The International Sanicole Airshow is happy to present an excellent example of French-Belgian cooperation during the airshow in 2025, thanks to a graceful display by a shiny helicopter from the base at Dax: an H120 Calliope.
The French army base at Dax is home to a specialized training center for helicopter pilots, Helidax, a private-public corporation. French helicopter pilots from the Gendarmerie, Navy, Army and Air Force receive their training there, and they are joined by future Belgian air force helicopter pilots. Since its inception in 2008, the H120 fleet has amassed more than 250000 flying hours already.
The nimble H120 Calliope, more widely known at the Colibri, is used for flight training but it is also a popular 5-seat helicopter both in military and civilian use, for instance for police duties or passenger transport. 36 of these beautiful red and white helicopters operate from the base at Dax. They have modern avionics which prepare pilots well for their future operational types, such as the NH90, A109 and in the future also the H145. The type is also in service for helicopter training with the Spanish military.
The display shows off the excellent handling qualities of the Airbus Helicopters H120 Calliopei, stability in the hover and its fast acceleration characteristics. Discover what you might fly in the future if you decide to become a military helicopter pilot!
