Airbus Corporate Helicopters has committed to producing another 15 of its Aston Martin Edition ACH130 turbine single-engine model after selling out almost the entire initial production run faster than expected. Slightly more than two years after launch, the aircraft manufacturer has sold all but one of the 15 helicopters covered by its initial production commitment with orders coming from Southeast Asia, Europe, Latin America, New Zealand, and North America.
The special edition is the result of a partnership and design collaboration between Airbus Corporate Helicopters and luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin Lagonda. The Aston Martin editions feature custom paint that matches the automobile, seating for seven including the pilot, and an interior scheme with fabrics including ultra suede, leather shades that match those offered on the automobile, embossed Aston Martin wings, and other finishing details that parallel those found on the car. The elements combine to provide a higher level of comfort than a stock H130, according to Airbus.
“There’s no question that bringing together our values of excellence and quality with Aston Martin’s commitment to high-performance automotive elegance has resulted in a helicopter that always excites customers. But we really did not imagine that the market would move so fast, so I’m delighted to be able to commit to these future production slots,” said Frederic Lemos, head of Airbus Corporate Helicopters.