Minister for Business and Enterprise, Matthew Hancock visited Airbus Helicopters, and toured the company’s advanced aerospace design and maintenance operations. The Minister was briefed on the scale and nature of the company’s operations, including the award of the National Police Air Service (NPAS) support contract. The NPAS contract, worth in the region of £35 million over five years, will cover maintenance and support for the combined fleet of England and Wales’ 19 police helicopters (a combination of EC135s and EC145s). Airbus Helicopters’ high quality service and 30 year experience supporting the development and growth of emergency services’ air support ensures that NPAS can benefit from the highest levels of safety, availability and reliability. With the ability to operate similarly to a military squadron, ensuring effective and balanced cover across the country, the NPAS contract maximises interoperability and directly supports Government policy to increase efficiencies in the emergency services.

Airbus Helicopters currently supplies close to 70% of the UK’s emergency services and blue light helicopter fleets. Furthermore, the company is also a key supplier to the UK MoD, with all UK Armed Forces helicopter pilots having trained on Airbus Helicopter aircraft and by providing the RAF with the Puma 2 helicopters. The company also sells, supports and maintains business, corporate and VIP helicopters with in-house advanced design and heavy maintenance operations.

About Airbus Helicopters UK Ltd.

Airbus Helicopters UK Limited – Britain’s civil helicopter hub – and its predecessors have been present and highly active in the United Kingdom for 40 years, dominating the civil rotary-wing sector. Its contribution to the aerospace sector of the national economy includes the development of police aviation with a 75 percent market share, a 70 percent share of the air ambulance sector, and well over 50 percent of the offshore oil and gas market. Airbus Helicopters UK Limited is headquartered in Oxford, with additional bases in Dublin (Ireland), Belfast (Northern Ireland), Hawarden (Wales) and Aberdeen (Scotland) and provides the full range of products and services for the rotary-wing sector, including prime contractor for the RAF Puma Mk2 upgrade and support programmes. Some 450 Airbus helicopters form the largest part of the UK’s helicopter fleet and the backbone of vital national infrastructure, with approximately 100 helicopters serving the UK Ministry of Defence for transport, training and high end operational missions. To date, Airbus Helicopters UK Limited has exported high technology helicopter solutions to 23 nations worldwide. The Airbus Helicopters group employs more than 1400 people across the British Isles.

About Airbus Helicopters

Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With 46 percent market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its customer centers and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.