The H130 gives up a little of the H125’s speed for a wider, quieter cabin and glass all round — the sightseeing and transfer favourite on the Riviera corridors. Six seats.
See the full helicopter fleet, all routes or the transfer guide.
The H130 is the former EC130 T2. It uses the same Safran Arriel 2D engine as the H125. Behind it sits a larger passenger cabin of 3.7 m³, against the H125's 3.0 m³. Airbus describes the floor as fully flat.
It is the type Monacair chose for the scheduled line between Monaco and Nice airport. Airbus delivered the operator's sixth and final H130 in 2016. It calls the service the world's shortest regular line: about seven minutes, around forty rotations a day.
The tail rotor is a Fenestron, enclosed within the tail fin rather than spinning in the open. Airbus puts the H130 six decibels below ICAO noise limits, and fits active vibration control in the cabin. Energy-absorbing seats and a crash-resistant fuel system are standard. On routes that pass over harbours, hotels and beaches, a quieter machine is the considerate one.
Airbus quotes a fast cruise of 128 kt, a range of 327 nm and four hours' endurance. That is slower than the H125's 136 kt. On a ten-minute hop the difference is well under a minute.
It is at home on Nice to Monaco and Nice to Cannes. Both flights are short, and the coastline is part of the point. On Nice to Saint-Tropez, the longest of the Riviera legs, its range is still far more than the trip needs.
Airbus certifies it for one pilot and up to seven passengers; the layout Monacair flies carries six, as our strip shows. An optional cargo pod adds about a fifth more luggage space. It is worth asking for when a party arrives off a long-haul flight with full suitcases.
Choose the twin-engine AW109 GrandNew when two engines or extra speed matter more than cabin space. For the mountains, the H125's extra power at altitude usually makes it the better single.