News
Airbus Helicopters enhances support in China
September 30, 2021 By Helicopters Staff
SGGAC currently operates 15 Airbus H125s, China’s largest H125 fleet. (Photo: WEI Sifa, SGGAC, Airbus) On the opening day of the 13th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in the city of Zhuhai, Airbus Helicopters signed a Strategic Cooperation Agreement and an HCare Smart Parts By Hour (PBH) contract with State Grid General Aviation Company (SGGAC), enhancing its support and services capability with more localized solutions.
The Strategic Cooperation Agreement will enable SGGAC to expand the activities of its existing MRO Centre, which became an official Airbus Helicopters customer service centre in October 2018, responsible for H125 aircraft maintenance.
As one of Airbus Helicopters’ most important Chinese customers, SGGAC currently operates 15 H125s, China’s largest H125 fleet. The expanded authorisation will further improve reassembly services for Chinese customers and enhance H125 fleet development in the country.
In addition, SGGAC becomes China’s second HCare Smart customer with the signing of a PBH contract covering its H225 and H215.
PBH is one of Airbus Helicopters’ customized HCare global support programs that guarantees the supply of spare parts and repaired parts at a fixed rate per flight hour. To meet the needs of PBH customers, the company maintains a dedicated pool of parts supported by a large global logistics network. The service enables operators to enhance their helicopter fleet availability, reduce inventory costs and stabilise maintenance expenses.
SGGAC joins HCare alongside CITIC Offshore Helicopter Company (COHC), which became China’s first PBH customer in 2019. COHC operates one of the largest Airbus helicopter fleets in Asia Pacific with nearly 50 aircraft. In May 2021, COHC’s H225 fleet became the world’s largest H225 fleet enrolled with HCare Smart when a 12th H225 joined the PBH programme.
Today, there are 56 Super Pumas in China flying a range of demanding missions, such as oil & gas, search and rescue, fire-fighting, and even power line construction. Globally, more than 700 Super Pumas are flying in the world today, among which 140 are H225s. Nearly one third of Super Pumas are enrolled with HCare global support contracts.
