Airbus Helicopters has begun a two-week long tour with demo flights of its heavy twin H215 aircraft in China.

A member of the Super Puma family, the H215 is demonstrating its multimission capabilities for firefighting, power line missions, law enforcement and passenger transportation.

Starting in Zhuhai, the two-week tour will cover more than 2,000km across China.

Airbus Helicopters China general manager Marie Agnes Vève said: “It is a pleasure for us to welcome the H215 for the first time in China, as we foresee a very strong future for this helicopter in the Chinese market.

“The H215 is perfectly suited to meet China’s growing demand for heavy helicopters as it prepares to build up its forest aerial surveillance and firefighting capabilities.”

“The H215 will easily complement the current fleet of nearly 40 Super Puma aircraft already performing a wide range of missions in China."

The H215 is a multipurpose helicopter equipped with advanced avionics and a reliable platform for tough multi-missions.

Among the standard features included are Makila 1A1 engines, the latest generation flight management system, glass cockpit avionics system and four-axis autopilot.

Airbus Helicopters China VP commercial Vincent Dufour said: “The H215 will easily complement the current fleet of nearly 40 Super Puma aircraft already performing a wide range of missions in China, from oil and gas operations to aerial work to VIP transportation.

“This highly robust and versatile rotorcraft provides excellent performance and will be a real asset for the country as the demand for helicopters to protect its citizens and natural landscapes continues to increase.”

In the civil turbine market of China, Airbus Helicopters has a 40% market share.

Last year, China became Airbus Helicopters’ largest civil market in terms of annual bookings, and the company broke ground on its H135 Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Qingdao last month.

Image: The demo tour is intended to showcase the multi-mission capabilities of the helicopter. Photo: courtesy of Airbus.