In the key North American helicopter market, Airbus Helicopters, Inc. (U.S.) and Airbus Helicopters Canada delivered 60 civil and parapublic helicopters during 2016, which totaled 50 percent of the overall deliveries in that region. Orders taken by the U.S. and Canada companies reached 64, “or an estimated 73 percent of all new helicopter bookings in North America,” according to Airbus. “In both deliveries and bookings, the companies increased their share of the North America helicopter market.” The orders included some from 20 new customers, five of which are new helicopter owners or operators.
The 2016 orders included 33 H125 AStars, which are built at the Airbus Helicopters factory in Columbus, Miss.; seven late-model and five earlier-model H145s; nine H130s; seven H135s; two H120s; and one AS350B2. One of the 2016 deliveries was an H145 to Dallas Cowboys football team owner Jerry Jones.
Airbus delivered 35 UH-72A Lakotas to the U.S. Army last year and also added a five-year contract worth $1 billion to provide Lakota logistics support in the continental U.S. and elsewhere.