(CercleFinance.com) – Sacheon, Airbus Helicopters and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have delivered the first light civil helicopter (LCH) to a local operator, Gloria Aviation, following its certification last September.
Entering service in December this year in an emergency medical services configuration, this helicopter will be deployed to support rescue missions in Jeju.
This delivery is the result of a partnership that began in 2015 when the two companies collaborated on the development of the LCH and the Light Armed Helicopter (LAH).
The LAH prototype performed its maiden flight in July 2019, and the aircraft will be qualified in the coming weeks. This qualification will pave the way for the production of the helicopter, in which Airbus and KAI will jointly launch by the end of 2022, for the Republic of Korea.
“This first LCH delivery together with the upcoming LAH qualification, will kick off a new chapter of our partnership by entering the serial production phase,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters.
Building on the successful development of the LAH, Airbus and KAI are preparing new joint development programs.