Chinese consortium acquires 100 H135s from Airbus Helicopters

A Chinese consortium made up of China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS), Qingdao United General Aviation Industrial Development Company (Qingdao United) and CITIC Offshore Helicopter (COHC) has ordered 100 H135 light-twin helicopters, becoming China’s first customer to form an industrial partnership to launch a H135 final assembly line (FAL) in Qingdao, Shandong province. This is an important step forward, fulfilling the commitment of purchasing 100 H135s signed in the Letter of Intent (LOI) last year and the industrial partnership of a final assembly line (FAL) in Qingdao. The FAL is expected to start operations by 2018, to assemble 100 H135s over the next 10 years. The H135 has gained popularity in China in recent years, performing various parapublic missions such as helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), law enforcement, firefighting, patrol command, and search and rescue (SAR), as well as corporate missions such as tourism and transportation.