Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

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Mark Huber

On the heels of posting a 17-percent decline in earnings this fall, Airbus Helicopters has announced a plan to trim its workforce by 582. The cuts will come mainly at Marignane, France, where it employs nearly 9,000, and would be implemented through voluntary departures and attrition over the next two years. Worldwide, Airbus Helicopters employs 23,000&nbsp;people. Along with others in the industry, the Airbus Group division has suffered pain stemming from the global energy slump. For the third quarter, revenue was off 3 percent while earnings slid $219 million from the year-ago period.&nbsp;

 


The revenue&nbsp;slide was fueled by waning demand&nbsp;for super-medium and heavy helicopters, as well as an overall drop in commercial hours flown. Airbus Helicopters has also been hurt by the worldwide grounding of the heavy H225 models in June following a fatal April 29 North Sea crash. While&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2016-10-07/easa-clears-super-pumas-service-return">EASA lifted that grounding in October</a>, it remains in force in the UK and Norway. In financial reports, Airbus Helicopters hinted that the results could have been worse if not for the continued strong demand for the H135 and H145 twins—demand that prompted shifting workers from plants in France to Germany where those two helicopters are produced—as well as implementation of&nbsp;continuing“transformation measures and efforts to adapt to market challenges.”

 


One of those adaptations could be a delay in the company's marquis 13,000-pound-class H160 medium-twin program. Projected initial deliveries of that aircraft have slipped to 2019 from 2018, with a third prototype scheduled to join the program early next year.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Business Drop Prompts Job Cuts at Airbus Helicopters

The helicopter division has seen demand decline during the energy slump.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charlotte Bailey

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Pentagon permission facilitates sale of Bell 412EXP and 407M

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News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Fire and disaster management agency to use aircraft in aerial reconnaissance role

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New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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