Airbus sells additional H225 to JCG

Airbus has secured an additional order for one H225 with the Japan Coastguard (JCG), extending on its existing fleet of eight Super Pumas.

With this new order, the coastguard’s Super Puma fleet is expected to grow to 13 units by March 2021, making it the largest Super Puma operator in Japan.

Right now, the Japan Coastguard operates eight Super Puma aircraft, with three AS332s and five H225s.

Olivier Tillier, managing director of Airbus Helicopters in Japan, said: “We are honoured by the renewed H225 order from our customer of over 25 years, as it bears testament to the quality of our long-standing partnership and our customer’s full trust in Airbus’s products and support. We are also delighted to see how our Super Puma helicopters continue to perform excellently in all the missions.

“With its inherent versatility and reliability, we know the H225 will continue to be a capable workhorse for the JCG’s missions. The Airbus Helicopters team in Japan remains committed in our support to ensure continued availability of the fleet.”

This order follows on from an order with the Japanese coastguard in June last year for three H225s

The Asian Sky Group first quarter suggests that the H225 is moving towards a buyers’ market. The average price of the H224 has fallen since the fourth quarter of 2017 from $25.8 million to $19 million. So far in 2018, one H225 has been sold in Asia. There are currently 21 helicopters in the Super Puma family flying in in Japan,