Aerospace
Airbus and Korea Aerospace Industries deliver first Light Civil Helicopter
Airbus and Korea Aerospace Industries deliver first Light Civil Helicopter
Following certification in September of this year, Airbus Helicopters and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have now given the first Light Civil Helicopter (LCH) to a local operator, Gloria Aviation. This helicopter, which will be used to support vital life-saving operations in Jeju, will go into service in December this year in an emergency medical services configuration.
This key milestone came on the back of a successful industrial partnership which started in 2015 when the two companies jointly collaborated on the LCH and Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) development programmes.
In July 2019, the LAH prototype successfully completed its first flight, and it will soon be certified. The Republic of Korea Army will be able to purchase the helicopter in serial form after this successful qualification, which Airbus and KAI will jointly begin by the end of 2022.
Airbus and KAI are preparing future cooperative development programmes on the foundation of the successful completion of the LAH development. In addition to utilizing KAI’s well-established local industrialization capabilities in the nation, these helicopter programmes will make use of Airbus’ technical competence in the areas of helicopter propulsion systems and flight control systems.
The two firms originally began their extensive industrial collaboration in 2006 when they collaborated on the Korean Utility Helicopter and LCH/LAH development programmes. The LCH/LAH are next-generation 5-tonne class helicopters that were created to satisfy Korean requirements for local deployment in both the civil and military sectors.
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With additional orders for future deliveries, the two parties’ long-lasting collaboration has also resulted in the supply of approximately 250 kits to KAI.
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