The Airbus H125 is a single-engine helicopter capable of carrying up to 7 people, including the pilot. It can cruise at 136 knots and has a range of 340 nautical miles. This versatile helicopter is suitable for various applications such as aerial work, firefighting, law enforcement, rescue, air ambulance, and passenger transport.
In a significant boost to India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, French aerospace giant Airbus plans to build H125 helicopters in India. Airbus will partner with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) to establish an assembly line for the H125, with the first made-in-India helicopter expected to roll out in 2026.
Olivier Michalon, Executive Vice President of Global Business at Airbus Helicopters, stated, “We have identified eight sites, which we are currently assessing… we are still in the final assessment stage, but stay tuned, we should be in a position to announce shortly.” Although Michalon did not disclose the potential locations for the new plant, he mentioned that the ground-breaking ceremony could take place around October-November this year.
The initial production capacity of the plant will be 10 helicopters per year, with the potential to increase to 50 units in the coming years. “I know 10 doesn’t sound like a lot, but starting from scratch, it is not negligible. It could very well be 20, 30, or 50 in some years, depending on the market demand,” Michalon said.
Airbus estimates the demand for H125 class helicopters in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives to be around 500 units over the next 20 years. Currently, approximately 350 helicopters are operating in the civil and para-public sectors in the region, with 250 in India. Out of the 140 Airbus helicopters in the region, 100 are in India.
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