The Maybach of the skies may finally be here. 

Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) and Mercedes-Benz unveiled a new chopper at a showcase event in São Paulo, Brazil, in late February, taking their decade-long partnership to luxurious new heights. 

ACH and Mercedes first teamed up in 2010, launching a riff on the ACH145 helicopter—the corporate variant of the Airbus H145 created for high-fliers and VIPs—that combined sleek automotive design with advanced aerospace engineering. Since then, 26 unique examples of the simply named ACH145 Mercedes-Benz Style have been delivered to customers. 

That success prompted a renewal of the partnership agreement in 2021, with the duo now focusing on incorporating the new Mercedes design philosophy of “sensual purity” into their collab aircraft. As such, the new ACH145 Mercedes-Benz Edition expands beyond a simple restyling by incorporating the nameplate’s contemporary aesthetic. Think clean, flowing lines and simple styling. 

“As a result of the renewal of the highly successful design collaboration, which introduced the concept of partnerships between the automotive and aerospace industries in 2010, ACH and Mercedes-Benz have brought together the DNA of two icons: the versatile and robust ACH145 and the charisma of Mercedes-Benz,”  Frederic Lemos, head of ACH, said in a statement. “Today, discerning customers can travel in a Mercedes-Benz level of comfort and style, on land and in the air.”

Based on the latest five-bladed variant of the H145, the newest ACH145 offers a smoother flight, greater in-flight comfort, reduced noise levels, and an extra 300 pounds of useful payload compared to the previous generation. It has a top speed of 137 knots (about 158 mph) and can fly for roughly four hours at a time. 

Stepping onboard, the cabin evokes the Mercedes-Benz EQS and Maybach show cars with a “wrap-around” interior architecture and new sculpted seats with detailed stitching. It can be configured to accommodate four to eight passengers, with seating across two or three rows. Cabinets can be integrated at the front and rear, while compartments between the seats provide storage for carry-on luggage.

The cabin showcases genuine wood flooring, leather upholstery, and metallic accents covered with the three-pointed star motif. Six interior colour and trim concepts are available: Atlas, Meteor, Phoenix, Zenith, Polaris, and Solaris. Of course, a bespoke option is also offered just in case you want to match the helicopter to your Merc.

Pricing has not been officially announced, but the standard ACH145 starts at around $10 million, so expect to pay a bit more than that.