Airbus Helicopters is taking a break from development of the CityAirbus eVTOL aircraft. While it plans to continue flying the prototype electric aircraft this year after its first flight in 2024, the company is also pausing the program due to a lack of progress in battery technology. 

“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,” said CEO Bruno Even. “It has been clearly instrumental to advance our understanding of technologies that are not only relevant for the urban air mobility market but for all of 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.

“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 in order to be in a position to launch a new program.”

Meanwhile, orders and deliveries of its conventional helicopter models surged last year, with gross orders for 455 helicopters (450 net), which is 10% higher than in 2023. “When we look at the worldwide market, [this is the] first time since a few years that it’s above 2019 [orders],” Even said. 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.

Last year, the latter made a significant comeback. “The highlight from my perspective is the Super Puma,” he said. “It’s really 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 already has booked a contract for 12 Super Pumas. “What I like is the good momentum that I see for the H225 both on the civil and military market,” he said. “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.”