normally.

Flying and Handling

When you lift off, there is a slight tendency for the chopper to spin left. Once you have enough altitude, it’s relatively easy to pitch forward and get up to speed. The controls don’t like abrupt changes or inputs, thus gradual, gentle flying is recommended.

Once in the air, it’s very easy to fly straight. The highest advisable airspeed would be around 150 knots. To fly straight, keep the power around 50%. With the right throttle handling, it’s easy to start hovering. Additionally, when landing, the Airbus does have a tendency to hover over the ground a little bit before finally touching down, so further coaxing by decreasing throttle is necessary. Keep in mind that this helicopter doesn’t have wheels, so land gently!

Overall Rating

A solid 8.7/10.