The Health Commission of Qingdao in China's Shandong Province has taken delivery of an H135 helicopter, the first of a hundred to be delivered to China following a framework agreement signed in June 2016.

The H135 was delivered in HEMS configuration, fully equipped with the latest medical interior, and will perform life-saving EMS missions in Qingdao and the surrounding area. It is the first H135 to be delivered to China with Airbus' latest generation Helionix avionics suite, which is designed to increase safety and decrease pilot workload.

At the ceremony, United General Aviation Industrial Development Co Ltd (UGA), the Airbus Helicopters distributor in China, signed a contract with Eastern General Aviation Company for two H135s. UGA has also previously secured a framework agreement with Qingdao Huatong Financial Leasing Co Ltd for six H135s.

The first five H135s of the order for 100, including the one delivered today, are being assembled in Donauwörth, Germany, where Chinese manufacturing employees have been receiving on-the-job training from their German counterparts since April 2018. The remaining 95 will be assembled in Qingdao on the H135 final assembly line which broke ground in 2017. The construction of the assembly line will be completed by the end of 2018 and will enter into operation on schedule in early 2019.

"This delivery represents the first of many milestones supporting our commitment to serving the Chinese market with H135s made in Qingdao," says Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. "We are proud of our ambitious 50-year partnership with China and cannot imagine a better way to kick off our next 50 years together."

As of August 2018, there were approximately 280 Airbus Helicopters flying in China serving 75 customers.