Asian Sky Group's latest Fleet Report for Asia-Pacific Region Civil Helicopters showed a 4 percent growth among turbine-powered rotorcraft in the region year-over-year. The region’s fleet numbered 3,924 active helicopters at the end of 2016, up from 3,761 a year before, according to the fourth annual edition of the Fleet Report released Monday during Heli-Expo. The increase is smaller than last year’s bump, Hong Kong-based Asian Sky noted, with only half of the countries in the report experiencing growth. Chief among them was China, which, with its addition of 85 helicopters, logged a 21 percent increase. With 540 rotorcraft now in service in the greater China area, it is expected next year to surpass the number of helicopters in service in Japan (641). Australia, which saw a 2 percent increase in its fleet in 2016, leads the region with 805 active turbine-powered helicopters.
Among the OEMs, Airbus, Bell, Sikorsky and Leonardo combine for 90 percent of the market, with Airbus accounting for 43 percent of that number. The European airframer saw the most growth over the past year, adding nearly 90 new helicopters to the region, while Bell saw an overall decline, due mainly to the retirement of older rotorcraft, noted Nadav Kessler, a member of Asian Sky’s rotary program sales and business development division. He also added that Avicopter, China’s indigenous helicopter manufacturer, is finally making inroads into the market with 38 of its models now in service in China, or 7 percent of the country’s fleet. The region’s fleet is relatively young, a result of several factors, including a cultural reluctance to purchase pre-owned equipment and regulations in several countries that prohibit importating aircraft older than 10 years. Of the 540 helicopters in service in China, 408 are younger than 10 years.
The industry is eagerly awaiting the easing of airspace restrictions, which would provide a significant boost to helicopter usage. Last year saw the entrance of 20 new general aviation rotorcraft operators on the mainland looking to expand once the government eases its restrictions. Another development is China’s growing forestry protection and aerial firefighting capabilities, which did not exist two years ago.
One recent trend is the increase in the number of helicopters dry leased from dedicated leasing companies. According to Asian Sky, by the end of 2016, more than 170 rotorcraft in the region were leased from third parties.