500 H125 helicopters planned from Vemagal over 20 years: MB Patil

BENGALURU/VEMAGAL: Karnataka will see the production of 500 H125 light helicopters over the next two decades at India’s first private-sector helicopter final assembly line (FAL), industries minister MB Patil said Tuesday.

He spoke after attending the inauguration of the facility set up by Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited at Vemagal.

Stating that 17 acres for the facility had been allotted soon after he took charge as industries minister, Patil said the plant was completed in about 18 months. He attributed this to faster clearances, coordination between departments and infrastructure support extended by the State.




Karnataka has now become home to the fourth global FAL for the H125 helicopter, after facilities in France, the US and Brazil. Alongside the assembly line, a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility has also been established.

The unit will begin by producing 10 helicopters a year and gradually scale up to manufacture 500 aircraft over 20 years. The plant will handle integration of avionics, hydraulic systems, engines, fuel systems and other components. Patil said the State secured the project amid competition from Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

Airbus holds around 80% of the global single-engine helicopter market. Nearly 4,300 H125 helicopters are in service worldwide, logging more than 38 million flying hours.

The minister said the project would deepen Karnataka’s aerospace base, create opportunities for MSMEs and generate skilled jobs. He added that the State would continue to work with the Centre to expand advanced manufacturing and aviation capabilities.

He said it is a pride moment for him as the new facility is the first of its kind to be certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. The shared vision of India and France has resulted in the setting up of the Airbus H125 facility Final Assembly line in Vemagal which can pave the way for economic growth in the region.

Civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said it was a matter of pride that the new facility is the first of its kind to be certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. “The shared vision of India and France has resulted in the setting up of the facility, which can pave the way for economic growth in the region,” he said.