Australian tech entrepreneur John-Paul Thorbjornsen announced at the Singapore Airshow last week that he was planning an around-the-world helicopter trip via the north and south poles.
Thorbjornsen own Airbus Helicopters ACH130 Aston Martin Edition VH-BTC, which he has already flown 10,000 nm from the UK to Australia. He will couple BTC with a new ACH125 for the earth-rounding journey, which will cover some 30,000 nm.
“I’ve always loved flying and was looking for a reliable and powerful helicopter that could safely fly my family and friends around,” said Thorbjornsen, who is often known simply as JP.
“I was impressed by the performance and comfort of the ACH130. I am also convinced that this Aston Martin Edition is the most attractive private helicopter on the market, combining Airbus’ engineering excellence and Aston Martin’s craftsmanship.”
The ACH130 Aston Martin Edition is the product of a collaboration between Airbus Helicopters and luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin. It features a range of interior and exterior designs created by Aston and specifically aimed at helicopter owners and pilots who "appreciate the pleasures of possessing and driving high performance bespoke luxury sports cars."
The Aston Martin edition was launched four years ago and initially limited to 15 airframes. Demand has prompted Airbus to extend it to 15 more units.
Airbus has collected orders for the ACH130 from across the world including Australia, Europe, Latin America, New Zealand, North America and South-East Asia.