According to Oliver Michalon, executive vice president of Global Business for Airbus Helicopters, the company has selected eight potential locations for India’s next aviation assembly line.
H125 in India
According to Michalon, Airbus will start producing the H125, the company’s commercial helicopter, in India in 2026. By the end of this year, Airbus will also select the final assembly line (FAL) for India. Eight potential locations have been selected for the next assembly line, but the final decision on picking the best one has yet to be made.
“We are still in the final assessment stage. We should be in a position to announce it shortly. We want to be attractive and in an ecosystem that is best suited for employees, logistics, industrial activities, and of course, regulations. India is the market of the future for helicopters. At present, the market is extremely embryonic; it is very small compared to what the potential could be,” he stated.
Once set up, the facility will be the fourth FAL for the H125 helicopters, producing around 10 single-engine helicopters yearly. The Airbus H125 helicopter is currently only manufactured in France, USA, and Brazil, and soon India will be added to the list.