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2024-02-01

Airbus, Tata Launch India’s 1st Helicopter Assembly Line

In a significant boost to the “Make-in-India” initiative, Airbus Helicopters has announced that it is partnering with the Tata Group to establish a nationwide Final Assembly Line (FAL) for helicopters. The FAL will produce Airbus’s best-selling H125 helicopter from its civil range for India and export to some of the neighbouring countries.

It will be the first instance of the private sector setting up a helicopter manufacturing facility in India, significantly boosting India’s Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) programme. Under this partnership, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a subsidiary of Tata Group, will set up the facility along with Airbus Helicopters. The announcement was made during French President Emmanuel Macron’s two-day visit to India recently.

The FAL in India will integrate the major component assemblies, avionics, and mission systems, installation of electrical harnesses, hydraulic circuits, flight controls, dynamic components, fuel systems, and the engine. It will also test, qualify, and deliver the H125 to customers in India and the region. The FAL will take 24 months to set up, and deliveries of the first Made-in-India H125s are scheduled to commence in 2026. Airbus and the Tata Group will jointly decide the location of the FAL.

“Helicopters are crucial for nation-building. A Made-in-India civil helicopter will not only be a symbol of the confident New India but will also unlock the true potential of the helicopter market in the country,” said Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO. “This helicopter final assembly line, which we will build with our trusted partner Tata, is a reaffirmation of Airbus’ commitment to developing the full spectrum of the aerospace ecosystem in India. This will be the second final assembly line Airbus is building in India after the ‘Make in India’ C295 military aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara, Gujarat,” he said.

N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, said the Tata Group is delighted to set up India’s first helicopter assembly facility in the private sector. “This facility will have the final assembly line in partnership with Airbus for the world’s bestselling Airbus H125 single-engine helicopter for the Indian and export markets,” he said.

Undisputed in its class, the H125 produced in India will catalyse the country’s use of helicopters. This multi-mission workhorse will revolutionise passenger and goods transportation. It will also be used for emergency medical services, disaster management, law enforcement, tourism, and aerial work missions. The H125 will significantly contribute to India’s regional connectivity scheme UDAN, further promoting the country’s tourism sector by providing last-mile connectivity to remote areas.

The H125 is the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter that outclasses other helicopters in its category. This high-performing, versatile helicopter is a member of Airbus’ Ecureuil family, which has accumulated over 38 million flight hours worldwide. It can operate in high-and-hot and extreme environments. It can be reconfigured easily for various missions, including aerial work, firefighting, law enforcement, rescue, air ambulance, passenger transport, etc.

High Altitudes, Extreme Environments

The H125 is the only helicopter to have landed on Mount Everest, demonstrating its agility in high-altitude, extreme environments. With built-in manoeuvrability, excellent visibility, and low vibration levels in the cabin, the H125 has earned its reputation as a true multi-mission workhorse – becoming a common sight at heliports, hospital landing pads, police department operations centres, and airports worldwide.

Besides hundreds of optional equipment choices and supplemental type certificates (STCs), the H125’s cabin has a flat floor that can be quickly and easily reconfigured for various missions, including aerial work, firefighting, law enforcement, rescue, air ambulance, and passenger transport. The proposed helicopter manufacturing facility will be the second FAL established in India by Airbus, leveraging TASL’s capabilities in aerospace and defence. The two companies are building the C295 military transport aircraft FAL in Vadodara, Gujarat.

The latest announcement is part of Airbus’ efforts to develop a holistic aerospace ecosystem in India, where the company is expanding its industrial footprint with aircraft assembly, component manufacturing, engineering, and digital design and development.

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