Airbus 2015 Annual Report Download - page 24

Airbus Helicopters proved resilient
in a challenging environment for
the helicopter market, delivering
increased revenues while making
progress in its product renewal and
business transformation initiatives.
espite weak market conditions,
Airbus Helicopters won orders
amounting to € 6.2 billion in value
(2014: € 5.5 billion), comprising 333
net helicopter orders (2014: 369).
The new-generation H175 and
H145 helicopters received a favourable market
response, with 36 H175 orders, including 27 for
oil and gas market players Bristow and Milestone,
and 107 orders for the H145, notably 53 Lakota
Light Utility Helicopters for the US Army.
At the end of 2015, the order book amounted
to € 11.8 billion in value (2014: € 12.2 billion),
comprising 831 helicopters (2014: 893).
Despite lower overall deliveries of 395 helicopters
(2014: 471), revenues rose to € 6.8 billion (2014:
€ 6.5 billion), including higher services activity.
Civil and military activities each represented 50%
of revenues in 2015. While Platforms contributed
53% of revenues, the remaining 47% came from
Support & Services.
The Division continued to lead the worldwide
civil and parapublic market, with a 45% market
share of deliveries (turbine helicopters over a 1.3t
Maximum All Up Weight – MAUW).
Airbus Helicopters’ EBIT* before one-off stood
at € 427 million (2014: € 413 million), thanks to
services activity and progress on the Division’s
transformation plan, despite lower volumes.
PRODUCT RENEWAL
In the civil market, the all-new, medium-weight
H160 civil helicopter was unveiled and started
flight testing, with a planned entry-into-service
in 2018. In addition, the next-generation heavy-
lift X6 helicopter, tailored for the civil market,
entered its two-year concept phase.
Airbus Helicopters unveiled a redefined,
comprehensive services offering. The new “HCare”
offering is indeed a product of the company-wide
transformation initiative, focusing on continuous
improvement and customer satisfaction.
In the military segment, the H145M was certified
by EASA and delivered to the German Armed
Forces in December. Airbus Helicopters also
launched the development of an upgrade of the
H135 equipped with the Helionix digital avionics
suite already available on the H145 and H175.
MARKET DEVELOPMENT
In 2015, Airbus Helicopters continued to
consolidate its international footprint in Asia and
Eastern Europe.
The Company was selected by Korean
Aerospace Industries as a strategic partner in
the LCH-LAH development based on the H155
platform, ten years after the two companies
partnered for the development of the Surion.
A new partnership was also signed with the aim
to open a Final Assembly Line for the production
of 100 H135s in China, where Airbus Helicopters
is the leader in the civil and parapublic market.
In November 2015, the heavyweight H215 was
introduced. This helicopter will be produced
in Romania as a modern and cost effective
solution for utility and peacekeeping operations.
In Europe, the Polish Ministry of Defence pre-
selected the H225M military helicopter for the
test phase of its multi-role helicopter tender.
D
Airbus Helicopters will pursue the
execution of its strategy in 2016 by:
• Improving further, based on 2015’s
successes, the fleet availability of our
customers, timely deliveries of spares,
and operational costs.
• Ensuring the entry-into-service of new
variants such as the H175 VIP, Panther
MBe and the achievement of our key
development milestones on H160.
• Focusing on major military campaigns
and concluding contracts with pre-
selection status.
• Continue the focus on transformation to
deliver on operational, financial targets
and prepare the future in anticipation of
a commercial market recovery.
KEY PRIORITIES for 2016
NH90
AIRBUS GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2015 l 22 l