Airbus Helicopters’ helicopter assembly in China

Construction is underway for Airbus Helicopters’ H135 Final Assembly Line (FAL), the first of its kind in China. The FAL will be located in Qingdao, Shandong Province in eastern China, with construction expected to be completed by 2018. A framework agreement signed in June 2016 calls for 100 H135s to be assembled over the next 10 years, with the first aircraft roll-out from Qingdao planned for mid-2019. The FAL will have a total annual capacity of 18 H135 helicopters, which could be extended for future growth.