Helicopters Airbus Helicopters seals new orders at Heli-Expo in Las Vegas

During Heli-Expo 2018 at Las Vegas, Airbus Helicopters has received five new orders from different customers, for altogether over 40 aircraft. Metro Aviation becomes the biggest customer so far, by ordering 25 EC145e helicopters.

Heliflite China has ordered seven H125 and three H130 light helicopters. The operator will become official Airbus Helicopters distributor in China. Heliflite will use the aircraft for utility and helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) missions.

“We are proud to be an official distributer of Airbus products in China, where we expect to see a large increase in orders in the coming years,” said Du Li, Head of Heliflite China. “Airbus’ wide range of helicopters offers the right choice for any mission for customers in this emerging market. We are happy to be able to support this growth.”

Helicopter Travel Munich (HTM) has signed a deal for four new H125s. HTM is one of the largest helicopter companies in Germany and operates with IFRA and Offshore approval. Currently, 25 helicopters are deployed at 6 locations. The operator performs missions like firefighting, heliskiing, offshore wind, cargo flights, aerial work, VIP Flights, HEMS Flights, film and photo shoots, as well as training flights for basic and advanced pilots.

“We have selected the H125 for its superior performance especially in mountainous areas and hot climates,” said Hans Ostler, CEO of HTM.

Metro Aviation has ordered 25 Airbus EC145e helicopters, making this the biggest order for Airbus at the Heli-Expo in Las Vegas so far. Metro will use their aircraft for air medical transport and other aerial services. The aircraft will be produced at Airbus´ facility in Columbus, Missouri.

Christopher Emerson, President of Airbus Helicopters Inc. said: “This order is the result of the years our company has invested in building and nurturing a great business relationship with the leadership of Metro Aviation and providing them with world-class aircraft and customer support […] We look forward to working closely with Metro as they expand their business.”

Metro Aviation President Mike Stanberry added: “The versatility and price point made it an attractive addition to a large number of rotary wing fleets, and we have put seven in service since committing to our first purchase in 2015 […] The EC145e model has proven to be a workhouse across various mission profiles, and we are excited about putting these new aircraft into service within our family of customers.”

Boston MedFlight has signed a deal with Airbus Helicopters to buy three Airbus H145s. With the addition, the operator upgrades its hospital air medical transport fleet. Boston MedFlight has been Airbus Helicopters´ customer since 1985 and is a non-profit organisation.

“The H145 platform suits our needs because of its versatility, safety, durability, and reliability,” said Charlie Blathras, Chief Operations Manager for Boston MedFlight. “It is the best all-around vehicle for our mission profile.”

While two helicopters will arrive in spring 2018, the third H145 will be deployed into service in fall this year. The new aircraft will replace the operators two EC145 and BK117.

“We are proud that Boston MedFlight, one of this nation’s leading critical care transport services, has once again placed its faith in helicopters from Airbus, as well as in our company’s support and service team,” said Christopher Emerson, President of Airbus Helicopters Inc.

Transportes Aéreos Pegaso, a Mexican Oil & Gas operator has also signed a deal for additional H175 aircraft. The operator now has four helicopters on order.