2018
8 February: Airbus’ Skyways unmanned aerial vehicle – which was designed for autonomous parcel deliveries – makes its first flight demonstration, validating the drone’s automatic loading and unloading capabilities.
1 March: Babcock becomes the global launch customer for Airbus’ H160 after signing a five-year framework agreement to purchase a fleet of the medium-class helicopters. The H160s will be used for emergency medical services (EMS) and other critical services missions – starting in Europe and deployed progressively across Babcock’s bases worldwide.
1 April: Airbus appoints Bruno Even, 49, as Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Helicopters. He reports to Airbus CEO Tom Enders, and joins the company’s Executive Committee.
12 April: Airbus celebrates the 50th anniversary of one of the company’s most recognizable innovations for helicopters: the Fenestron shrouded tail rotor. Initially developed to provide additional safeguards for personnel working around the rotorcraft when on the ground – and to protect the tail rotor in forward flight, as well as in complicated operational environments – the concept of shrouding the tail rotor also led to sound reduction, resulting from Airbus research and optimisation.
18 June: The Hong Kong-based Government Flying Service (GFS) receives three H175s in the public services configuration, becoming the world’s first operator of this new variant – which enlarges the helicopter’s mission capacity to search and rescue (SAR) operations, emergency medical services, law enforcement and firefighting, as well as land and maritime border control operations.
24 July: The LCH (Light Civil Helicopter) prototype’s maiden flight – conducted in Marignane, France – marks a major milestone in the three years of close cooperation between Airbus and KAI (Korean Aerospace Industries) in developing this rotorcraft version.
25 July: The final series production German Tiger attack helicopter is delivered. This completes the series production of Tiger support helicopters at Airbus’ Donauwörth, Germany facility, which began in 1999.
20 December: The demonstrator for Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 light military tactical unmanned aerial system performs a fully unmanned autonomous flight at the Istres air base in southern France. During the 30-minute flight, it successfully executes a variety of flight patterns before landing in an autonomous mode.
![The Skyways drone in flight. The Skyways drone in flight.](/sites/g/files/jlcbta136/files/styles/airbus_480x480/public/2021-08/Airbus-skyways-project-day3-SIN2018-002.jpg?itok=L1N_QRMv)
The Skyways drone in flight.
![The latest and largest Fenestron version is shown on Airbus Helicopters’ H160. The latest and largest Fenestron version is shown on Airbus Helicopters’ H160.](/sites/g/files/jlcbta136/files/styles/airbus_480x480/public/2021-08/Fenestron%20CDPH-6259-018.jpg?itok=b_-Z-WvY)
The latest and largest Fenestron version is shown on Airbus Helicopters’ H160.
![Team photo for the maiden flight of the LCH (Light Civil Helicopter). Team photo for the maiden flight of the LCH (Light Civil Helicopter).](/sites/g/files/jlcbta136/files/styles/airbus_480x480/public/2021-08/LCH-EXPH-1836-8498_0.jpg?itok=1O-dD_Yj)
Team photo for the maiden flight of the LCH (Light Civil Helicopter).
![H175 H175](/sites/g/files/jlcbta136/files/styles/airbus_480x480/public/2021-08/H175-CDPH-6424-677.jpg?itok=is03UEMk)
Two of the initial H175s in the public services configuration for Hong Kong’s Government Flying Service are shown in flight.
![The Airbus Helicopters VSR 700 demonstrator during flight in the unmanned autonomous mode. The Airbus Helicopters VSR 700 demonstrator during flight in the unmanned autonomous mode.](/sites/g/files/jlcbta136/files/styles/airbus_480x480/public/2021-08/VSR700-2018-first-flight-PAD-02.jpg?itok=YLdYCwj9)
The Airbus Helicopters VSR 700 demonstrator during flight in the unmanned autonomous mode
Features of the H160 helicopter
![Infographic highlighting features of the H160 helicopter. Infographic highlighting features of the H160 helicopter.](/sites/g/files/jlcbta136/files/styles/airbus_480x480/public/2021-08/180222-A2-H160BabcockInfographicAirbusHelicopters.jpg?itok=eM1aDoEc)