Airbus Appoints Eric Kirstetter as Executive Vice President Strategy
Airbus announced that Eric Kirstetter will become Executive Vice President of Strategy on 18 May, taking over from Matthieu Louvot, who is moving to head Airbus Helicopters as CEO. Kirstetter joins from Roland Berger after a 17‑year consulting career at Arthur D. Little, where he advised aerospace, defence and automotive clients. He holds a mechanical‑engineering degree from ISAE‑Supméca and a master’s in international industrial management from HEC Paris. Reporting to CEO Guillaume Faury, he will steer Airbus’s long‑term roadmap amid rapid industry change.
Flexrotor: Nightwatch for the "Three Ds"
Precision Helicopters, an Oregon‑based fire‑suppression operator, has integrated the Flexrotor VTOL drone into its federal, long‑duration aerial mapping contract. The drone conducts night‑time perimeter flights, delivering real‑time video and infrared data that identify fire growth and hidden hot spots. By...
Call Sign Airbus: How to Train a Flight Test Crew?
Airbus has operated its own Flight Test School in Toulouse since 1997, graduating pilots and engineers who conduct acceptance and development flights for new aircraft. The 2026 cohort includes astronaut Thomas Pesquet and engineer Andrea Grande, illustrating the program’s elite status. Training...
Airbus Delivers First A321XLR for Air Canada
Airbus delivered the first of 30 A321XLR jets to Air Canada on April 24, 2026, marking the carrier’s entry into the ultra‑long‑range narrow‑body market. The aircraft, leased from SMBC Aviation Capital, features a two‑cabin layout with 14 Signature Class flat...
Airbus Advances Delta Air Lines Fleet Performance with Descent Profile Optimisation Deployment
Airbus has deployed its Descent Profile Optimisation (DPO) across Delta Air Lines’ Airbus fleet, covering 270 aircraft—including A319, A320, A321 and A330 types. The rollout, completed over the past 24 months, is the largest mixed‑fleet retrofit of DPO to date...
Airbus to Upgrade JetBlue A320 Fleet with Advanced Cockpit Displays
Airbus has signed a deal with JetBlue to retrofit 46 A320 aircraft with the Enhanced Electronic Instrument System (EEIS2) cockpit displays. The Thales‑built, high‑resolution LCD units replace legacy panels, delivering clearer visual data and a foundation for future avionics upgrades....
Airbus Highlights Growth of North America Services Market, with Digital Solutions Leading Next Wave of Aviation Transformation
Airbus projects the North American aviation services market to expand from about $38 billion in 2025 to $54.4 billion by 2044. Digital and connectivity services are expected to be the fastest‑growing segment, more than doubling to $4.5 billion over the same period. The...
JetBlue Signs for Skywise Fleet Performance+ Solution
JetBlue has signed a multi‑year agreement with Airbus’ Skywise to deploy the Skywise Fleet Performance+ solution across its A320 Family and growing A220 fleet. The platform provides real‑time health monitoring, predictive analytics, and accelerated troubleshooting to boost aircraft availability and...
Airbus Strengthens Sovereign Cyber Security with Acquisition of Quarkslab in France
Airbus announced an agreement to acquire French cyber‑security firm Quarkslab, a company of about 100 engineers based in Paris and Rennes. The purchase, pending regulatory clearance, is part of Airbus Defence and Space’s push to build a sovereign cyber portfolio...
Airbus and JDE Peet’s Team up for Worldwide Coffee Plantation Mapping with Satellites
Airbus Defence and Space has been chosen as technical partner for the Coffee Canopy Partnership, a JDE Peet’s‑led effort to create the first open, satellite‑based map of coffee plantations worldwide. Using 50 cm Pléiades and 30 cm Pléiades Neo imagery combined with Airbus AI...
TCI Aircraft Interiors to Become New HBCplus Provider Following Collaboration with Airbus
Airbus and Turkish cabin specialist TCI Aircraft Interiors signed an MOU to add TCI as a Managed Service Provider for Airbus' HBCplus satellite connectivity platform. The agreement will initially deliver a proposal for Turkish Airlines' Airbus fleet, integrating TCI into...
Airspace U Suite: Redefining Accessible Air Travel for Everyone
Airbus unveiled the Airspace U Suite, a cabin concept that lets passengers with reduced mobility remain in their own powered wheelchair, secured directly to the aircraft floor. The design eliminates the traditional transfer to narrow aisle chairs, cutting damage risk for the...
Airbus Announces Results of 2026 Annual General Meeting
Airbus shareholders approved every resolution at the 2026 Annual General Meeting in Amsterdam, confirming board mandates and a €3.20 per share dividend (about $3.50). The meeting marked the announced departure of Chair René Obermann, who will step down on 1 October 2026,...
Smart Catering: Reducing Cabin Food Waste with AI
Airbus and Virgin Atlantic have piloted an AI‑driven “Smart Catering” system to track in‑flight meal consumption and inventory. The technology uses camera‑based scanning on crew tablets to automatically log unused food and beverages, sending data to a ground cloud for...
Beyond Connectivity: Elevate the Passenger Experience and Aircraft Operations
Airbus is rolling out its Connected Aircraft program, featuring the HBCplus modular connectivity system that can link to multiple satellite constellations—including LEO, MEO and GEO—without requiring structural airframe changes. The open, end‑to‑end digital platform aggregates onboard and ground data, enabling...
The Airbus H125 in the Andes: Saving Lives at over 6,000 Metres
Two recent high‑altitude rescues in the Andes highlighted the Airbus H125’s unique performance. In January, Helicopters AR hoisted a Brazilian climber from Camp Cólera at nearly 6,000 m using a sling, then landed at 5,556 m to complete medical care. Weeks earlier, Rotortec...
Mastering Extremes: The UAS Trio that Could Tackle Latin America’s Diverse Needs
At FIDAE 2026 in Santiago, Airbus unveiled three uncrewed aerial systems—Flexrotor, Aliaca and SIRTAP—designed to meet Latin America’s varied terrain and mission sets. Flexrotor’s VTOL design and 12‑hour endurance make it ideal for wildfire monitoring and maritime ISR. Aliaca offers rapid...
Airbus C295: Latin America’s Leading Tactical Multi-Mission Aircraft
The Airbus C295 has become Latin America’s premier tactical multi‑mission aircraft, with 41 airframes serving six nations. Its versatility lets it shift from Antarctic cargo drops to Amazonian SAR, humanitarian aid, and wildfire surveillance within hours. The platform underpins regional...
Vietnam Helicopter Corporation Bolsters Offshore Operations with Airbus H225 Helicopter Order
Vietnam Helicopter Corporation (VNH) announced that its Southern and Northern subsidiaries have placed an order for three Airbus H225 helicopters. The acquisition is part of a broader strategy to modernise the fleet and expand capacity for offshore energy transport, utility...
25 Years of Airbus in Chile: Aerospace Innovation From the Andes to Antarctic
Airbus celebrated 25 years in Chile, operating the only integrated hub for commercial, helicopter, and defence‑space activities in the Southern Cone. The company now supplies 74% of the nation’s commercial fleet, with the A320neo family delivering a 20% reduction in...
The Golden Hour: Saving Lives with Minas Gerais' H145 Helicopters
Minas Gerais' Military Fire Corps has added two Airbus H145 helicopters to its Advanced Air Life Support Service, dramatically enhancing aeromedical rescue across the state’s rugged terrain. The twin‑engine aircraft can transport patients, organs, and perform winch rescues, cutting a...
Airbus Unveils Skywise Subsidiary, Integrating Navblue and Skywise Digital Services Solutions
Airbus announced the creation of Skywise, a wholly‑owned subsidiary that merges its Skywise digital platform with Navblue’s flight‑operations solutions. The new entity will employ roughly 750 staff across North America, Europe and Asia‑Pacific, serving both Airbus and non‑Airbus fleets. Skywise...
With Skywise, Airbus Is Re-Imagining the Digital Sky
On 1 April 2026 Airbus merged its flight‑operations specialist Navblue with its Skywise digital‑solutions business, creating a new subsidiary called Skywise. The combined entity positions itself as the sole provider of end‑to‑end digital services for aircraft operators, covering flight, technical and ground...
Pushing the A350F to the Limits: Aircraft Ground Testing Gets Underway
Airbus has begun extensive ground‑testing of the A350 freighter (A350F), a purpose‑built cargo variant that required roughly 40% new or modified test procedures. The program features co‑design between final‑assembly‑line engineers and chief designers, enabling automated wiring self‑tests that check over...
Chasing Contrails: How Airbus-Backed Research Is Tackling Non-CO2 Emissions
Airbus is leading the ECLIF‑X flight‑test campaign to quantify how fuel sulfur and aromatic content affect contrail formation. The program flies an A321XLR equipped with Pratt & Whitney’s TALON‑X rich‑burn combustor using three fuel blends—baseline Jet A‑1 (~200 ppm sulfur), high‑sulfur Jet A‑1 (650 ppm), and...
Designing Reliability in Times of Crisis
Airbus Helicopters is positioning its dual‑use, modular rotorcraft to meet the growing demand for adaptable assets in a world where the line between war and peace is blurring. Vice‑President William Sampson highlights how the H140, H145 and H160 families integrate...
Over 10k Flight Hours: ADAS Delivers Turnkey Heron 1 UAS Services for Frontex/Malta
Airbus DS Airborne Solutions (ADAS) celebrated a key milestone as its Heron 1 medium‑altitude long‑endurance UAS logged 10,000 flight hours supporting Frontex’s maritime surveillance over Malta. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency awarded ADAS a second four‑year contract in 2025,...
Japan’s National Police Agency Bolsters Law Enforcement Fleet with Order for Three Airbus H135 Helicopters
Japan’s National Police Agency has placed a follow‑on order for three Airbus H135 helicopters, expanding its law‑enforcement fleet. The aircraft will be stationed with the Hokkaido, Shimane and Miyagi prefectural police, enhancing patrol, search‑and‑rescue and tactical transport capabilities. This purchase...
Flight Safety Statistics: Understanding 2025 Aviation Accidents and Safety Trends
In 2025 commercial aviation transported over five billion passengers on 35.2 million flights, marking a modest rise from the previous year. The sector recorded six hull‑loss accidents, three of which were fatal, compared with four fatal accidents and twelve hull losses in...
ÖAMTC Flugrettung and Airbus Sign Long-Term Framework Contract for H135, H140 and H145 Helicopters
ÖAMTC Flugrettung and Airbus Helicopters have signed a long‑term framework contract covering the H135, H140 and H145 models. The deal builds on ÖAMTC’s role as launch customer for the H140, which will enter EMS service in 2028. ÖAMTC currently operates...
Air Transport Europe Orders Airbus H135 and H140 Helicopters
Air Transport Europe (ATE), a Slovak‑Czech HEMS operator, has signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for one H135 and one H140. The H135 will join ATE’s existing fleet equipped with the Helionix digital avionics suite and a 4‑axis autopilot, while...
DRF Luftrettung Expands Fleet with Order for Four Additional Airbus H145 Helicopters
German HEMS provider DRF Luftrettung announced an order for four additional Airbus H145 helicopters, expanding its fleet to become one of the largest H145 operators in Europe. The new aircraft complement the existing 50‑plus H135 and H145 helicopters deployed across...
ADAC Luftrettung and Airbus Sign Framework Contract for H135, H140 and H145 Helicopters
ADAC Luftrettung and Airbus Helicopters have signed a long‑term framework agreement covering the H135, H140 and H145 models. The deal expands ADAC's fleet, which already includes 60 Airbus helicopters operating from 37 stations and handling roughly 50,000 missions annually. The...
Bristow Receives First Airbus H160s From Milestone for Offshore Transportation in Nigeria
Bristow Group has taken delivery of the first two Airbus H160 medium‑twin helicopters leased from Milestone Aviation, marking the aircraft’s debut on the African continent. The helicopters are undergoing final preparations in Nigeria ahead of entry into offshore oil‑and‑gas transport...
Pioneering Global Connectivity Through Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Networks
Airbus is building an integrated connectivity platform that merges terrestrial mobile infrastructure with low‑Earth‑orbit satellite constellations to deliver uninterrupted, gate‑to‑gate broadband for aircraft. The initiative includes a successful 5G non‑terrestrial network trial with Eutelsat’s OneWeb and the launch of the...
Airbus Scales up ‘Make in India’ with New 5,000-Seater Technology Centre in Bengaluru
Airbus inaugurated an 880,000‑sq‑ft technology centre in Bengaluru, expanding its ‘Make in India’ footprint. The campus, designed for up to 5,000 staff, consolidates engineering, digital, customer services and procurement functions under one roof. Indian engineers will now support the full...
Winter Wonder: Sweden’s Helicopter Emergency Medical Services
Sweden’s archipelagos and severe winter weather make helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) exceptionally challenging, requiring pilots to navigate low clouds, ice, and sudden wind shifts. Avincis Sweden operates 13 H145 helicopters from ten bases, handling 124 missions over a three‑day...
Quantum Navigation: The Magnetic Secret for Precisely Determining Aircraft Location
Airbus is actively testing quantum navigation, known as MagNav, which leverages the Earth’s magnetic field and quantum sensors to pinpoint aircraft location. The approach matches real‑time magnetic readings against a pre‑built magnetic anomaly map, offering centimeter‑level accuracy without satellite reliance....
Airbus Super Puma: Power and Precision for Airtelis
Airbus’s H225 Super Puma, operated by Airtelis, proved pivotal in July 2025 when it fought the Les Pennes‑Mirabeau and Marseille wildfires, dropping roughly 500,000 litres of water with a 30‑metre sling. The same platform was later dispatched to La Réunion after a March...
GEESE and ATM: Wake Energy Retrieval Collaboration Achieves New Milestones
Airbus and a coalition of airlines completed the GEESE wake‑energy retrieval trials, demonstrating that two A350s can rendez‑vous over the North Atlantic while maintaining vertical separation. The Pairing Assistance Tool coordinated flight paths in real time, achieving a 75% success...
Airbus Granted Transport Canada Type Certification for the H175
Airbus Helicopters received Transport Canada type certification for its H175, clearing the path for Canadian market entry. The super‑medium rotorcraft is positioned for diverse roles such as energy, search‑and‑rescue, EMS, and defence. With the Helionix avionics suite, the H175 offers...
Beyond the Cockpit: How Virtual Reality Is Redefining Pilot Training for the H125
Airbus Helicopters and Loft Dynamics have launched a high‑fidelity virtual‑reality (VR) flight simulator for the H125, featuring a 3‑D headset, full‑scale cockpit replica, and motion‑vibration feedback. The portable system can be installed at operator sites, expanding access beyond the Marignane...
Airbus Reports Full-Year (FY) 2025 Results
Airbus announced FY2025 results, delivering 793 commercial jets and generating €73.4 billion in revenue, a 6% year‑on‑year increase. Adjusted EBIT rose 33% to €7.1 billion, while net income grew 23% to €5.2 billion and EPS to €6.61. The order backlog hit a record...
Tata Advanced Systems Inaugurates Airbus H125 Helicopter Production Line to Boost India’s Vertical-Lift Capabilities
Tata Advanced Systems has opened India’s first private‑sector final assembly line for the Airbus H125 helicopter at Vemagal, Karnataka, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron. The facility will produce both civil H125 and its military...
Savoie Hélicoptères and the Airbus H125: Precision in Avalanche Control
Savoie Hélicoptères relies on the Airbus H125 to conduct precision avalanche‑control missions across the French Alps. The crew follows a rigorous pre‑flight briefing, uses 2 kg explosive‑emulsion charges and a slow‑burn fuse, then flies the helicopter away before detonation. Pilots highlight...
Qanot Sharq Takes Delivery of Its First Airbus A321XLR Aircraft
Qanot Sharq, a leading private carrier in Uzbekistan, received its first Airbus A321XLR under a long‑term lease from Air Lease, marking the first delivery of this model in Central Asia and the CIS. The airline plans to operate the 190‑seat,...
European Maritime Safety Agency Selects Airbus Flexrotor Drone for Maritime Surveillance Missions
Airbus secured a €30 million framework contract from the European Maritime Safety Agency to provide Flexrotor uncrewed aerial systems for maritime surveillance. The VTOL drone delivers up to 12‑hour endurance and can carry EO/IR and radar payloads, streaming live data to...
German Navy Takes over First NH90 Sea Tiger
The German Navy accepted the first NH90 Sea Tiger helicopter, marking the start of a 31‑aircraft delivery programme slated for completion by 2030. The Sea Tiger will replace the decades‑old Mk88A Sea Lynx fleet and expands Germany’s anti‑surface and anti‑submarine...
Airbus Delivers First H160 for the Gendarmerie Nationale
Airbus Helicopters handed over the first H160 to the French Gendarmerie Nationale, marking the start of a ten‑aircraft order placed in December 2021. The delivery, made to the Defence Procurement Agency, complements the Gendarmerie's earlier H145 acquisition and shares the...
Spain Orders 18 C295 Transport Aircraft
Spain’s Ministry of Defence has placed an order for 18 Airbus C295 transport aircraft, slated to replace the ageing CN235 and C212 fleets used for pilot and paratrooper training. The acquisition is split into two batches, with the first arriving...