Airbus builds first helicopter plant in China

Airbus Helicopters is moving forward with its strategic partnership with China, with construction now underway of its first helicopter assembly line in the country.

Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, said the new final assembly line for its H135 chopper in Qingdao, Shandong province, is the first for the company in China.

Costing more than $11.21 million, the plant is expected to be completed by 2018, he said at the weekend groundbreaking ceremony.

Under a framework agreement signed in June last year, 100 Airbus H135s will be assembled over the next 10 years, and the first aircraft rollout from Qingdao is planned for mid-2019. The production line will have a total installed annual capacity of 18 helicopters, which can be extended for future growth. (Photo 2)

XINHUA Golden monkeys play in the woods at Dalongtan Golden Monkey Research Center in Shennongjia, Central China’s Hubei province.