Helicopter Fleet Report YE 2023

CIVIL HELICOPTERS | ASIA-PACIFIC 

YE 2023 

Data & Analysis 

REGIONAL OVERVIEW 

COUNTRY/SUBREGION SNAPSHOTS 

MARKET TRENDS 

OPERATORS 

MISSIONS 

LEASING MARKET 

OEMS 

ENGINES 

SPECIAL FEATURES 

CHINA CIVIL TURBINE HELICOPTER 

MARKET REPORT 

EVTOL OEMS IN ASIA-PACIFIC 

YE 2023 ASIA-PACIFIC CIVIL HELICOPTER FLEET REPORT | I

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CONTENTS 

PUBLISHER 

03 

06 

08 

12 

14 

16 

21 

27 

29 

38 

40 

49 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

The Executive Summary section is where you will find a brief 

synopsis of the report’s headline findings for the Asia-Pacific market. 


The Regional Overview provides a bird’s-eye view of the Asia-Pacific 

fleet’s sub-regional and national breakdown. 


Delve into our Major Country/Subregion Snapshots to gain a deeper 

insight into the helicopter fleets across various nations in Asia-Pacific. 

MARKET TRENDS 

In the Market Trends section, we examine the movement and 

delivery patterns across the region, featuring an analysis of data 

presented by OEM, type, and mission. 

OPERATOR OVERVIEW 

Our Operator Overview section contains a comprehensive 

breakdown of fleet status and movements among Asia-Pacific’s top 

20 most prominent helicopter operators. 

MISSION OVERVIEW 

In this edition’s Mission Overviews section, we take an in-depth 

look at the market of helicopters designed for Offshore, EMS, and 

SAR operations. 

CHINA CIVIL TURBINE HELICOPTER 

MARKET REPORT 

Our special report offers a comprehensive overview of the 

Chinese civil turbine helicopter market, focusing on fleet analysis, 

competitive assessment based on size categories, and providing an 

outlook for the future. 


The Leasing Market section spotlights the three major lessors that 

have established a strong foothold in Asia-Pacific. 

OEM OVERVIEW 

Our analysis focuses on the types and models of helicopters 

operating within the region, offering a detailed review of the current 

state of the market. 

ENGINE OVERVIEW 

A comprehensive review that takes a closer look at the engine 

market and their utilization within the Asia-Pacific fleet. 

EVTOL OEMS IN ASIA-PACIFIC 

In this section, we review the progress of major Asia-Pacific eVTOL 

manufacturers in 2023 to assess how far they have come in their 

plans to bring their eVTOL aircraft to the market. 

APPENDIX 

EDITORIAL & MARKET RESEARCH 

Alud Davies 

Bowen Zhang 

Casper Zhuang 

Charlie Xu 

Cynthia Ning 

Dennis Lau 

Qianyun Zhou 

Samuel Gao 

Winny Cheng 

DESIGN 

Amy Liu-Lhuissier 

Zoe Xiao 

ADVERTISING/ENQUIRIES: 

Jerry Ho 

jerry@asianskygroup.com 

+852 9199 7751 

www.asianskygroup.com 

The materials and information provided by Asian Sky Group in 

this report are for reference only. While such information was 

compiled using the best available data as of December 31, 2023, any 

information we provide about how we may interpret the data and 

market, or how certain issues may be addressed is provided generally 

without considering your specific circumstances. Such information 

should not be regarded as a substitute for professional advice. 

Independent professional advice should be sought before taking 

action on any matters to which information provided in this report may 

be relevant. 

Asian Sky Group shall not be liable for any losses, damage, costs 

or expenses howsoever caused, arising directly or indirectly from 

the use of or inability to use this report or use of or reliance upon 

any information or material provided in this report or otherwise in 

connection with any representation, statement or information on or 

contained in this report. 

Asian Sky Group endeavors to ensure that the information contained 

in this report is accurate as at the date of publication, but does not 

guarantee or warrant its accuracy or completeness, or accept any 

liability of whatever nature for any losses, damage, costs or expenses 

howsoever caused, whether arising directly or indirectly from any error 

or omission in compiling such information. This report also uses third 

party information not compiled by Asian Sky Group. Asian Sky Group 

is not responsible for such information and makes no representation 

about the accuracy, completeness or any other aspect of information 

contained. The information, data, articles, or resources provided by 

any other parties do not in any way signify that Asian Sky Group 

endorses the same. 

COVER IMAGE 

BELL 525 

Courtesy of Bell Flight 

YE 2023 ASIA-PACIFIC CIVIL HELICOPTER FLEET REPORT | 1

PUBLISHER’S NOTE 

When it comes to data, there 

are a few different sayings that 

people often use. The first is 

that ‘The devil is in the detail’ 

whilst the second isn’t really a 

saying, just some wise words 

that my dearly departed mother 

uttered to me many years ago 

before my first visit to Thailand: 

‘You never know what’s hidden 

beneath.’ Both of these are definitely true for this years’ Asia-Pacific 

Civil Helicopter Fleet Report. 

You see, the name of this report includes the word ‘Civil’. What that 

means is that it doesn’t matter if a helicopter is operated for a civilian 

operator, or a parapublic agency, as long as the helicopter is registered 

on a civil aircraft register then it is counted in the report. Why is it 

important to mention this? Well, apart from being a good refresher, it 

can also explain why some data has changed from year to year. 

A case in point would be this year, where, from the outside at least, 

it would seem that the mainland China fleet has decreased. Looking 

at the numbers from year to year would make it seem like China lost 

some helicopters in the past year, but that’s not the full story. Whilst 

some did leave the fleet, the majority of the decline we saw was 

due to helicopters being shifted from the civil B- register to military 

registrations, thus discounting them from being included in the Civil 

Helicopter Report. 

Whilst we are on the topic of civil registers, it shouldn’t come as a 

surprise to learn that we source some of our data from the official 

civil aircraft registers around the region. Of course, that is just the 

first part of our research, on top of that our team of researchers 

check, and double check the data with operators and owners across 

Asia-Pacific. 

Having said all this, the civil helicopter fleet across Asia-Pacific still 

managed to grow in 2023, although just by 0.1%. Still, growth is 

better than decline, and whilst the growth was low, it does mean that 

Asia-Pacific’s fleet has grown every year since we began tracking 

helicopter fleet data in 2014. That growth has slowly been plateauing 

since 2017 when the fleet grew by 5.1%. Since then, it has slowed, 

with the 0.1% growth seen in 2023 being the first-time growth has 

dipped below a full 1%. 

Of course, China moving some helicopters from civil to military 

registrations only tells half of the story of the fleet changes in the 

country, so this edition our Consultancy Services Director Dennis 

Lau takes a deep dive into the Chinese fleet, looking into all of the 

changes and presenting a competitive analysis of the different 

competing models in the country. This includes several of the 

homegrown helicopter types, which are starting to make inroads into 

the fleet. 

Elsewhere, along with the usual data and analysis you have 

come to rely on, we also include a section on Asia-Pacific eVTOL 

manufacturers, with our own Casper Zhuang looking back over the 

past year to see any major changes or orders that have been placed. 

Much like our fleet data, the criteria we have used is that the eVTOL 

manufacturer has to has its major operation in the region, which 

unfortunately discounts several manufacturers that are inherently 

Asian, but have their major facilities overseas. 

As always, to end this note, we would like to thank everybody that 

has contributed, no matter big or small. Your continued support of 

this report, and of Asian Sky Group, is always very much appreciated. 

Unfortunately, not all counties publish official data, and some that do 

publish the data are woefully out of date. That doesn’t stop us trying 

to secure official data whenever we can, and in this edition, we have 

the results from a successful Freedom of Information Act request 

that we placed with the Philippines authorities. Getting hold of the 

official register allowed us to cleanse our data, which in the case 

of the Philippines meant that we were able to remove a number of 

helicopters that are no longer in service. 

Sincerely, 

Alud Davies 

Head of Research & Publications 

Asian Sky Group 

2 | YE 2023 ASIA-PACIFIC CIVIL HELICOPTER FLEET REPORT


ASIA-PACIFIC CIVIL TURBINE HELICOPTER FLEET GROWTH 

4,500 

4,000 

3,500 

3,000 

2,500 

3,287 

5.3% 

3,460 

3,600 1.6% 

3,659 

4.0% 

5.1% 

3,845 

1.8% 

3,913 

2.1% 

3,997 

1.6% 

4,060 

4,126 4,130 

1.6% 0.1% 

CAGR 

2014 to 2023 

2.6% 

2,000 

2014 

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 

NOTE: 

Please note that for this edition of the Helicopter Fleet Report, the total fleet numbers from across the Asia-Pacific region have been adjusted to Asian Sky Group 

revised selection criteria for helicopters that are classified as carrying civilian registrations. 

A conscious effort has been made to ensure that the fleet data accurately, and distinctly reflects the current registration status of the regional fleet. As a result of 

the revisions, the fleet numbers presented in this report contain variations from previous reports. 

There were 4,130 civil turbine helicopters operating in the Asia- 

Pacific region as of December 31, 2023. This total number had 

grown by four when compared to 4,126 at the end of 2022, with 

the growth of merely 0.1% being the lowest we have seen in the 

10-year period since our records began. Overall, the region has 

seen 2.6% year-on-year compound growth since 2014, adding 

843 new helicopters. Our historical data suggests that COVID-19 

had a very limited impact on the Asia-Pacific helicopter 

market, during 2023 there was a decrease in the number of 

both new deliveries and pre-owned additions compared to the 

previous year. There was however an increase in the number 

of deductions by 29 units, of which 53 out of the 178 removed 

helicopters were either retired or stored. 

Overall, excluding intra-Asia-Pacific transactions, there were 360 

changes in Asia-Pacific during 2023, a slight decrease from 364 

in 2022. These changes included 62 new helicopter deliveries, 

120 pre-owned additions and 178 deducted helicopters. 



HELICOPTER FLEET 1 AND REPLACEMENT COST 2 

FLEET SIZE (UNITS) 

OEM 

REPLACEMENT COST (USD$M) 

1,708 (41%) 

1,187 (29%) 

462 (11%) 

203 (5%) 

190 (5%) 

152 (4%) 

136 (3%) 

37 (1%) 

28 (1%) 

27 (1%) 

AIRBUS 

BELL 

LEONARDO 

SIKORSKY 

MD 

RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS 

ROBINSON 

OTHERS 

AVIC 

ENSTROM 

5,931 (20%) 

5,512 (18%) 

3,852 (13%) 

551 (2%) 

1,536 (5%) 

140 (


and Bell Helicopters. These were mostly used in multi-mission 

roles, as well as being preferred for VIP, Charter and Training 

missions. Medium Twin and Light Twins had the second and 

third biggest share of the Asia-Pacific market, with 21% and 18% 

respectively, with Bell and Leonardo offering the most Medium 

Twins and Airbus contributing 57% of Light Twins. These two 

categories of helicopters were used for Offshore, EMS, SAR and 

Law Enforcement missions. Heavy and Super Medium, the only 

two categories that saw net growth in 2023, had market shares of 

6% and 1%, respectively. 

NET FLEET GROWTH 

Positive Negative No Change 

OEM 

Mission 

Size Category 

AIRBUS 

-0.2% 

-0.5% 

1,721 

1,717 

1,708 

MULTI- 

MISSION 

0.9% 

-1.6% 

2,351 

2,372 

2,334 

SINGLE 

2.2% 

-2.0% 

2,177 

2,225 

2,221 

BELL 

0.9% 

0.3% 

1,173 

1,183 

1,187 

CORPORATE/ 

PRIVATE 

4.7% 

8.7% 

408 

427 

464 

MEDIUM TWIN 

-0.2% 

-0.3% 

876 

874 

871 

LEONARDO 

5.2% 

-1.3% 

445 

468 

462 

CHARTER 

-2.8% 

0.0% 

362 

352 

352 

LIGHT TWIN 

1.7% 

-0.5% 

754 

767 

763 

SIKORSKY 

1.5% 

2.5% 

195 

198 

203 

OFFSHORE 

0.3% 

-1.4% 

292 

293 

289 

HEAVY 

1.3% 

5.1% 

232 

235 

247 

MD 

10.9% 

-2.1% 

175 

194 

190 

EMS 

5.2% 

-3.0% 

250 

263 

255 

SUPER 

MEDIUM 

19.0% 

12.0% 

21 

25 

28 

RUSSIAN 

HELICOPTER 

0.7% 

4.1% 

145 

146 

152 

SAR 

1.7% 

17.3% 

176 

179 

210 

ROBINSON 

12.4% 

0.0% 

121 

136 

136 

LAW 

ENFORCEMENT 

12.5% 

-6.4% 

152 

171 

160 

AVIC 

0.0% 

0.0% 

28 

28 

28 

TRAINING 

1.5% 

-4.3% 

68 

69 

66 

ENSTROM 

-3.7% 

3.8% 

27 

26 

27 

OTHERS 

0.0% 

23.3% 

30 

30 

37 

4,060 

4,126 

4,130 

2021 

2022 

2023 



726 

673 

679 

197 

37 

MAINLAND 

CHINA 

SOUTH KOREA 

JAPAN 

NEPAL 

17 

264 

28 28 

BANGLADESH 

HONG KONG 

SAR 

INDIA 

30 29 

THAILAND 

28 

121 

707 5 984 

200 

34 

17 

263 

28 

123 

VIETNAM 

118 

108 6 

MALAYSIA 

PHILIPPINES 

1.6% 0.1% 

NOTES:494,126504,130 

2022 1 2023 1 

163 

168 

INDONESIA 

1. 2022 and 2023 data is based on Asian Sky Group’s adjusted and updated numbers. 

964 

AUSTRALIA 

2. Only civilian registered aircraft that are based in the respective country/region of focus and are in active service are included in 

the fleet count. 

3. Others include New Caledonia, Cambodia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Taiwan, Myanmar, Laos, French Polynesia, 

Singapore, Macau, Vanuatu, Bhutan and the Solomon Islands. 

4. Region is defined in the appendix on page 49. 

5. China’s fleet declined due to a number of helicopters being re-registered with military serials. 

6. The fleet in the Philippines has been adjusted following a successful Freedom of Information Act request for access to the 

country’s civil aircraft register. 

80 86 

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 

109 99 

OTHERS 3 

571 577 

NEW ZEALAND 



With 984 helicopters as of December 31 2023, 

Australia had the biggest helicopter fleet in Asia- 

Pacific. It was followed closely by mainland China, 

Japan, New Zealand and India, which had 707, 679, 

577 and 263 helicopters, respectively. The combined 

fleet numbers of these countries account for 78% of 

the entire regional fleet. 

In 2023, Australia saw the most additions to its 

fleet, with 20 helicopters added. Papua New Guinea, 

Japan and New Zealand followed with six additional 

helicopters each. South Korea added the fourth-most 

helicopters to its fleet, solidifying its position as the 

region’s sixth-largest helicopter fleet since our records 

began in 2014. 

At first glance, both China and the Philippines appear to 

have experienced a noticeable reduction in the number 

of helicopters in their fleets. However, the actual 

situation is more nuanced. In the case of China, the 

decrease in helicopter numbers is partially attributed 

to a change in registration for approximately ten police 

helicopters. These helicopters transitioned from their 

original civilian registration, which typically starts with 

“B-,” to wearing military registrations. According to our 

definition, these helicopters are no longer considered 

part of the civilian category, so they are not counted 

in our fleet numbers. However, they continue to be 

operational in China. For a more comprehensive 

understanding of China’s fleet situation, please see 

our China Market Report on page 21. Additionally, the 

delivery of new aircraft to the Chinese market and the 

introduction of used aircraft have significantly slowed 

down, with the numbers decreasing from 22 and 12 in 

2022 to seven and six in 2023, respectively. 

The changes in the Philippines are mainly due to the 

use of more official and reliable sources of information 

since 2022, which led to the exclusion of certain 

helicopters that were previously inactive. This means 

that the Philippine market has not undergone any 

significant changes when compared to previous years. 

Within the sub-regional markets, Oceania maintained 

its position as the leader in fleet growth, seeing the 

addition of an impressive 31 aircraft in 2023, resulting 

in an annual growth rate of 1.9%. While this growth 

is slightly lower than the 2.4% recorded in 2022 when 

Oceania added 39 aircraft, it still signifies a robust 

expansion in the region’s fleet. 

In East Asia, fleet growth remained relatively stable, 

showing nominal changes. Southeast Asia and South 

Asia both saw declines. The fleet in Southeast Asia 

decreased by five aircraft, representing decline of 1.4%. 

Similarly, South Asia saw a reduction of 11 aircraft, a 

negative growth rate of 2.2%. 

HELICOPTER FLEET 2 (TURBINE ONLY) 

LARGEST MARKET 

984 

AUSTRALIA 

MOST NET FLEET 

ADDITIONS 

+20 

AUSTRALIA 

FLEET GROWTH IN MAJOR MARKETS 

Net Fleet Growth 

Growth Rate 

SUBREGION 4 2022 2023 2022 2023 

Oceania +39 +31 2.4% 1.9% 

South Asia +5 -5 1.4% -1.4% 

Southeast Asia +1 -11 0.2% -2.2% 

Greater China +24 -21 3.3% -2.8% 

TOTAL +66 +4 1.6% 0.1% 

Net Fleet Growth 

MOST NET FLEET 

DEDUCTIONS 

-19 

MAINLAND CHINA 

Growth Rate 

COUNTRY/REGION 2022 2023 2022 2023 

Australia +39 +20 4.0% 2.0% 

Papua New Guinea -5 +6 -6.3% 7.0% 

Japan -1 +6 -0.1% 0.9% 

New Zealand +3 +6 0.5% 1.0% 

Indonesia -8 +5 -4.9% 3.0% 

South Korea -3 +3 -1.5% 1.5% 

Malaysia -5 +2 -4.1% 1.6% 

Vietnam +1 0 3.6% 0.0% 

Bangladesh 0 0 0.0% 0.0% 

Hong Kong 0 0 0.0% 0.0% 

India +10 -1 3.8% -0.4% 

Thailand 0 -1 0.0% -3.4% 

Nepal -1 -3 -2.7% -8.8% 

Philippines +21 -10 17.8% -9.3% 

Mainland China +25 -19 3.4% -2.7% 

Others -10 -10 -9.2% -10.1% 

TOTAL +66 +4 1.6% 0.1% 

RANKED BY 2023 NET FLEET GROWTH IN DESCENDING ORDER FROM THE HIGHEST. 



MAJOR COUNTRY/SUBREGION SNAPSHOTS 

Australia 

Australia dominated the Asia-Pacific helicopter market with 11 

new deliveries and 32 used helicopters joining its fleet in 2023. 

In addition, Australia said goodbye to five retired helicopters 

from its fleet. McDermott Aviation, with an extensive fleet of 39 

helicopters, is not only the largest operator in Australia, but also 

the fifth largest of the major operators in the Asia-Pacific region. 

Babcock, known for its expertise in offshore operations, search 

and rescue (SAR) and emergency medical services (EMS), had a 

fleet of 18 helicopters. CHC Helicopters Australia, with a similar 

focus to Babcock, was ranked seventh in the Asia-Pacific region 

with 32 helicopters, while Heli West, a prominent operator in 

Western Australia with 24 helicopters, was ranked thirteenth in 

Asia-Pacific. 

Multi-mission helicopters made up a large proportion of the 

Australian helicopter fleet, accounting for up to 57%. Of the 

remaining amount 17% of helicopters were used for corporate 

and private purposes, while 19% were dedicated to offshore 

operations, emergency and search and rescue missions. Bell was 

the preferred OEM in Australia, with an impressive 45% market 

share. Of Bell’s fleet, the Bell 206 was its the most popular model. 

Greater China 

Greater China, which includes mainland China, Hong Kong 

SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan, was the second largest market 

in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2023, seven new helicopters were 

delivered to Greater China, whilst six pre-owned helicopters were 

added, whilst 34 aircraft left the fleet. With 75 helicopters, CITIC 

Offshore & Marine Helicopters (COHC) lead the Greater China 

region, albeit with one fewer helicopter than the previous year. Six 

Chinese operators accounted for 35% of the top 20 operators in 

the Asia-Pacific region in terms of fleet size. 

Multi-mission helicopters made up 69% of the Greater China fleet, 

while helicopters dedicated to offshore operations, EMS and 

SAR missions account for 20%. Notably, nearly half of the Hong 

Kong fleet was dedicated to SAR operations. On the OEM side, 

Airbus held a 36% market share in Greater China, followed closely 

by Bell. the H125 and Bell 407 models were the most popular 

helicopter models in Greater China. Russian Helicopters ranked 

third with an eight percent market share. Sikorsky’s S-76C++ 

and S-92 models were also popular in Greater China, with a 6% 

market share. It is worth noting that China’s state-owned original 

equipment manufacturer, Aviation Industry Corporation of China 

(AVIC), operated 28 helicopters, half of which were AC311s, all 

based in mainland China. 

Japan 

In 2023, the third-largest fleet in the Asia-Pacific region increased 

by a net six helicopters, with 23 new deliveries, eight pre-owned 

helicopters, whilst 25 helicopters left the fleet. Japan operated 

the largest number of EMS, SAR and law enforcement helicopters 

among Asia-Pacific countries, whilst 44% of the fleet was used 



in multi-mission roles. The largest Japanese operators included 

Nakanihon Air and Aero Asahi, both of which expanded their 

fleets. While the majority of their helicopters were multi-mission, 

both companies also had sizable EMS fleets, accounting for 

29% and 24% of their fleets, respectively. Nakanihon Air had the 

largest EMS fleet in Asia-Pacific, with 19 units, whilst the Japan 

Coast Guard had the largest SAR fleet in Asia-Pacific. 

Airbus was the most popular OEM in Japan, with a 52% market 

share of the national fleet. The H125 and H135 were the most 

popular Airbus models in the country. The combined fleet of the 

top three OEMs (Airbus, Leonardo, and Bell) represented 91% of 

the total fleet in 2023. 

New Zealand 

In 2023, New Zealand’s helicopter fleet increased by six 

helicopters, compared with three the previous year. This included 

nine new deliveries, 33 pre-owned additions and 36 deductions. 

The only New Zealand operator to be ranked among the top 20 

largest operators in the Asia-Pacific region in 2023 (Advanced 

Flight) had 19 helicopters, with the majority of its fleet utilized for 

charters. Helicopters Otago, with 18 helicopters, was the secondlargest 

operator in New Zealand. 50% of its fleet was used in 

multi-mission roles, with 33% utilized for EMS and SAR, and 17% 

for charter and corporate and private travel. 

Airbus remained the leading OEM in New Zealand. The H125 was 

the most popular Airbus model in the country, with the largest 

fleet of 187 in the Asia-Pacific region. MD helicopters had the 

largest market share in the Asia-Pacific region (56% of the total 

Asia-Pacific fleet), with the MD 500 being the most popular 

model (101 units). 

India 

The Indian helicopter fleet decreased by one helicopter, 

representing a decline of 0.4%. The net decrease of one 

helicopter was the result of one new delivery, four pre-owned 

additions and six deductions. 

India’s two largest operators, Pawan Hans and Global Vectra, 

were primarily engaged in offshore operations, with a total 

fleet of 42 helicopters engaged in the role. In 2023, Pawan 

Hans ranked fourth the largest operators, with 44 helicopters. 

The Indian fleet had 59 helicopters for offshore operations, 

which was 22% of the fleet. Forty percent of the helicopters 

were multi-mission helicopters. Airbus and Bell were the two 

most popular OEMs in India, with the AS365 and Bell 412 being 

the most popular models. 

South Korea 

By the end of 2023, the South Korean helicopter fleet stabilized 

at 200 helicopters, with one new delivery, 14 pre-owned 

additions, and 12 deductions through the year. HeliKorea, the 

largest operator in South Korea, had a fleet of 19 helicopters, 

five of which were configured for EMS services and 14 for 

multi-mission roles. Seventy-one percent of the Korean fleet 

was used for multi-mission, 16% for EMS and SAR, and nine 

percent for corporate and private and charter. 



Sikorsky was the most popular OEM in South Korea in 2023 with 

57 helicopters, the highest market share in Asia-Pacific, with the 

S-76 model being the most popular. The medium twin-engine 

KA-32 was the most utilized model in South Korea, and its OEM, 

Russian Helicopters, had the second largest helicopter market 

share in South Korea with 49 helicopters, behind mainland China 

(59 units). The H125 was the most popular Airbus model in Korea 

with a fleet of 18 units. 

The Philippines 

The Philippine helicopter fleet experienced a net decrease of ten 

helicopters in 2023 due to three new deliveries, 17 pre-owned 

additions, and 30 helicopters leaving the fleet. In 2022, the fleet 

grew by 17.8%, a large part of which was due to the introduction 

of used MD500s from Japan, which were transported from 

Shizuoka Heliport to the Philippines. One reason for the 

reduction in fleet numbers is a data clean-up after we received 

accurate data from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines 

(CAAP) in 2023. 

MD was the most popular OEM in the Philippines with a total of 

40 helicopters in the country, of which the MD 500 was the most 

widely operated. Airbus was the second most popular OEM, with 

the H130 and H125 being well represented in the country. 

Indonesia 

In 2023, the Indonesian helicopter fleet saw a net increase of five 

aircraft due to 11 pre-owned additions and six deductions. Fifty 

two percent of the national fleet was utilized for multi-mission 

flights, 30% for corporate/private and charter services, and 14% for 

offshore operations. 

Airbus and Bell were the major OEMs in Indonesia, with a combined 

fleet representing 76% of the market. The most popular models in 

Indonesia were the Bell 412 (20 units) and H125 (19 units). 

Malaysia 

In 2023, Malaysia’s helicopter fleet increased by two helicopters 

due to two new deliveries, five pre-owned additions and five 

deductions. Overall, 31% of the Malaysian helicopter fleet was used 

for corporate/private and charter flights, 24% for offshore, 23% for 

multi-mission and 19% for EMS, SAR and law enforcement. 

Airbus remained the most popular OEM, accounting for about half 

of the fleet. The most popular model was the AW139 with 28 units, 

followed by the AS355 with 16 units. 

Papua New Guinea 

Papua New Guinea’s helicopter fleet was the fastest growing in 

Asia-Pacific during 2023 having grown by seven percent due to the 

addition of 11 helicopters (including two new deliveries and nine 

pre-owned additions). Seventy-four percent of the helicopters in the 

fleet were used in multi-mission roles, while 12% were used for EMS 

and offshore missions. 

Bell was the most popular OEM, accounting for more than half of 

the national fleet. The most popular models were the Bell 212 (14 

units) and Bell 407 (20 units). 



TOTAL FLEET BY COUNTRY/REGION AND OEM 

4,130 in Total 

AIRBUS 

AVIC 

BELL 

ENSTROM 

LEONARDO 

MD 

ROBINSON 


SIKORSKY 

OTHERS 

TOTAL 

% OF TOTAL 

AUSTRALIA 343 438 2 95 16 46 28 16 984 24% 

984 

MAINLAND CHINA 252 28 220 22 48 3 25 59 47 3 707 17% 

JAPAN 354 123 142 12 17 1 28 2 679 16% 

NEW ZEALAND 309 132 1 12 107 5 2 6 3 577 14% 

577 

707 

679 

INDIA 100 80 47 2 3 8 10 13 263 6% 

SOUTH KOREA 46 21 2 25 49 57 200 5% 

INDONESIA 63 64 18 3 5 5 10 168 4% 

MALAYSIA 63 15 35 3 7 123 3% 

PHILIPPINES 34 18 8 40 8 108 3% 

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 29 51 1 5 86 2% 

NEPAL 22 3 1 4 4 34

MARKET TRENDS 

MARKET TRENDS 

HELICOPTER ADDITIONS & DEDUCTIONS 

120 -178 

62 

4,126 

4,130 

HISTORICAL MOVEMENTS 

178 

166 

142 

149 

125120 

85 90 

62 

40 

37 

2021 

2022 


25 

Fleet 2022 New Pre-Owned Deductions Fleet 2023 

Deliveries Additions 

New Deliveries 

Pre-owned 

Additions 

Deductions 

Intra-Asia-Pacific 

Movements 

The overall growth trend for helicopters in the Asia-Pacific region 

has been favorable since Asian Sky Group began to record data 

in 2014, with a CAGR of 2.6% through 2023. By the end of 2023, a 

total of 4,130 helicopters were in operation in Asia-Pacific, a net 

increase of four, with 62 new deliveries, 120 pre-owned additions 

and 178 deductions. 

New deliveries decreased by 28 aircraft, or 31%, compared to 

the previous year, while pre-owned additions decreased by five 

aircraft. Helicopter fleet deductions in the Asia-Pacific region 

continued to increase, growing by 19% for the year. In 2023, a total 

of 25 aircraft moved within the Asia-Pacific region, a decrease of 

32% from the previous year. Looking at the trends of the past two 

years, the Asia-Pacific helicopter market slowed further in 2023, 

with a reduction in demand for new aircraft and a decline in preowned 

helicopter movements. 

helicopters to the Asia-Pacific region. In 2023, Bell delivered 

29 pre-owned aircraft to the region, one less than the previous 

year, with a total value of $160 million. MD completed 14 preowned 

aircraft transactions in the Asia-Pacific region, accunting 

for 12% of the total (USD $32 million). Among the newly added 

pre-owned helicopters, approximately 68 helicopters were in the 

Single size category, including models such as MD 500 and H125, 

TOP MODELS OVER 3 YEARS 


EC145/ 

H145/BK117 

2021 

2022 


14 

11 12 11 

12 

12 

10 

11 

8 8 

7 

8 

6 

7 6 6 5 5 5 

6 5 5 

3 

3 3 4 

2 1 2 1 

AS350/ 

H125 

R66 AW139 EC130/ Bell 407 Bell 505 Bell 412 EC135/ Bell 429 

H130 

H135 

The total value of new helicopter deliveries in the Asia-Pacific 

region in 2023 amounted to USD $530 million. Airbus maintained 

its position as the leading OEM delivering new helicopters to 

the region, with 33 new deliveries valued at more than USD $300 

million, accounting for more than 57% of the value of all new 

deliveries. Leonardo overtook Bell as the second-ranked OEM 

for new deliveries in 2023, with 11 new helicopters delivered, 

compared to Bell’s nine deliveries. New deliveries accounted 

for 34% of total fleet additions, a decrease of USD $59 million 

compared to the previous year. 

The total value of pre-owned helicopter additions in Asia-Pacific 

during 2023 reached USD $860 million. Airbus surpassed 

Leonardo to become the leading OEM, delivering 36 pre-owned 

Pre-Owned Additions 

6 

25 

14 

MD 500 

28 

16 

12 

AS350/ 

H125 

Deductions 

20 

14 

38 

AS350/ 

H125 

24 

7 

9 

5 6 

4 5 5 

1 

6 5 

2 

3 5 3 

2021 

2022 


1110 9 

11 11 

3 2 3 2 

Bell 206 Mi-8/ EC145/ Bell 412 S-92 AW139 AW109 Bell 214 

17/171 H145/BK117 

2021 

2022 


15 

17 

15 

1113 

11 9 9 11 

14 

10 

5 

8 7 8 7 6 

9 

4 4 

4 

7 6 6 

1 

3 

MD 500 EC145/ AW139 AW109 Bell 206 AW119 S-76 AS365 Bell 412 

H145/BK117 

29 


MARKET TRENDS 

representing 57% of the total new pre-owned additions. Sixty one 

percent of the added pre-owned helicopters were used for multimission 

operations, while 29% were utilized for corporate/private 

and charter purposes. The average age of the pre-owned additions 

was 22 years, which was similar to the average age of helicopters 

in the region. 

and H145 models accounted for 73% of the total number of 

Airbus helicopters departing the region. The Bell Asia-Pacific 

fleet had the second highest number of aircraft withdrawals, with 

34 aircraft worth a total of USD $180 million. The Bell 407 and 

Bell 206 were the most common models that left Asia-Pacific; 

however, their departure rate has declined since 2022. A combined 

total of 44 Leonardo and MD helicopters with a value of $320 

In 2023, the number of helicopters leaving Asia-Pacific increased by 

million also left the region. 

19% to 178, with Single helicopters such as the H125 and MD 500 

accounting for 59% of all helicopters departing from the region. The 

value of these departures amounted to USD $1.19 billion. 

Mainland China saw the most net reductions, with 19 helicopters 

leaving, which was followed by the Philippines (ten) and Nepal 

(three). Excluding helicopters that have been stored or retired, 32% 

Airbus had the highest number of helicopters leaving the region 

with 78 helicopters valued at USD $490 million. The H125, AS365 

of the helicopters relocated from Asia-Pacific went to the United 

States and 22% to European countries. 

HELICOPTER MOVEMENT BY OEM AND MISSION 


Robinson 7 (11%) 

Sikorsky 2 (3%) 

EMS 4 (6%) 

Law Enforcement 2 (3%) 

Offshore 4 (6%) 

Multi-Mission 19 (31%) 

SAR 7 (11%) 

Bell 9 (15%) 

62 

Airbus 33 (53%) 

62 

Leonardo 11 (18%) 

Corporate/Private 12 (19%) 

Charter 14 (23%) 

Pre-Owned Additions 


RotorWay 2 (2%) 


Law Enforcement 2 (2%) 

Eagle 5 (4%) 


Enstrom 1 (1%) 

Mosquito 1 (1%) 

EMS 5 (4%) 

Training 1 (1%) 

Charter 16 (13%) SAR 1 (1%) 

Russian Helicopters 9 (7%) 


120 

Airbus 36 (30%) 

120 

Corporate/Private 19 (16%) 

MD 14 (12%) 

Bell 29 (24%) 

Multi-Mission 73 (61%) 

Deductions 


Russian Helicopters 3 (2%) 

SAR 7 (4%) 



Fairchild Hiller 1 (


At the end of 2023 the top 20 commercial helicopter operators in 

Asia-Pacific had a combined total of 660 helicopters, accounting 

for 16% of the overall fleet. 

TOP 20 COMMERCIAL OPERATORS BY FLEET SIZE 

RANK CHANGE 2022 VS 2023 

Primary Business 

The top five operators in our 2023 rankings remain unchanged 

from the previous year. COHC retained the first place with a 

total of 75 offshore helicopters. It was followed by Japanbased 

operators Nakanihon Air (65) and Aero Asahi (63) which 

increased their fleets by four and three helicopters, respectively. 

Pawan Hans from India maintained the same fleet number 

and ranking as in 2022, while Australian operator McDermott 

Aviation came fifth with one helicopter leaving its fleet in 2023. 

COHC 

NAKANIHON AIR 

AERO ASAHI 

PAWAN HANS 

MCDERMOTT AVIATION 

STATE GRID GA 

CHC 

REIGNWOOD 

Offshore 

Varied 

Varied 

Offshore 

Varied 

Powerline 

EMS/SAR/ 

Offshore 

Varied 

39 (-1) 

33 (-1) 

32 

31 (+1) 

44 

65 (+4) 

63 (+3) 

75 (-1) 

There were seven operators from mainland China in the top 20 

TOHO AIR 

Varied 

27 (+1) 

list at the end of 2023. With a combined total of 231 helicopters 

GLOBAL VECTRA 

Offshore 

26 

TOP 10 OPERATORS 

operating in a variety of different roles including offshore, 

powerline inspections and forestry, mainland China’s top 20 

operators accounted for 35% of the Asia-Pacific fleet. Japan 

ranked second among Asia-Pacific countries with four operators 

QINGDAO HELICOPTER 

VNH 

HELI WEST 

Forestry 

Offshore 

Varied 

25 (+2) 

25 (-1) 

24 

in the top 20 and a total fleet of 176 helicopters. Australia 

CHINA SOUTHERN GA 

Offshore 

24 (-4) 

followed with three operators and 95 helicopters, while Helistar 

and Babcock left the top 20 due to the retirement of helicopters 

VENJO AVIATION 

SUPPORT SERVICES 

FLYING DRAGON GAC 

Varied 

Varied 

24 (+6) 

23 (+1) 

from their fleets. 

NISHI NIPPON 

Varied 

21 (+2) 

China’s Shaanxi Qinhan General Aviation was the commercial 

operator with the biggest increase in its fleet in 2023, adding 

a total of seven new aircraft. The operator with the second 

most additions was Venjo Aviation Support Services (24) 

HEVILIFT 

SHAANXI QINHAN 

GENERAL AVIATION 

HELIKOREA 

Varied 

Varied 

Varied 

ADVANCED FLIGHT Varied 

20 (+3) 

20 (+7) 

19 (+1) 

19 (-1) 

TOP 20 

OPERATORS = 

16% OF 

TOTAL FLEET 

from the Philippines, which added six MD500s to its fleet 



in 2023, moving up the places from 18 in 2022 to 13 in 2023. 

HeliKorea, the largest commercial helicopter operator in South 

Korea, operated 19 helicopters. In addition, there were eight 

other operators from Japan, China, and Papua New Guinea that 

expanded their fleets in 2023. 

A total of six operators in the top 20 saw a reduction in their 

fleet numbers in 2023. The largest reduction was seen by China 

Southern GA, a company specializing in Offshore operations, 

which reduced its helicopter fleet by four aircraft in 2023. Other 

operators on the list that reduced their fleet by only one aircraft in 

the past year were COHC (75) and State Grid GA (33) from China, 

McDermott Aviation (39) from Australia, VNH (25) from Vietnam 

and Advanced Flight (19) from New Zealand. 

TOP 10 NON-COMMERCIAL OPERATORS BY FLEET SIZE 

JAPAN NATIONAL POLICE 

95 

JAPAN COAST GUARD 

58 

KOREA FORESTRY SERVICE 

46 

JAPAN PREFECTURAL AIR RESCUE 

42 

KOREA NATIONAL 119 RESCUE 

29 

JAPAN FIRE DEPARTMENT 

27 

MOT 

GOV'T OF INDIA 

20 

19 

ROYAL MALAYSIAN POLICE AIR WING 

HK GOVERNMENT FLYING SERVICE 

9 

11 

NOTE: 

Please note that the current fleet numbers for non-commercial operators has been revised according to our selection criteria, that specifies the helicopters must 

strictly be designated with civilian registration only, to be included in the fleet count. 

Government Agencies and State Operators that fly helicopters with non-civil registrations in their respective countries are not included. 

By the end of 2023, there were a total of 403 government operated 

non-commercial helicopters in the Asia-Pacific region, accounting 

for 10% of the entire Asia-Pacific helicopter fleet. 

Japan maintained the number one position with a total of 222 

aircraft accounting for 55% of the total government fleet. The 

largest fleet was the Japan National Police, which operated 

95 helicopters, followed by the Japan Coast Guard (58), Japan 

Prefectural Air Rescue (42) and the Japan Fire Department (27). 

The South Korean government operated the second largest 

number of governmental helicopters in the Asia-Pacific region 

with 75: Korea Forestry Service (46) and Korea National 119 

Rescue (29). 

The governments of mainland China and Hong Kong operated a 

total of 38 helicopters: China’s Ministry of Transport (MoT), HK 

Government Flying Service (nine), China National Police (six) and 

Civil Aviation Flight University of China (three). 



By the end of 2023 the most popular helicopter mission 

in the Asia-Pacific market was Multi-Mission with 2,327 

units, accounting for 56% of total fleet. This was followed 

by Corporate/Private helicopters, accounting for 11% of the 

total market. Charter and Offshore helicopters accounted for 

9% and 7% of the Asia-Pacific market, respectively. 

While Offshore helicopters represented only 7% of the total 

Asia-Pacific market, they accounted for 17% of the Asia- 

Pacific market in terms of replacement cost and were the 

second most valuable of all mission types, with a total cost 

of USD $5 billion. Other helicopter missions with a total 

replacement cost of more than USD $2 billion included SAR, 

Corporate/Private and EMS, which accounted for 9%, 8% and 

8% of the total Asia-Pacific market, respectively. 

The size category preferences for Charter and Corporate/ 

Private mission were consistent, with Airbus Single 

helicopters being the most popular, followed by Bell Single 

helicopters. The majority of helicopters used for EMS 

were Airbus Light Twin, with the popular size categories 

for Offshore being Medium Twin and Heavy. The same 

preference for Medium Twin was also found in SAR, which 

also chose Light Twin and Heavy models as well. 

ASIA-PACIFIC FLEET BY MISSION 

Fleet Size (Units) 

SAR (5%) 

Offshore (7%) 

Charter (9%) 

Corporate/Private (11%) 

4,130 

Law Enforcement (4%) 

EMS (6%) Training (2%) 

Replacement Cost ($B) 

Charter (6%) 

EMS (8%) 

Corporate/Private (8%) 

SAR (10%) 

30.0 

Multi-Mission (56%) 

Law Enforcement (5%) 

Training (1%) 

Multi-Mission (45%) 

Offshore (17%) 

NOTE: “Replacement Cost” figures are based on the assumption that existing 

helicopters are replaced by the latest versions of their particular OEM variant at 

2023 list prices. 



MISSION COMPOSITION BY COUNTRY 

Multi-Mission Corporate/Private Charter Offshore EMS SAR 

Law Enforcement 

Training 

TOTAL 

FLEET 

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 

BASE COUNTRY/REGION 

AUSTRALIA 


JAPAN 

NEW ZEALAND 

INDIA 

SOUTH KOREA 

INDONESIA 

MALAYSIA 

PHILIPPINES 


NEPAL 

THAILAND 

VIETNAM 

BANGLADESH 

HONG KONG 

NEW CALEDONIA 

OTHERS 

984 

707 

679 

577 

263 

200 

168 

123 

108 

86 

34 

29 

28 

28 

17 

15 

84 

Multi-Mission was the most common helicopter mission across 

most Asia-Pacific countries, but there were exceptions. For 

example, 50% of the fleet in Thailand and Vietnam were offshore 

helicopters. However, in Thailand other missions such as charter 

and private/ corporate were evenly distributed, whereas in 

Vietnam, there was only one helicopter available for charter. 

Malaysia’s Offshore helicopters made up 24% of the country’s 

fleet (30 out of 123), with Multi-Mission (22%) and Private/ 

Corporate (20%) in second and third place. Hong Kong on the 

other hand, had a total of nine helicopters for SAR, accounting 

for 53% of the region’s fleet, in addition to five Multi-Mission 

helicopters, two for Private/Corporate, and one used for Training. 



OFFSHORE MARKET 

Top Offshore Operators By Fleet Size 

COHC 

45 

GLOBAL VECTRA 

23 

PAWAN HANS 

20 

PHI 

CHINA SOUTHERN GA 

17 

18 

CHC 

16 

VNH 

14 

MHS 

12 

AVIATOR GROUP 

HELIGO 

9 

9 

By the end of 2023 there were a total of 189 helicopters conducting 

Offshore missions in the Asia-Pacific region, a decrease of six 

helicopters compared to 2022. COHC and China Southern GA from 

China accounted for 33% of the total, making mainland China the 

region with most Offshore helicopters. This was followed by India, 

where Global Vectra and Pawan Hans, with 23 and 20 Offshore 

helicopters respectively, were second and third in the ranking. A 

total of 55 Offshore helicopters were operated in Australia by five 

operators, including PHI, CHC and Aviator Group. 

Offshore Fleet By Size Category 

Super Medium 13 (5%) 

Light Twin 26 (9%) 

Heavy 74 (26%) 

289 

Single 7 (2%) 

Medium Twin 169 (58%) 

Medium Twin and Heavy helicopters were mainly used for Offshore 

missions, accounting for 83% of the APAC offshore market. In 

mainland China, Heavy helicopters were widely used for Offshore 

missions, with the most common models being the Airbus EC225 

and Sikorsky S-92, while Medium Twin helicopters from the same 

OEMs, the H155 and S-76, were also heavily used. Indian operators 

preferred Medium Twin helicopters for Offshore missions, with 

54 of the 59 Offshore helicopters being this category, the most 

popular models were the AS365 and Bell 412. In Australia, the 

Sikorsky S-92 was the most frequently used model for Offshore 

missions, followed by the Leonardo AW139, which was also chosen 

as the primary Offshore helicopter by operators from Malaysia and 

Thailand, while Indonesian operators mainly preferred the S-76. 

Offshore Fleet By OEM 

Bell 23 (8%) 



289 

HAL 2 (1%) 

Airbus 103 (35%) 


EMS MARKET 


Top EMS Operators By Fleet Size 

NAKANIHON AIR 

19 

HIRATA ACADEMY 

16 

AERO ASAHI 

15 

BABCOCK 

12 

CENTRAL HELICOPTER SERVICE 

9 

NISHI NIPPON 

SHAANXI QINHAN GENERAL AVIATION 

LAYANG-LAYANG 

8 

8 

8 

LIFEFLIGHT AUSTRALIA 

6 

HELIKOREA 

KAGOSHIMA INTERNATIONAL AVIATION 

CHC 

NORTHLAND EMERGENCY SERVICES 

5 

5 

5 

5 

The EMS market ended 2023 with a total of 121 aircraft in 

operation, an increase of three aircraft compared to the previous 

year. The top three operators with the largest fleet of EMS 

helicopters were all from Japan: Nakanihon Air (19), Hirata 

Academy (16) and Aero Asahi (15), which when combined with 

the 23 helicopters operated by other three Japanese operators 

accounted for 60% of the Asia-Pacific EMS market. There were also 

four EMS operators in Oceania, with Babcock, LifeFlight and CHC 

from Australia operating a total of 23 EMS helicopters, and New 

Zealand operator Northland Emergency Services operating five 

EMS helicopters. 

popular in the Asia-Pacific EMS market, followed by Medium 

Twin, which was the most popular in the Australian market. Single 

helicopters were used for EMS mission mostly in the China market. 

EMS Fleet By Size Category 

Single 39 (15%) 


255 


It is interesting to note that the three countries with the largest 

EMS fleets in the region had different preferences for size 

categories and models, with operators in Japan favoring Light Twin 

helicopters, where all but one Bell 505 of the 93 EMS helicopters 

were from this category. The most popular models were the H135 

EMS Fleet By OEM 

and H145 series from Airbus, accounting for 78% of the Japanese 

EMS market. In Australia, 82% of the 68 EMS helicopters were 

MD 6 (2%) 


Medium Twins, led by Leonardo’s AW139 and Bell 412. Operators 

from mainland China preferred Single helicopters, with the Bell 407 

being the most popular, whilst some operators also chose Light 

Twin helicopters such as the H135 and AW109. 

Bell 56 (22%) 


255 

Airbus 123 (48%) 

Overall, the Light Twin helicopters from Airbus were the most 



SAR MARKET 

Top SAR Operators By Fleet Size 

JAPAN COAST GUARD 

58 

JAPAN PREFECTURAL AIR RESCUE 

39 

KOREA NATIONAL 119 RESCUE 

22 

MOT 

20 

CHC 

11 

HK GOVERNMENT FLYING SERVICE 

9 

SEARCH & RESCUE SERVICES 

8 

KESTREL AVIATION (AUSTRALIA) 

5 

HELICOPTERS OTAGO 

GOV'T OF MALAYSIA 

4 

4 

At the end of 2023 there were a total of 210 helicopters used for 

Search and Rescue (SAR) missions in the Asia-Pacific region, 

with more than a quarter of the fleet belonging to the Japan 

Coast Guard, which was ranked number one in the region. It was 

followed by Japan Prefectural Air Rescue with 39 SAR helicopters, 

with these two Japanese operators accounting for 47% of the 

Asia-Pacific SAR market. In third place was Korea National 

119 Rescue from South Korea with 22 SAR helicopters. China’s 

Ministry of Transport (MoT) had 20 SAR helicopters whilst CHC 

from Australia operated 11 SAR helicopters. 

SAR Fleet By Size Category 

Single 16 (8%) 

Heavy 21 (10%) 


210 

Super Medium 9 (4%) 


Except for one New Zealand operator that chose Fairchild Hiller’s 

Single FH-1100, all helicopters in the Asia-Pacific region utilized 

SAR Fleet By OEM 

for SAR missions were from Airbus (85), Leonardo (62), Sikorsky 

(35) and Bell (27). Medium Twin helicopters accounted for 128 

Bell 27 (13%) 

Fairchild Hiller 1 (

SPECIAL FEATURE 

CHINA 

CIVIL TURBINE HELICOPTER 

MARKET REPORT 

By Dennis Lau 

FLEET SIZE 

China Civil Turbine Helicopter Fleet 

China Civil Turbine Helicopter Fleet (In Operation) 

In Storage (11%) 

Enstrom (4%) 

Sikorsky (6%) 

AVIC (7%) 

Russian Helicopters (8%) 

Robinson (3%) 

Others (

OVERVIEW OF CHINA 

China Civil Turbine Helicopter Fleet (In Storage) 

China Civil Turbine Helicopter Fleet by Size Category 

(In Operation) 

Sikorsky (4%) 

AVIC (4%) 

Enstrom (5%) 

Airbus (24%) 

Robinson (3%) 

Leonardo (35%) 

Light Twin (12%) 

Heavy (14%) 

Super Medium (


The Single engine Airbus Helicopters AS350/H125 family was 

the most popular model operating in China with a fleet of 127, 

very closely followed by the Bell 407 with 125 in operation. 

Other popular models are listed in the following table: 

MODEL CATEGORY FLEET IN OPERATION 

Airbus AS350/H125 Single 127 

Bell 407 Single 125 

Airbus EC135/H135 Light Twin 49 


Russian Mi-8/17/171 Heavy 39 

Airbus EC225/H225 Heavy 36 

Sikorsky S-76 Medium Twin 30 


Leonardo AW139 Medium Twin 27 

Enstrom 480 Single 27 

A total of 99 helicopters of 20 models/families were in storage 

at the end of 2023, including 22 Single engine Leonardo 

AW119s. These were all operational in the EMS role before 

the shutdown of King Wing. Some 16 new Bell 505s were also 

in storage with no known operator. These were “delivered” 

between 2019 and 2022 and yet to enter service. 

OEM AND SIZE CATEGORIES 

In Operation Fleet by OEM and Size Category Share 

Single Light Twin Medium Twin Super Medium Heavy 

100% 

80% 

60% 

40% 

20% 

0 

Bell Airbus Leonardo 

The three largest OEMs in the mainland China market had a varied 

fleet composition in terms of helicopter size. While Single engine 

models continued to account for the largest shares of major OEM’s 

fleets in China, Leonardo had a more evenly distributed fleet share 

with its twin-engine models. On the other hand, Airbus Helicopters was 

a major player in the Heavy category, alongside Sikorsky with its S-92. 



COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS BY HELICOPTER CATEGORY 

CATEGORY HELICOPTER TYPES CATEGORY HELICOPTER TYPES 

Airbus AS350/H125 

Airbus EC120/H120^ 

Airbus EC130/H130 

Enstrom 480 

AVIC AC311 

Small Single 

Leonardo SW-4^ 

Robinson R66 

Single 

Bell 206^ 

Bell 505 

Sikorsky S-333 

Bell 407 

Leonardo AW119 

Leonardo AW09* 

MD500 / 600 series 


Airbus AS365^ 


Airbus H160* 


AVIC AC312 

Light Twin 

Bell 427^ 

Bell 429 

Medium Twin 

Bell 212^ 

Bell 412 


Russian KA-32 

MD900 



Sikorsky S-76^ 

Super Medium 

AVIC AC352* 

Airbus H175 

Bell 525* 


Heavy 


Airbus AS332^ 

AVIC AC313 

Sikorsky S-92 

Russian Helicopters (Various)^ 

NOTE: 

^ = Out of Production 

* = Future Model 

There is much competition between OEMs across all helicopter 

categories, especially the smaller sizes. The table above lists 

the different offerings currently in operation in China, as well as 

future models expected to enter service in China in the next few 

years. Helicopters specifically designed for special missions 

are excluded, such as the Kaman K-Max. 

In the Single engine category, Bell Helicopter accounted for 

the largest in operation fleet share at the end of 2023. Bell 

offers the in-production 407 and 505 models which compete 

with a range of models from other OEMs. The 407 was Bell’s 

most popular and most competitive product in China, and was 

used in a wide range of missions. The competition includes 

Airbus Helicopters’ highly successful and proven AS350/H125 

family, with over 5,400 deliveries since first entering service in 

1978. The 407 is competitive against the AS350/H125, but the 

latter has better hot and high performance which is required by 

specific operations or locations in China. Airbus also offers the 

EC120/H120 (out of production) and EC130/H130, but market 

share was comparatively small. 



Single Turbine Civil Helicopter Fleet (In Operation) 

Leonardo (4%) 

MD Helicopters (


others. Airbus’ Medium Twin fleet in China comprised 26 AS365 and 

EC155/H155 helicopters flying law enforcement, offshore support and 

firefighting missions. Some 60% of the Airbus fleet was operated by 

COHC. AVIC had a 15% fleet share (21 helicopters) in the Medium Twin 

category, which comprised various models of the AC312/Z-9 family, 

operating mostly in law enforcement. The 21 Russian KA-32s were 

deployed in forestry and law enforcement roles throughout China. 

and flies a number of missions such as SAR, law enforcement, VIP and 

offshore support. The increased focus on using local products means 

the AC352 will play a vital role in the future China helicopter fleet. It has 

the potential to replace ageing types in the both the Medium Twin and 

Heavy categories, and also develop new opportunities. However, initial 

performance and reliability issues mean that entry into service has been 

pushed back by a few years. 

The new Airbus H160 is now in service and could enter the China market 

in 2024, adding a further new technology option in this category, likely as 

replacements for older generation helicopters such as the AS365/EC155 

and early S-76s. This would leave the H160 and AW139 as the major (in 

production) models in the Medium Twin category in China. 

While the Super Medium Twin category has the smallest fleet amongst 

all categories, it also has the highest potential for growth in the coming 

years. There was just one law enforcement Leonardo AW189 in operation 

in China at the end of 2023. 

The Chinese built AC352 helicopter has achieved certification, although 

first deliveries are not expected until 2026. The AC352 is developed 

from the Airbus Helicopters H175, which entered service in late 2014, 

The Super Medium Bell 525 was launched in 2012 but still yet to be 

certified as at January 2024. If, and when the 525 enters the China 

market, it would be up against the AW189 and AC352/H175, as well as 

the larger of the Medium Twins, especially the H160. 

The existing Heavy fleet of 110 in operation was mainly deployed in 

offshore support and comprised helicopters such as the AS332, EC225 

and S-92. Super Mediums are expected to take an increasing share of the 

offshore support sector. While no significant demand growth is expected, 

the uncertain future of the S-92 and ageing fleet could boost the demand 

for Super Mediums. 

In addition, there were 43 Russian Helicopters Mi-171/Mi-8 and Mi-26 in 

operation in forestry, survey and multi-mission roles. 

OUTLOOK 

Given the nature of China’s helicopter market, its large fleet, the 

restrictions imposed and often fluctuating demand in different 

missions, many of the “in operation” helicopters may fly very 

infrequently. There is, without doubt, much surplus helicopter 

capacity in many missions, especially in the smaller size categories. 

While new government initiatives which could increase utilization of 

helicopters, there are still significant variations between provinces. 

EMS, “light” search & rescue and aerial sightseeing are missions 

being increasingly supported by local governments. Guangdong, 

Anhui, Hainan and Jiangsu are some of the leading provinces to 

support the growth of helicopter usage with new initiatives including 

simplifying operational regulations and offering financial support 

through contract work. Smaller operators, in particular new startups, 

have often struggled to achieve profitability, and any form of 

government support would be highly beneficial. 

In addition to the generally low utilization of helicopters, the fleet 

of almost 100 units in storage is also a concern. The majority of 

the stored fleet are with dealerships and/or large operators, and are 

basically part of the inventory, which highlights the OEMs’ reliance 

on dealers in China. The demise of Kingwing added some 30 Singles 

and Light Twins to the stored fleet, while there were at least 24 

unplaced Bell 407s, 429s and 505s which have been delivered to 

dealers but with no end user. It is unclear whether or when these 

surplus examples will be placed with operators. This is very much 

dependent on additional demand driven by government incentives to 

increase helicopter usage in China. One other threat is the increased 

use of unmanned air vehicles/drones in the commercial sector, 

and demand for smaller helicopters would likely be reduced in the 

next five to ten years, again dependent on government policies and 

regulations, and how successful unmanned operations become. 

Helicopter missions which can be superseded by unmanned vehicles 

include short distance passenger transport, aerial sightseeing, 

agricultural support, as well as inspections and surveys. 

The increased availability of Chinese OEM built helicopters offers 

new opportunities, as the country continues to promote the “Made 

in China” incentive, with less reliance on imported products. While 

some Chinese-built helicopters still lack the performance and 

reliability of proven imported types, local types are expected to take 

an increasingly larger fleet share in the China market. 




LEASED FLEET BY MAJOR LESSORS 

67 

FLEET SIZE (UNITS) 

19 

15 

LESSOR 

MILESTONE 

LCI 

MACQUARIE 

101 TOTAL 1,601 

REPLACEMENT COST (USD$M) 

191 

279 

1,131 

NOTE: “Replacement Cost” figures are based on the assumption that existing helicopters are replaced by the latest versions of their particular OEM variant at 2023 list 

prices. 

This section highlights only the three largest international lessors 

in the Asia-Pacific market: Milestone, LCI, and Macquarie, which 

in 2023 leased helicopters to large operators including CHC and 

Global Vectra. 

LEASED FLEET BY SIZE CATEGORY 

Single 

12 

4 

Light Twin 

Medium Twin 

Super Medium 

Heavey 

Milestone leased 67 helicopters in 2023 to operators in the Asia- 

Pacific region, with a total replacement cost as of December 31, 

2023, of USD USD $1.1 billion. Approximately 67% of Milestone’s 

leased helicopters were Medium Twin helicopters, totaling 45 

helicopters. Medium Twin helicopters are typically utilized for 

offshore related missions in the Asia-Pacific region. In total, 

45 

4 18 

2 

Milestone 

1 

LCI 

12 

3 

Macquarie 

67% of Milestone’s Medium Twin fleet served the offshore 

market. Other missions for this category of helicopters included 

EMS, Multi-Mission and Corporate/Private. Milestone had 12 

heavy helicopters, 11 serving the offshore market and one for 

charter. Leonardo and Sikorsky were the most popular OEMs in 

Milestone’s fleet, both accounting for 36% of its fleet, followed 

LEASED FLEET BY MISSION 

Offshore 

1 

4 

7 

10 

EMS 

Multi-Mission 

SAR 

Charter 

Corporate/Private 

by Airbus with 16% and Bell with 12%. Australia and India are 

Milestone’s largest markets in the Asia-Pacific region. 

All LCI’s helicopters leased in 2023 were Leonardo medium twin 

and super medium helicopters, including the AW139, AW169 and 

45 

Milestone 

4 

8 

7 

LCI 

1 

4 

10 

Macquarie 

AW189 models. The total replacement cost of these 19 helicopters 

as of December 31, 2023, was USD $279 million. The majority of 

LCI’s leased aircraft were based in Australia, which accounted for 

LEASED FLEET BY OEM 

Leonardo 

Sikorsky 

Airbus 

Bell 

58% of its leased fleet in Asia-Pacific. Like LCI, Macquarie’s leased 

fleet served the Offshore, EMS and SAR markets. Australia was 

8 

11 

also a key market for Macquarie, with 40% of its fleet leased there. 

Some 15 helicopters were leased in the region in 2023 with a total 

replacement cost of USD USD $191 million. Seventy three percent 

of Macquarie’s leased fleet was manufactured by Leonardo, with 

24 

24 

19 

1 

3 

11 

the remainder being Airbus and Bell-built. 

Milestone 

LCI 

Macquarie 



MAJOR LESSORS (BASE OF OPERATION) 

101 in Total 

MILESTONE 

LCI 

MACQUARIE 

TOTAL 

% OF TOTAL 

AUSTRALIA 27 11 6 44 44% 

44 

INDIA 20 5 1 26 26% 

26 

THAILAND 4 1 3 8 8% 

INDONESIA 8 8 8% 

MAINLAND CHINA 5 5 5% 

MALAYSIA 2 1 3 3% 

8 

8 

5 

3 

TAIWAN 2 2 2% 

SOUTH KOREA 1 1 2 2% 

NEW ZEALAND 1 1

HELICOPTER OEM OVERVIEW 

AIRBUS 

NET GROWTH 

9 0.5% 

MOST POPULAR 

AS350/H125 

LARGEST FLEET 

Japan 

354 343 309 

252 

100 63 63 46 34 29 22 13 11 10 10 49 

JAPAN 

AUSTRALIA 

NEW ZEALAND 


INDIA 

INDONESIA 

MALAYSIA 

SOUTH KOREA 

PHILIPPINES 


NEPAL 

NEW CALEDONIA 

VIETNAM 

THAILAND 

CAMBODIA 

OTHERS 

TOTAL 

EC120/H120 4 23 19 9 1 7 1 64 

AS350/H125 86 183 187 128 22 19 7 18 12 9 22 9 1 4 14 721 

EC130/H130 10 35 36 9 7 6 14 1 3 2 15 138 

EC135/H135 85 20 38 6 4 6 1 1 2 2 1 2 168 

EC145/H145/ 

BK117 

69 37 44 1 8 11 7 3 15 4 5 204 

EC155/H155 6 1 17 1 4 6 4 1 4 2 46 

AS332/H215 14 1 13 2 3 1 3 1 38 

EC225/H225 19 1 34 5 3 4 66 

H160 1 1 

H175 3 2 7 12 

AS355 17 18 16 3 1 16 1 2 2 1 77 

AS365 42 8 1 3 39 4 3 7 1 1 109 

Bo 105 1 13 4 10 8 5 1 4 46 

Alouette 1 13 2 1 17 

Gazelle 1 1 

TOTAL 354 343 309 252 100 63 63 46 34 29 22 13 11 10 10 49 1,708 



Additions and Deductions -78 Deductions +36 Pre-owned +33 New Deliveries 

BY COUNTRY/ 

REGION 

Australia 

Bhutan 

Cambodia 

Mainland China 

French Polynesia 

India 

Indonesia 

Japan 

Malaysia 

Myanmar 

Nepal 

New Caledonia 

New Zealand 


Philippines 

Singapore 

South Korea 

Thailand 

-7 7 4 

-1 

-2 

-13 11 

-10 

-2 

-1 11 

-1 1 

-3 

-3 

-1 

2 

6 

-1 3 1 

1 

-14 6 

-13 

1 

4 

-6 3 1 

2 

9 

14 

BY MODEL Alouette 

AS332/H215 

AS350/H125 

AS355 

AS365 

Bo 105 

EC120/H120 

EC130/H130 

EC135/H135 

EC145/H145/BK117 

EC155/H155 

EC225/H225 

H175 

-38 

1 

-1 1 1 

-5 1 

-6 

1 

-2 1 

-3 

-5 

4 

-2 4 1 

12 10 

5 

-13 5 11 

-2 3 1 

-1 1 3 

21 

NOTE: Excludes movements between countries/regions in Asia-Pacific 


BELL 


NET GROWTH 

4 0.3% 

MOST POPULAR 

Bell 206 

LARGEST FLEET 

Australia 

438 

220 

132 123 

80 64 51 

21 18 15 8 3 3 3 2 

6 

AUSTRALIA 


NEW ZEALAND 

JAPAN 

INDIA 

INDONESIA 


SOUTH KOREA 

PHILIPPINES 

MALAYSIA 

BANGLADESH 

PAKISTAN 

CAMBODIA 

NEPAL 

THAILAND 

OTHERS 

TOTAL 

Bell 204/205 27 10 3 40 

Bell 206 277 41 106 19 13 13 8 10 2 10 2 1 1 503 

Bell 209 1 1 

Bell 212 14 1 1 1 4 14 1 36 

Bell 214 23 2 5 1 31 

Bell 222/230 3 2 2 3 1 1 1 13 

Bell 407 22 122 7 21 13 20 2 4 2 4 1 2 220 

Bell 412 41 9 47 29 20 2 1 1 1 2 1 154 

Bell 427 4 1 3 6 2 2 1 1 20 

Bell 429 12 18 7 9 10 6 6 2 1 71 

Bell 430 9 1 1 1 2 1 15 

Bell 505 14 28 3 22 2 5 3 2 2 1 1 83 

TOTAL 438 220 132 123 80 64 51 21 18 15 8 3 3 3 2 6 1,187 


BY COUNTRY/ 

REGION 

Australia 


India 

Indonesia 

Japan 

Malaysia 

Nepal 

New Zealand 

Papua 

New Guinea 

Philippines 

Singapore 

Vietnam 

-4 9 2 

-6 1 3 

-3 2 

-3 

5 

-6 1 2 

1 

1 

-3 

9 

-2 2 

-5 

-1 

-1 

BY MODEL 

Bell 204/205 

Bell 206 

Bell 212 

Bell 214 

Bell 222/230 

Bell 407 

Bell 412 

Bell 429 

Bell 430 

Bell 505 

-8 

-8 

-1 2 

9 

-1 

-2 2 

-1 1 

3 3 

-3 5 2 

-3 3 1 

-3 1 

-4 3 3 




LEONARDO 

NET GROWTH 

6 1.3% 

MOST POPULAR 

AW139 

LARGEST FLEET 

Japan 

142 

95 

48 

47 

35 

25 18 12 12 8 5 3 2 2 2 

6 

JAPAN 

AUSTRALIA 


INDIA 

MALAYSIA 

SOUTH KOREA 

INDONESIA 

NEW ZEALAND 

THAILAND 

PHILIPPINES 

VIETNAM 

BANGLADESH 

MACAU 

TAIWAN 

PAKISTAN 

OTHERS 

TOTAL 

AW109 64 20 14 29 2 5 3 3 4 1 1 1 147 

AW119 1 7 9 4 4 1 1 2 29 

AW139 68 63 19 9 28 12 8 3 11 3 2 1 5 232 

AW169 6 1 1 5 6 3 2 1 2 27 

AW189 3 2 5 1 5 16 

Scout AH.1 2 2 4 

SW-4 5 1 6 

Wessex 1 1 

TOTAL 142 95 48 47 35 25 18 12 12 8 5 3 2 2 2 6 462 


BY COUNTRY/ 

REGION 

Australia 

Cambodia 


India 

Japan 

Macau 

Malaysia 

Myanmar 

New Zealand 

Philippines 

Vietnam 

-10 

-2 4 

-2 

3 

-1 1 

-2 5 

-2 

-2 2 

-1 

2 

-4 

1 

2 BY MODEL 

AW109 

AW119 

AW139 

AW169 

-8 

-7 

-10 

2 

3 

3 

1 

AW189 

Wessex 

-1 1 

1 

3 

6 



SIKORSKY 


NET GROWTH 

5 2.5% 

MOST POPULAR 

S-76 

LARGEST FLEET 

South Korea 

57 

47 

28 28 

10 10 7 6 5 5 

SOUTH KOREA 


AUSTRALIA 

JAPAN 

INDIA 

INDONESIA 

MALAYSIA 

NEW ZEALAND 

THAILAND 

BRUNEI 

TOTAL 

330/S-333 1 2 1 1 5 

S-58 6 6 

S-61 8 8 

S-64 7 7 

S-70 2 1 1 4 

S-76 35 30 5 27 9 10 7 4 5 132 

S-92 1 16 19 1 4 41 

TOTAL 57 47 28 28 10 10 7 6 5 5 203 


BY COUNTRY/ Australia 

REGION 

Brunei 

Japan 

Myanmar 

New Zealand 


South Korea 

1 

1 

-1 1 2 

-1 

-3 

-1 

-2 8 

BY MODEL 

S-58 

S-61 

S-64 

S-76 

S-92 

-6 

-1 

-1 

1 

3 

3 

4 2 



MD 

NET GROWTH 

4 2.1% 

MOST POPULAR 

MD 500 

LARGEST FLEET 

New Zealand 

107 

40 

16 

12 

6 3 3 2 1 

NEW ZEALAND 

PHILIPPINES 

AUSTRALIA 

JAPAN 

HONG KONG 


INDONESIA 

INDIA 

NEW CALEDONIA 

TOTAL 

MD 500 101 38 15 3 2 1 3 1 164 

MD 600 5 1 1 1 1 9 

MD Explorer 1 1 8 4 1 2 17 

TOTAL 107 40 16 12 6 3 3 2 1 190 

Additions and Deductions +18 Deductions +14 Pre-owned - New Deliveries 

BY COUNTRY/ 

REGION 

Japan 

New Zealand 

Philippines 

South Korea 

Vanuatu 

-12 

-2 

-2 

-1 

-1 

3 

11 

BY MODEL 

MD 500 

MD Explorer 

-15 

-3 

14 




NET GROWTH 

6 4.1% 

MOST POPULAR 

Mi-8/17/171 

LARGEST FLEET 


59 

49 

11 8 5 5 4 4 3 2 

1 1 


SOUTH KOREA 

VIETNAM 

INDIA 


INDONESIA 

NEPAL 

MONGOLIA 

SRI LANKA 

NEW ZEALAND 

JAPAN 

LAOS 

TOTAL 

KA-32 16 43 2 1 62 

Mi-2 6 6 

Mi-26 4 4 

Mi-34 2 2 

Mi-8/17/171 39 11 8 5 3 4 4 3 1 78 

TOTAL 59 49 11 8 5 5 4 4 3 2 1 1 152 

Additions and Deductions -3 Deductions +9 Pre-owned - New Deliveries 

BY COUNTRY/ 

REGION 


Indonesia 

New Zealand 


South Korea 

-1 

1 

-1 1 

-1 1 

2 

4 BY MODEL 

KA-32 

Mi-2 

Mi-34 

Mi-8/17/171 

-1 

-1 

-1 

1 

2 

6 



ROBINSON 

NET GROWTH 

0 0.0% 

MOST POPULAR 

R66 

LARGEST FLEET 

Australia 

46 

25 

17 

13 

8 5 5 4 3 3 

7 

AUSTRALIA 


JAPAN 

BANGLADESH 

PHILIPPINES 

NEW ZEALAND 

INDONESIA 

NEPAL 

INDIA 

MALAYSIA 

OTHERS 

TOTAL 

R66 46 25 17 13 8 5 5 4 3 3 7 136 

TOTAL 46 25 17 13 8 5 5 4 3 3 7 136 


BY COUNTRY/ 

REGION 

Australia 

Japan 

Mongolia 

New Zealand 

Philippines 

-2 1 

-1 

-1 

1 

1 

-6 1 3 

3 BY MODEL 

R66 

-10 3 7 



AVIC 


NET GROWTH 

0 0.0% 

MOST POPULAR 

AC311/Z-11 

LARGEST FLEET 



TOTAL 

AC313/Z-8 4 4 

AC312/Z-9 3 3 

AC311/Z-11 21 21 

GRAND TOTAL 28 28 

ENSTROM 

NET GROWTH 

1 3.8% 

MOST POPULAR 

EN480 

LARGEST FLEET 


22 

2 2 1 


AUSTRALIA 

SOUTH KOREA 

NEW ZEALAND 

TOTAL 

EN480 22 2 2 1 27 

TOTAL 22 2 2 1 27 

Additions and Deductions - Deductions +1 Pre-owned - New Deliveries 

BY COUNTRY/ 

REGION 

Australia 

1 BY MODEL 

EN480 

1 




In 2023, a total of 4,130 helicopters were powered by 6,050 engines in Asia-Pacific, which was an increase of just 

0.2% over 2022. The top three Engine OEMs, Safran, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce, had a combined total of 5,258 

engines, accounting for 87% of the market. 

ENGINE OEM MARKET SHARE 

Safran was the leading engine OEM in the Asia-Pacific 

region, with a 37% share of the market. Its most popular 

engine, the Arriel, powers popular models such as the 

Honeywell 296 (5%) 

Klimov 302 (5%) 

GE 168 (3%) 

Others 26 (


Pratt & Whitney, which had the second largest market share in Asia- 

Pacific, ended 2023 with 1,661 engines on 844 helicopters. Its most 

popular PT6 engine provided 921 engines for Medium helicopters 

from multiple OEMs such as Leonardo and Bell, with the PW200 

engine providing 600 engines for 300 Light Twin helicopters. 

Rolls-Royce supplied 1,361 engines to 1,220 helicopters in the 

Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2023. Nearly 80% of these engines 

powered Single engine helicopters, with 230 of the other 20% 

powering Light Twin helicopters and 50 powering Medium Twin. 

Safran’s Arriel series was the most popular helicopter engine in the 

Asia-Pacific region, with 1,458 engines on 1,127 helicopters. This 

was followed by Rolls-Royce’s Allison 250, which provided power 

to 1,221 helicopters with 1,221 engines, and Pratt & Whitney’s most 

popular PT6, being the third popular engine in the APAC region, with 

921 engines serving 474 helicopters. 

The Asia-Pacific engine market grew by a mere 0.2% in 2023, far 

below the 1.4% growth in 2022. Of the six major engine OEMs, only 

Pratt & Whitney has seen two consecutive years of growth in both 

total unit count and market share. Klimov and GE both increased 

their number of engines in two years, while Rolls-Royce experienced 

a decrease in its number of engines in 2023, whilst Saffran’s engine 

count remained the same in both years. The engine OEM with the 

biggest decrease in market share was Honeywell, with the total 

number of its engines in the Asia-Pacific region decreasing from 311 

to 296 between the end of 2021 and the end of 2023. 



EVTOL OEMS 

IN ASIA-PACIFIC 

EVTOL DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA-PACIFIC CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE, 

WITH MAINLAND CHINA EXPEDITING MODEL CERTIFICATIONS. 

2023 proved to be a remarkable year, not only hastening the recovery of civil aviation and the business aviation 

industries but also seeing the continued focus among manufacturers in the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) sector. 

In Asia-Pacific, manufacturers from mainland China are escalating their activities, notably by intensifying 

collaborations with the government and securing varying numbers of orders. Major AAM manufacturers in the 

region are also actively progressing with flight tests of prototypes, gathering data to prepare for future mass 

production and deliveries. 

In this section we take a look at the major AAM manufacturers in Asia-Pacific to see how far along they are in 

their plans to bring their AAM aircraft to market. 




AEROFUGIA 

AeroFugia is part of Geely Technology Group’s innovative general 

aviation strategy. Its AE200 eVTOL has been designed to have a 

similar layout to a commercial aircraft and will typically seat four 

passengers and one pilot. It features large windows, providing 

passengers with a panoramic aerial view. 

AeroFugia primarily focused on the validation of critical aircraft 

technologies through flight tests during 2023, with flight safety data 

accumulated during this period used to facilitate the smooth process 

of obtaining the airworthiness certificate. On January 17, 2023, its 

AE200 X01 prototype successfully conducted its maiden flight. 

During the 2023 International E-Flight Forum (Kunshan) at the end of 

November 2023, AeroFugia released its latest model configuration 

named the AE200Y. Building upon the “Eight-Axis Quad Tilt”, the 

company further clarified the airworthiness model configuration 

will be “Eight-Axis Inner Quad Tilt” power layout. The company 

stated that the prototype of the newly released configuration has 

been assembled, and ongoing flight and performance testing are 

underway, aiming to enter the commercial market as soon as 

possible. The company stated that the aircraft model is expected to 

obtain its airworthiness certificate within three to five years. 

By June 2023, AeroFugia had successfully completed its Series A 

financing, accumulating an investment of over USD $13.89 million. 

Subsequently in July, it successfully signed an agreement with Sino 

Jet for 100 AE200 aircraft. 



AutoFlight 

Headquartered in Shanghai, AutoFlight has established research 

and certification centers in Germany, operational and testing 

centers in the United States, a composite material factory in 

Shandong, China, and a manufacturing plant in Jiangsu, China. 

In February 2023, AutoFlight’s Prosperity I eVTOL flew for 250.3 

kilometers in a single-flight, and in doing so set a global record 

for 2-ton-class eVTOLs. This flight record demonstrated that the 

Prosperity I can cruise at a speed of 200 km/h for 250 kilometers, 

laying the foundation for subsequent certification work with the 

European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Civil 

Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Meanwhile, AutoFlight’s 

other self-developed cargo eVTOL, the V2000CG (Carryall), is 

actively conducting validation test flights in various locations, 

with the company collaborating closely with CAAC to obtain its 

airworthiness certificate as soon as possible. 

In the second half of the year, AutoFlight continued expanded its 

presence in the mainland market, with Heli-Eastern announcing in 

September its purchase of 100 Prosperity I aircraft. In December 

2023, AutoFlight stated that two-thirds of the airworthiness 

verification for the V2000CG had been completed. 

In addition, AutoFlight announced a procurement contract with 

EVFLY in March 2023, which should see the operator acquire a total 

of 205 Prosperity I passenger aircraft and Carryall cargo aircraft. 



EHang 

EHang achieved several significant milestones in the second half of 

2023. In August, the company announced the successful completion 

of the final stage test flights for compliance certification and validation 

for the EH216-S. While continuing to expand its collaborations, EHang 

commenced deliveries of its eVTOL aircraft to customers. In September, 

the company delivered five EH216-S eVTOLs to Boling Holding Group 

in Shenzhen. Boling Holdings Group is a comprehensive integrated 

company with business operations spanning various fields, including 

cultural tourism, research and development of smart city technologies. 

To date the company has taken delivery of five EH216-S aircraft from an 

order of 100. 

During October, EHang announced that its EH216-S unmanned 

eVTOL had obtained its Type Certificate (TC) from the Civil Aviation 

Administration of China (CAAC). This certification signifies that the 

EH216-S meets the safety standards and airworthiness requirements of 

the CAAC, qualifying it for unmanned commercial operations. However, 

the TC does have some limitations, with the CAAC later publishing the 

limitations in an accompanying Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS). 

These limitations include a maximum level flight speed of 90 km/h, 

maximum takeoff weight of 620 kg, maximum flight altitude of 120 

meters above ground level (AGL), and operational temperature limits of 

5°C to 40°C. Additionally, operational restrictions include the EH216-S 

operating in certain unstable weather conditions, operation only in 

airspace with low population density, operation within visual line of sight 

of the remote crew only, prohibition of waterborne operations, and that 

the aircraft can only operate in daylight. 

With the issuance of the type certificate, EH216-S has already received 

numerous orders, from domestic organizations operators including the 

Hefei Government, and international operators including Wings Logistics, 

both of which signed purchase orders with EHang. The first aircraft 

airworthiness certificated EH216-S was delivered to ETON Technology 

in Guangzhou in December. ETON is an aviation intelligent technology 

enterprise under the Guangzhou Development District Communications 

Investment Group. Meanwhile, EHang announced its expansion into the 

UAE market, by signing a purchase agreement with Wings Logistics Hub, 

a company that specializes in smart mobility and logistics tech company 

under EIH Ethmar International Holding. The plan is to purchase 100 

units of the EH216 series eVTOL. 



TCab Tech 

TCab Tech accelerated its financing efforts in 2023, successfully 

completing a pre-Series A financing round of USD $13.89 million 

in February and securing a credit line of USD $139 million from 

the Bank of China in May. Supported by substantial funding, the 

company unveiled its E20 eVTOL prototype in June 2023. The 

E20 is a long-range passenger tilted eVTOL aircraft, featuring a 

fuselage made of carbon fiber composite material, which is known 

for its high strength and low weight. The aircraft’s designed 

cruising speed is 260 km/h, with a range of up to 200 km. It can 

accommodate one pilot and four passengers. In October, TCab 

announced that the prototype had successfully completed its 

maiden test flight and that the company had already applied for 

the aircraft’s Type Certificate. 

more development opportunities and held a strategic cooperation 

and signing ceremony with Heli-Eastern in Shenzhen in November. 

Heli-Eastern is a public transport aviation company located in 

Shenzhen. Its services include emergency rescue, business travel, 

and aerial tours. This also marked the first customer of TCab in 

the Greater Bay Area. 

In February 2023, Asian Express Aviation Group, a diversified 

aviation industry company in China, which currently operates 

more than thirty Pilatus aircraft, signed a purchase agreement 

with TCab for 50 E20 aircraft. TCab has been actively seeking 

Vertaxi 

Vertaxi is an eVTOL developer established in Zhuhai in 2021, 

although its research and development center, aircraft test field, 

and assembly factory are in Shanghai. 

maintenance equipment and training services in a deal worth 

around USD $32 million . 

Since the release of its Martrix 1 in March 2023, Vertaxi has 

received positive reviews in the market, especially since the M1 

completed its first test flight in October 2023. The company also 

secured several orders within the year. In September, it announced 

an intended order worth approximately USD $25 million . Then, in 

November, Longhao Aviation Industry Investment, a company in 

Guangzhou engaged in airport investment, cargo, general aviation 

operation and related activities, expressed its intention to purchase 

15 M1 eVTOLs, five M1H hybrid-powered eVTOLs, along with some 



Volant Aerotech 

Volant achieved significant success during the year by securing 

orders for over 200 aircraft, including an order from Asian 

Express Aviation, which signed an agreement to purchase 118 

VE25s in July. The company also obtained a credit line of USD 

$139 million from China Merchants Bank to support its business 

development. The VE25 utilizes a Lift + Cruise design, capable 

of carrying five passengers and one pilot, and can be used for 

passenger transportation, medical rescue, and cargo delivery 

missions. The company conducted the maiden flight of its VE25 

X1 demonstrator in January 2023, although this first flight 

was tethered. Over the year, the company carried out multiple 

verification test flights of the demonstrator. 



XPENG AEROHT 

Xpeng AeroHT was established in Guangzhou in 2020 as a 

subsidiary of Xpeng Motors. Xpeng AeroHT’s highlight of the year 

was the release of its “Land Aircraft Carrier” modular flying car. The 

modular flying car consists of two parts: the land module, a smart 

driving cabin for four to five people with range-extension design 

capable of recharging the flying module multiple times. The flying 

module is a purely electric piloted eVTOL capable of vertical takeoff 

and low-altitude flight. It is primarily used for comprehensive 

management in transportation sectors such as roads and 

waterways. The product gained significant industry attention 

upon its release and in December, Nanhu Research Institute for 

Future Transportation signed an agreement with Xpeng HT for the 

purchase of 100 of the “Land Aircraft Carrier” modular flying car. 

model obtained a special flight permit on December 20th, but 

the company mentioned that this verification model is not the 

final configuration. 

Early in 2023 Xpeng’s AeroHT’s Voyage X2 obtained a manned 

eVTOL special flight permit. Subsequently, the X2 conducted 

different flight tests in various regions of mainland China, including 

crossing the Yellow River and flying across the Xiangjiang 

River. Simultaneously, Xpeng actively collaborated with local 

governments in China, aiming to use the aircraft in various 

applications. The company previously stated that it plans to start 

mass production of the Voyager X2 eVTOL in 2024. 

In addition, Xpeng AeroHT’s full-tilt technology development 

successfully completed a phase of experiments in December. 

Unlike the Voyage X2 multi-rotor technology, the tilt-rotor 

technology represents a new development direction for Xpeng 

AeroHT in the future. The tilt-rotor technology verification 



ZEROG 

ZeroG is headquartered in Hefei. ZG-ONE is a small eVTOL designed 

for only one pilot and one passenger, and can fly up to 30 km. In 

2023, ZeroG completed two rounds of financing, in June and August 

respectively, with each round raising nearly USD $13.89 million, 

which the company says will allow it continue sustained research 

and development in the AAM field. In October, the assembly of its 

first-generation multi-copter eVTOL aircraft, ZG-ONE, was completed, 

and it successfully underwent a test flight. At the same time, ZeroG 

signed purchase agreements for the ZG-ONE model with several 

eVTOL operators, including Nanjing Changrun Transportation 

Technology, a company specializing in the research and development 

of intelligent transportation devices. Over the next five years, it 

plans to purchase more than 230 ZG-ONEs. The company is actively 

collaborating with the Civil Aviation Administration of China to 

expedite its eVTOL model airworthiness certification. 

Australia 

AMSL Aero 

AMSL Aero is an aerospace company based in New South Wales, 

Australia, with flight test facilities in Wellington, NSW. Its VERTIIA 

is a vectored thrust eVTOL. The standard model is designed to 

accommodate five passengers, with a cruising speed of 300 km/h 

and a range of up to 250 km. The production model is expected 

to be primarily used for passenger transportation, military, rescue, 

and emergency medical purposes. This also marks the first 

eVTOL produced in Australia. In February 2023, it successfully 

conducted a tethered hover maiden flight with a full-scale prototype. 

Subsequently, multiple prototype test flights were conducted, with 

plans to enter mass production in 2026. 



Japan 

SkyDrive 

SkyDrive is a Japanese Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) manufacturer 

established in 2018. In the first half of 2023, the company disclosed 

that its cumulative financing had exceeded USD $99 million. Since 

unveiling its SD-05 eVTOL in September 2022, SkyDrive has been 

focused on business-to-business sales development. In 2023, it 

strengthened global collaborations, expanding not only focus on its 

home Japanese market but also entering the low-altitude aircraft 

markets in the United States, India and the United Arab Emirates. 

few MoUs with different local Japanese government agencies in 

order to support regional revitalization. 

Within 2023, SkyDrive’s SD-05 received multiple orders from around 

the world, including ten confirmed pre-orders and 90 conditional 

purchase options from the Vietnamese developer Pacific Group, 

an order of 100 units from CT UAV, a Vietnamese unmanned aerial 

vehicle (UAV) developer, 50 units from Korean aircraft leasing 

company Solyu, pre-orders of SD-05 eVTOLs from TAIHO, an AAM 

council member in Shikoku region and an aerial tourism company, 

MASC General Incorporated Association. SkyDrive also signed a 

South Korea 

Korea Aerospace Research Institute 

Established in 1989 and funded by the Korean government, the 

Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) developed its OPPAV, 

a single seat vectored thrust eVTOL, although it is planning to 

release a five seat model in the future. In November 2023, KARI 

flew its OPPAV single seat 100% eVTOL prototype for the first time 

to the public. OPPAV’s designed cruising speed is 110 km/h, with 

endurance lasting approximately 30 minutes. The South Korean 

government has placed significant importance on the development 

and research of this eVTOL, having funded a portion of the research 

and development expenses. 


APPENDIX 

APPENDIX 

SUBREGION BREAKDOWN 

EAST ASIA 

GREATER CHINA 

OCEANIA 

SOUTH ASIA 

SOUTHEAST ASIA 

Japan 

Mongolia 

South Korea 


Hong Kong 

Macau 

Taiwan 

Australia 

Fiji 

French Polynesia 

New Caledonia 

New Zealand 


Solomon Islands 

Vanuatu 

Bangladesh 

Bhutan 

India 

Nepal 

Pakistan 

Sri Lanka 

Brunei 

Cambodia 

Indonesia 

Laos 

Malaysia 

Myanmar 

Philippines 

Singapore 

Thailand 

Vietnam 

MISSION CATEGORIES 

In this report, mission categories include: 

• Multi-Mission 

• Offshore 

• Search and Rescue (SAR) 

• Emergency Medical Service (EMS) 

• Law Enforcement 

• Training 

• Corporate/Private 

• Charter 

The largest mission category is broadly defined as 

Multi-Mission. Most helicopters in this category are 

active in more than one mission and can be configured 

to perform various tasks. This includes a number of 

subcategories: 

• Onshore Oil & Gas and Mining (distinct from offshore) 

• Cargo Lifting 

• Forestry (surveying, logging and protection) 

• Firefighting 

• Aerial Photography 

• Aerial Tours 

• Agriculture and Pest Control 

• Powerline Repair and Survey 

• Media Industry 

Offshore missions include: 

• Offshore Oil & Gas 

• Offshore Wind Farm 

• Marine Pilot Transfer 

SIZE CATEGORIES 

SINGLE 

LIGHT TWIN 

Alouette 

AS350/H125 

EC120/H120 

EC130/H130 

Gazelle 

AC311/Z-11 

Bell 204/205 

Bell 206 

Bell 209 

Bell 407 

Bell 505 

Helicycle 

EN480 

FH-1100 

K-Max 

AW119 

Scout AH.1 

SW-4 

MD 500 

MD 600 

Mosquito 

XET 

R66 

JETEXEC 

Mi-34 

330/S-333 

S-58 

AS355 

Bo 105 

EC135/H135 

EC145/H145/ 

BK117 

Bell 222/230 

Bell 427 

Bell 429 

AW109 

MD Explorer 

MEDIUM TWIN 

SUPER MEDIUM 

HEAVY 

AS365 

EC155/H155 

H160 

AC312/Z-9 

Bell 212 

Bell 214 

Bell 412 

Bell 430 

DHRUV 

AW139 

AW169 

KA-32 

Mi-2 

S-70 

S-76 

H175 

AW189 

AS332/H215 

EC225/H225 

AC313/Z-8 

Wessex 

Mi-26 

Mi-8/17/171 

S-61 

S-64 

S-92 


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50 | YE 2023 ASIA-PACIFIC CIVIL HELICOPTER FLEET REPORT 

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Helicopter Fleet Report YE 2023

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