Asian Sky Quarterly 2023 Q1

EUROPE PROFILE: HELICOPTER
The helicopter fleet in Europe recorded a net addition of 39 helicopters
during the 12-month period from Q1 2022 to Q1 2023, reaching a total of
4,115 in operation and a growth rate close to 1.0%. Over the latest threeyear
period, the fleet increased by 3.3%. The top five countries by fleet
size held a market share of 67%, with France leading the national fleet
count at 637 helicopters, overtaking the UK's largest fleet in Q2 2022.
The UK's fleet shrank by 9% over the latest three-year period, totalling 607
helicopters in operation during Q1 2023. Italy maintained the third largest
helicopter fleet with 561 in operation, having surpassed Germany's fleet
in Q1 2022. Germany and Spain completed the top five countries with
528 and 439 helicopters, respectively.
Following the spike in demand associated with the reopening of the
world economy in 2021, the helicopter market has likewise moderated,
experiencing a slower growth rate by Q1 2023. The helicopter fleet in
Europe grew by 1.9% over a 12-month period during Q1 2022, which
has since slowed down to just under 1% during Q1 2023 over the same
period. Moreover, the pre-owned market for sale has seen a year-onyear
reduction of 18.8% since Q1 2022, while the latest quarter in 2023
recorded a 44.2% decrease in the number of transactions compared to
the sales figures achieved during Q1 2022.
Helicopter OEMs in Q1 2023
Helicopter Size Categories in Q1 2023
MD (127, 3%)
Sikorsky (83, 2%)
Heavy (88, 2%)
Super Medium (46, 1%)
Leonardo (667, 16%)
Medium Twin (742, 18%)
Bell (801, 20%)
4,115
Airbus (2,437, 59%)
4,115
Single (1,713, 42%)
Light Twin (1,526, 37%)
Airbus dominated the European helicopter market in Q1 2023 with a
commanding 59% market share, with its Single Turbine H125 boasting
a fleet of 744 helicopters in operation, making it the most popular
model. The Light Twin H135 followed closely behind with a fleet of
619. Bell came in second place among helicopter OEMs with a market
share of 20%, and its most popular models included the Single Bell 206
and Medium Twin Bell 412. Leonardo secured the third spot with 667
helicopters in operation, and its highly successful Medium Twin AW139
and Light Twin AW109 were household names. Rounding out the top
five were MD and Sikorsky, with the Heavy S-92 proving reliable for
offshore and search and rescue (SAR) missions in the region.
Single and Light Twin helicopters were the backbone of the
European helicopter fleet, accounting for 79% of the total fleet,
and their versatility made them well-suited for a broad range of
configurations and missions.
Government agencies in Europe operated a sizeable proportion of
the helicopter fleet, which they used for various missions such as
law enforcement, border surveillance, forestry management, and
firefighting. Among the largest government operators in the region were
the German Federal Police Air Service and the French Armed Forces
(Gendarmerie Nationale).
Babcock was the largest commercial operator in the region, and
according to Parapex Media, had an operating fleet of 254 helicopters
based across several European countries, including France, Italy,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Two of the
largest emergency medical services (EMS) operators in Germany,
DRF - Stiftung Luftrettung Gemeinnutzige and ADAC Luftrettung, had
operating fleets of 64 and 55 helicopters, respectively.
18 | GLOBAL SKY QUARTERLY — FIRST QUARTER 2023