Page 20 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2013 Online Magazine
P. 20

FEATURE CHINA HELICOPTERS





































                                                                                In recent years, China’s
                                                                                police have taken to the
                                                                                skies. These policemen,
                                                                                for example, were on duty
                                                                                during the Shanghai World
                                                                                Expo in 2010
        Beijing, an MRO centre in Shenzhen, a   sector by establishing three aviation   “We have received tremendous customer
        completion centre in Tianjin, and training   subsidiaries, including a helicopter   acceptance and demand for Bell products
        agreements with aviation universities.”   operating company. Both aircraft will be   and services in China. Our focus is now
        And, he  adds, Eurcopter China has   configured for airline use.        to expand our infrastructure and support
        also brought in China’s first full-flight   The deal caps a decade of growing   network as the infrastructure, needs and
        simulator for pilot training.       acceptance by the Chinese market for the   regulatory environment evolve.”
           “Setting up such an extensive local   manufacturer, with 31 S-76 and four S-92   Garrison added, “There is a significant
        network is a high-cost exercise, but we’re   helicopters of various configurations   opportunity for [Bell Helicopter] to
        here for the long haul,” he explains. “The   already flying in the country’s airspace.   provide valuable solutions to Chinese
        aim is to provide high quality products,   On China’s intermediate market segment,   customers and we are expanding our in-
        ‘turnkey solutions’ to new customers   the S-76 occupies a market-leading 40   country presence to serve them.”
        and  top-notch  after-sales  support  percent of the segment. The S-92, which   The  company  also  announced
        and services at close proximity to our   was designed to perform SAR missions   that  it  had  signed  a  memorandum  of
        customers, in order for them to carry out   as well as a variety of transportation   understanding (MoU) with the Guangzhou
        their missions with minimal disruptions.”  missions, continues to gain traction in   Civil Aviation College that will see
           Other companies are also cementing   the market and is particularly popular   the establishment of a maintenance
        their  presence,  both  through  increased   with offshore oil companies.  training facility for the Bell 206L and
        sales  and joint ventures with  local   Meanwhile, during the 2012 China   Bell 407. Furthermore, it signed another
        manufacturers and training institutions.   International Aviation & Aerospace   MoU with Guanchen Aviation, to open
           In late 2012 US-owned Sikorsky and   Exhibition  (Airshow  China),  Bell  the first Bell Helicopter authorised
        the Ruili Jingcheng Group (RJG) inked   Helicopter announced they had signed   flight training school in  the country. In
        a deal,  marking Sikorsky’s first S-92   deals for 15 aircraft, including two Bell   addition, the company has appointed
        helicopter sale to a private Chinese   429s, 11 Bell 407GXs and two Bell 206L4s.  Shanghai Kingwing General Aviation and
        operator and the first-ever Sikorsky   “Bell Helicopter offers a range of   H&P General Aviation Service (H&P) as
        S-76D  helicopter sale into China.  RJG,   products that are ideally suited to China’s   authorised customer service facilities.
        a private conglomerate based in Ruili,   diverse terrain, climates and flying   H&P will perform field maintenance on
        Yunnan province, in southwestern China,   conditions,” said John Garrison, President   the Bell 407, while Shanghai Kingwing
        is expanding its business into the aviation   and CEO of Bell Helicopter, at the time.   will maintain Bell 429 helicopters.
        20   ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS  MARCH / APRIL 2013                      WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM
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