Airbus Helicopters Achieves Strong Growth in 2024 with Record Orders and Strategic Milestones

Airbus Helicopters has achieved impressive growth in 2024, logging 455 gross orders (net: 450) across its light, light twin-engine, and heavy helicopter ranges. The orders were placed by 182 customers across 42 countries, highlighting the company’s continued strong market performance. With 361 helicopters delivered in 2024, Airbus Helicopters has captured a preliminary 57% share of the civil and parapublic helicopter market.

Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, remarked: “Our 2024 order intake, showing an increase of nearly 10% in units for the second consecutive year, demonstrates our stable growth in a complex global environment. We extend our gratitude to our customers for their trust and continued partnership.”

The Super Puma programme delivered exceptional performance in both the civil, parapublic, and military sectors, with 58 orders secured from key customers such as the German Bundespolizei, the Japan Coast Guard, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence, and the Romanian Ministry of National Defence. Additionally, Airbus Helicopters marked key developments in its NH90 programme, with the launch of the comprehensive Block 1 upgrade, flight testing for the French Special Forces Standard 2 configuration, and the delivery of the first Standard 3 configuration to the Spanish Air Force.

The H145 and H145M programme also saw significant expansion in 2024, welcoming new defence and security customers including the Brunei Air Force, Belgian Ministry of Defence, Indonesian Air Force, Bahraini Police Aviation Command, and Irish Ministry of Defence.

Mr Even emphasised the company’s commitment to defence and security: “At Airbus Helicopters, supporting our customers with reliable and advanced helicopters for defence and security operations is a strategic priority. In 2024, our helicopters played a vital role in disaster relief efforts, including the US National Guard’s Lakota helping in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and the H135 and NH90 aiding flood recovery in Valencia, Spain.”

As part of its ongoing innovation, Airbus Helicopters also made significant strides in the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) domain, integrating Flexrotor into its portfolio and demonstrating crewed-uncrewed teaming capabilities with the VSR700 and H130. Furthermore, the company continued its work on the European Next Generation Rotorcraft through dedicated concept studies.

2024 saw key milestones for Airbus Helicopters’ product development, including the first flight of the Racer compound helicopter, which exceeded its 407 km/h objective in just seven flights. The CityAirbus NextGen also had its maiden flight in Donauwörth, marking a significant step towards urban air mobility.

In the civil and parapublic sector, the H175 completed a successful de-icing flight test campaign in Canada and Norway ahead of its certification, while the H160 continued its progressive entry into service, now with over 30 helicopters operational worldwide.

Mr Even concluded: “Supporting our customers globally remains our top priority, and our international footprint is a key enabler of this. In 2024, we celebrated milestones such as the 40th anniversary of our Fort Erie facility in Canada and the 50th anniversary of our UK presence, with the inauguration of a new facility in Oxford. We will continue expanding our global presence, including the establishment of an H125 final assembly line in India with TATA.”

In 2024, Airbus Helicopters also increased the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in its test and training flights, with SAF usage nearing 20% at its facilities in Marignane, Albacete, and Donauwörth, and expanding to the Oxford facility in the UK.

Full financial results for Airbus Helicopters in 2024 will be disclosed on 20 February.