The second European Rotors show has ended in Cologne, Germany following four lively days of business deals, networking, training and reconnecting with colleagues. The European Helicopter Association (EHA) and EASA produced the VTOL show and safety conference with service and support from Helicopter Association International (HAI).

Four thousand exhibitors and attendees came to the event, which featured a show floor with more than 210 exhibitors, 15 helicopters and numerous displays of advanced air mobility (AAM) and remotely piloted or autonomous aircraft. In every way, the 2022 show demonstrated growth over the 2021 event.

“By every standard we have, this show was a success,” says EHA chairman Christian Müller. “Our exhibitors and attendees are providing really positive feedback, and we are pleased to see that they are very happy with the platform we provided them. The show also benefited tremendously from the input of our steering committee, which included representatives from Airbus, Bell, Leonardo and Safran.”

European Rotors 2023 will be held in Madrid, Spain, 28-30 November.

“We are excited to take this event to Madrid,” says Müller. “Our show promotes the rotorcraft industry throughout Europe, where our exhibitors can support each other regionally. We look forward to visiting other countries in the future as well.”

Exhibitors at this year's show were able to book space for the 2023 Madrid show, and the sales staff reported significant interest.

"Reservations have significantly exceeded where we were at the close of last year's show,” says show director Dr Frank Liemandt. “Our goal was to produce an event that connected attendees with the exhibitors who have the aircraft, parts, tools and services they need to support their businesses. The feedback we received from exhibitors was extremely positive, and we were told the quality of the meetings and conversations also exceeded expectations. We think we helped our exhibitors meet the goals they set for this event, and next year's show looks like it will be larger and even more successful.”

There were a number of training and educational events, including a Rotor Safety Zone featuring a Robinson R44 and ESPN-R hoist demonstrations.

“We also held Rotorthon, which was an education event for students to work on industry challenges,” adds Liemandt. “We are pleased to announce that Team Student Airrace TU from Munich, Germany won the on-site competition, and Team Zc blade from Zewall City University of Egypt won the online challenge. European Rotors provides an excellent opportunity to introduce the next generation to our vibrant, growing industry.”

A career fair on the second day of the show connected jobseekers with potential employers. The event also included a visit by Cologne-area students, who were introduced to the vast variety of careers in the vertical aviation industry.