Airbus selects 8 locations for H125 helicopter final assembly line in India

MUMBAI: European multinational Airbus has shortlisted eight locations in India for the installation of its final assembly line for H125 helicopters. The groundbreaking for the facility will take place later this year.

The facility, which will be the fourth final assembly line (FAL) for the single-engine H125, will initially produce up to 10 helicopters annually. Capacity will be scaled up depending on market demand, Airbus officials said.

“India is the market of the future for helicopters. At the moment, the market is still in an embryonic stage and very small compared to its potential,” said Olivier Michalon, Executive Vice President Global Business of Airbus Helicopters.

The first pile for the FAL is expected to be driven in October or November of this year. The facility will be operational in 2026 and the delivery is expected to take place in late 2026.

“We have identified eight locations that we are currently assessing. We are still in the final assessment phase. We should be able to announce it soon.

“We want to be attractive and part of an ecosystem that best suits industrial activities, logistics, employees and of course regulations,” Michalon said at a briefing in Marignane earlier this week.

Marignane is the headquarters of Airbus Helicopters.

For Airbus, the H125 is the best-selling helicopter in India and the South Asia region.

Airbus predicts that demand for H125 helicopters in India and surrounding countries will reach 500 over the next 20 years.

“We are targeting 10 helicopters per year and as demand increases, we can ramp up production,” Sunny Guglani, head of Airbus Helicopters in India and South Asia, said at the briefing.

Michalon stressed that 10 may not seem like much, but in some years it could be 20, 30 or 50, depending on market demand.

“We manufacture, sell and support helicopters. We also manufacture, sell and support solutions. This is what we can offer. Make In India solutions,” he said.

Michalon highlighted the success story of the A320 narrow-body aircraft, saying: “The H125 is our A320”.

The H125 can carry up to six people.

Airbus is also setting up the FAL for the C295 aircraft in Vadodara, Gujarat.

There are around 350 civil and para-public helicopters in India and South Asia (India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives). Of these, less than 250 helicopters are in service in India, according to Airbus.

There are about 100 Airbus helicopters in India, most of which are H125 and 130.

There are more than 7,200 H125 helicopters flying worldwide.

“The FAL in India not only makes us competitive in terms of lead time and delivery time, but also helps us to respond to the growth of the Indian market and potentially also to the demand from neighbouring countries.

“This is an important, strategic decision that will have implications for our global presence,” Michalon said.

According to a company official, a basic model of an H125 helicopter would cost around 3.2 million euros.

In India, helicopters are used for tourism, pilgrimages, medical services, and by the energy sector and private institutions.

Once installed in India, the FAL for H125 helicopters will take up the integration of major components, avionics and mission systems, and install electrical wiring, hydraulic circuits, flight controls, dynamic components, fuel system and engine.

In addition, FAL will test, qualify and deliver the H125 to customers in India and the region.

Regarding the Indian market, Michalon said that while the rules are somewhat restrictive, the company is committed to easing them somewhat and clearing the air a bit.

“Either we wait until the skies are completely open and then all the helicopter manufacturers will rush into it, or we show that we have confidence in India and that we are getting recognition and are willing to invest,” he said.