The emergency service in Beijing has ordered an EC135 in HEMS configuration: it will be delivered by the end of the year

Airbus Helicopters is the first provider to deliver a helicopter in HEMS configuration to China. The announcement was made by the European manufacturer, which has just signed an agreement with 999 (China’s emergency telephone number) for the purchase of an EC135 P2 helicopter with option for one more rotorcraft. The twin-engine helicopter will be delivered by the end of the year and, according to Airbus Helicopters, it will be the first helicopter entirely committed to air ambulance services in the Chinese history.

As far as air medical configuration is concerned, 999 emergency service (co-associated with Beijing’s Red Cross) has chosen Bucher, the same supplier that produces specialized equipment for a large number of European operators. Furthermore, the China-Europe bridge is going to continue in the future thanks to a collaboration and cooperation agreement that enables the Chinese 999 to have access to the necessary know-how for improving the qualitative level of HEMS services in Beijing.

The helicopters are equipped with an electrocardiograph, an artificial breathing machine, a defibrillator, and syringe pumps. The first aircraft will be delivered by August, while the second one (in case this option shall be confirmed), should arrive by the end of 2014.

The agreement is an extremely important turning point for the future projects of the European manufacturer in the Asian country, which is widely known for being one of the growth centres of helicopter services for the next 10 years.

‘We want to congratulate with Beijing 999 Centre for making the history of HEMS services in China – commented Norbert Ducrot, President of Airbus Helicopters China -. We feel honoured that they chose us, and we are going to support the development of a successful HEMS programme throughout the whole country’.

To speak the truth, 999 had already started HEMS operations in 2011. However, the provider chosen for the service wasn’t exclusively committed to helicopter rescue, a factor that (according to what China Daily reported) had often protracted the timing of the missions because of the need of re-configuring the helicopter each time.

China’s market of the rotorcraft industry is intensively growing. However, of the 290 civil helicopters registered by the CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) in 2013, none was registered for exclusively HEMS functions. In a town such as Beijing, often paralyzed by traffic jam, HEMS operations are essential. This is why the two EC135s will be used for short-rage patient transport in Beijing, Tianjin and in the province of Hebei.

The relationship between China and Airbus, recently strengthened by a joint venture with Avicopter for the production of the EC175, will allow the manufacturer to boost its share in the global HEMS market segment, a field in which Airbus is already an international leader. Tian Zhenbiao, vice-director of the Red Cross Emergency Center in Beijing, pointed out that ‘Airbus Helicopters has a long and happy partnership with the Chinese helicopter industry. Thanks to the new agreement, we will be able to significantly improve our emergency health services, providing a more punctual and efficient performance’.