Page 20 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2013 Online Magazine

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