The assembly line in Qingdao will begin operating next year and has the capacity to produce 36 H135 helicopters annually. (Photo/CGTN)
During German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to China last June, a contract to build an assembly line to sell 100 helicopters to a local consortium in Shandong Province was signed by the two countries. Today, construction of the new assembly line is underway in Qingdao, and Airbus will be the first non-Chinese manufacturer to assemble helicopters in China.
"As part of China's 13th five-year plan, you have a very strong general aviation industry to peak where we can see a very good trend in improving the low-altitude airspace relaxation," said Vincent Dufour, vice president of Airbus Helicopters in China.
Known for its high endurance, the Airbus H135 can land almost anywhere and perform many difficult missions.
As a part of the one billion euro deal, Airbus helicopters will supply 100 of those choppers to the local consortium in Qingdao, which holds 49 percent of the shares in the partnership. The assembly line will be operational next year, and has the capacity to produce 36 helicopters annually.
CEO of Airbus Helicopters Guillaume Faury said: "The European plants have the capacities of 40 to 70 units per year depending on the orders worldwide. So with a capacity of 36 units annually here in China, it shows our dedication to this market."
The number of civil helicopters in China is expected to grow to 620 this year. And by 2020, that number is set to reach 1,000. Currently, over 60 percent of the civil helicopters in China are used for commercial purposes, like for agriculture, power line surveillance, and mine prospecting. The rest of the fleet is used for public services, such as law enforcement and search and rescue. With a 40 percent market share in China, Airbus Helicopters is banking on that demand to boost sales.
Construction of the assembly line is underway in Qingdao's high-tech zone, and more supporting facilities are on their way -- including a sales office for domestic distribution, as well as maintenance, repair, and training departments to support the H135 fleet.
