Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

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Matt Thurber

As orders and deliveries of its conventional helicopter models surged last year, Airbus Helicopters is pausing plans to fully launch the CityAirbus eVTOL aircraft program. Nonetheless, the European manufacturer said it will continue to fly the prototype during 2025.
Last year, Airbus Helicopters took gross orders for 455 helicopters (450 net), which is 10% higher than 2023. “When we look at the worldwide market, [this is the] first time since a few years that it's above 2019 [orders],” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. Deliveries during 2024 reached 361 helicopters, up from 346 delivered during 2023. The 2024 orders break down into 155 H125s, 47 H130s, 59 H135s, 114 H145s, four H160s, 18 H175s, and 58 of the Super Puma family.&nbsp;
The latter made a significant comeback last year. “The highlight from my perspective is the Super Puma,” he said. “It’s a strong performance confirming that this helicopter is well positioned and meeting well the demand of our customers, both civil and military. We are committed to this product and I’m optimistic we’ll be able to confirm this positive trend in the years to come.”
Airbus Helicopters is focusing on its key priorities as the year gets underway. “The first one is innovation,” Even said. “We are convinced that innovation is always the best way to continue to bring value to our customers.”
Last year, the CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL made its first flight as did the high-speed compound rotorcraft Racer, which exceeded its 220-knot target speed by flying to 227 knots. Work continues with the three research vehicles, DemonstratorLab, PioneerLab, and DisruptiveLab.&nbsp;
“We launched this prototype four years ago with the objective to be in position to launch a new program before the end of the decade," Even explained. "It has been clearly instrumental in advancing our understanding of technologies which are not only relevant for the urban air mobility market but for all our portfolio. At the same time, we see today—and that’s been the result of the strategic review that we performed at the end of 2024—that the conditions to launch a new program are not necessarily there.&nbsp;
“In 2025, we’ll continue to fly the CityAirbus NextGen to continue to learn from the technology and the architecture, but we’ll pause this activity. The urban air mobility economy and launch of a new program depend on many factors—regulation, maturity of the business model, but also maturity of the technology. We consider on that perspective, and particularly on some of the key technologies, that some of them need to evolve to be in a position to launch a new program.”
Specifically, Even was referring to battery technology being sufficiently capable of meeting the needs to make an eVTOL a successful product. “The condition to launch a new program, from the technology side…is [first] to be able to perform the mission. The minimum level of performance and the mission that we see to enter into service…[is] to transport [passengers] for a mission of 80 to 100 kilometers. We clearly see on the battery side the need to continue to improve the performance to reach what we consider the minimum level of performance and mission. It’s really the battery.”
The other priorities include customer loyalty, and Airbus Helicopters has invested in product support and stocks of spare parts to improve service. “We made good progress in 2024,” he said.&nbsp;
A focus on the defense and security markets is another priority, he added. “Our goal is to be as competitive as the civil market and we continue to extend and invest in the product range.”
Sustainability is also important, and Airbus Helicopters is reducing emissions; last year use of sustainable aviation fuel for internal flight test and training flights in Marignane, Albacete, and Donauwörth grew to 20%.&nbsp;
Although sales of the H160 reached only four last year, Even is not disappointed in the number. “The backlog of the H160 is above 100, and the first challenge of the company is to deliver from ramp-up, from firm [orders] in 2024, and that’s the priority,” he said. “The performance is above expectation and the fleet availability is at an exceptional level for a new helicopter entering service. I’m positive based on all the discussions I have had with customers. At the same time, we have qualified the configuration for all types of segments. We are [early] 2025 and we have secured the same level of booking [as] in 2024, so I see a strong start of the year.”
As for the H225 Super Puma, Airbus Helicopters already has a contract for 12 helicopters. “What I like is the good momentum that I see for the H225 both on the civil and military market. I see more and more H225s being in this unique position as the only heavy helicopter in production, being civil-certified, and able to serve the needs of search and rescue as well as for oil and gas to transport passengers. I see this kind of mission as being unique in terms of the number of passengers and range. On the military market, I think we see here the same reasons and the success of the H145 and probably tomorrow the H160 and H175. [The Super Puma’s] capability, 26 passengers for a unique level of range, make this helicopter well-positioned on the market.”&nbsp;

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