Airbus Helicopters has officially halted the production and marketing of its H120 single-engine turbine light helicopter. The announcement came from Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, during a meeting with the Association of Journalists Specialized in Aeronautics (AJPAE) in France. "We will no longer invest in entry-level helicopters like the H120. This program will gradually stop, and in the single-turbine helicopter segment, we are now focusing on the H125/130 range,”explained Faury.
The H120, which entered service in 1998 and has been delivered in more than 50 countries, has been in service since 2004 with the U.S. Homeland Security Department’s Customs officers. There are still 600 machines in service around the world flown by about 400 operators. "Airbus Helicopters is committed to continuing to support the global H120 fleet with the same level of support and services as today," added the CEO. The H120 made its first flight in June 1995. It was designed in partnership with the Chinese company Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. Its production in China, under the name of HC120, will also be discontinued. The last copies were produced earlier this year.