Airbus Helicopters starts H215 demo tour in China.

“It is a pleasure for us to welcome the H215 for the first time in China, as we foresee a very strong future for this helicopter in the Chinese market,” said Marie Agnes Vève, General Manager of Airbus Helicopters China. “The H215 is perfectly suited to meet China’s growing demand for heavy helicopters as it prepares to build up its forest aerial surveillance and firefighting capabilities.”

Customers will be invited on-board the helicopter to appreciate its excellent performance, high reliability and advanced technologies. The H215 will also showcase its superior firefighting capabilities, performing a series of flight demonstrations using a Bambi Bucket to extinguish fires.

The H215 is a proven multipurpose helicopter, combining advanced avionics and a reliable platform for rugged multi-mission capabilities. Its baseline configuration has been optimized to offer extremely competitive direct operating and maintenance costs. Standard features include proven Makila 1A1 engines, the latest generation flight management system, and the most modern technologies, which include a glass cockpit avionics system and the renowned 4-axis autopilot from Airbus Helicopters’ advanced H225 – providing flight envelope protection, unrivalled precision and automatic hover stability in even the harshest operating conditions.

“The H215 will easily complement the current fleet of nearly 40 Super Puma aircraft already performing a wide range of missions in China, from oil & gas operations to aerial work to VIP transportation,” said Vincent Dufour, VP Commercial Airbus Helicopters China. “This highly robust and versatile rotorcraft provides excellent performance and will be a real asset for the country as the demand for helicopters to protect its citizens and natural landscapes continues to increase.”

Airbus Helicopters is the leader in the civil turbine market in China with a market share of about 40%. For the first time in 2016, China became Airbus Helicopters’ largest civil market in terms of annual bookings. The company has seen steady growth in the region and is poised for the trend to continue - Airbus Helicopters broke ground last month on its H135 Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Qingdao, becoming the first Western helicopter manufacturer to establish a FAL in the country.