Airbus to set up a Centre of Excellence for H215 helicopters production in Romania

Airbus Helicopters, the helicopter manufacturing division of French giant Airbus Group, will open a Centre of Excellence in Romania for H215 Puma helicopters production, Olivier Michalon, Senior Vice President – Head of Europe Region at Airbus Helicopters announced during a meeting on Tuesday at Victoria Palace with Romanian Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu, capital.ro informs.

This comes after Airbus inaugurated in September 2016 a helicopter plant in Ghimbav, Brasov County (central Romania), an important investment for the aeronautic industry in Romania and in France, at which French President Francois Hollande attended.

In this context, Olivier Michalon stressed the excellent relations that the group has for 40 years with Romania and said that factory in Ghimbav creates a new opportunity – to start a true industrial cycle by manufacturing civil and military H215 aircraft.

Airbus Helicopters presence on domestic market will have a positive impact on the trade balance by adding an exports volume of almost 80 percent of company’s turnover.

The new plant in Ghimbav will host the production of H215, a twin-engine and versatile helicopter, which provides advanced avionics in a reliable and sturdy platform capable of performing a wide range of missions. It offers long-range capabilities, power, speed, an excellent useful payload as well as an availability rate of more than 95 percent.

10,000 square meters factory is already completed and the equipment and machinery necessary for H215 production and assembly are being installed. The plant will have 350 employees when it reaches full production capacity.

First experts have received specialized training at the Airbus Helicopters factory in Marignane, France. Also, Airbus is involved in preparing the next generation of aeronautics professionals through a partnership with the Technical College Brasov, Transilvania University.