Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

Helicopter dealership and leasing company Rotortrade has released its Global Helicopter Market Report 2026, which found that “demand for helicopters remains strong, despite continued production constraints and extended delivery backlogs at the OEM level.”
While EMS, offshore energy, and firefighting operators are driving demand, especially for twin-engine helicopters in the aeromedical segment, there remains “a structural imbalance shaping the market: strong customer demand versus constrained OEM production capacity,” according to Rotortrade. This is leading operators to move more&nbsp;into preowned helicopters due to delivery slots for new helicopters stretching out 42 to 48 months. “This dynamic continues to reinforce the strategic relevance of the secondary market,” the company said.
The Airbus Helicopters twin-engine fleet is the world’s largest, with 4,459 helicopters at the end of 2025. Leonardo follows at 2,297, Bell at 1,937, and Sikorsky at 1,371.
The fleet of single-engine turbine helicopters is dominated by Airbus and Bell, with 6,707 and 6,760, respectively. Robinson Helicopter’s R66 fleet has reached 1,413, while MD Helicopters stood at 1,330; Leonardo, 317; and Enstrom, 161.
Robinson has the largest share of piston helicopters, with 78%—9,929 aircraft—at the end of 2025. Schweizer is next at 1,314, followed by Bell at 753; Enstrom, 440; and Guimbal, 355. Guimbal has the “second highest production rate of piston helicopters, [and its] fleet continues to build,” according to Rotortrade.

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

Rotortrade Releases Optimistic Global Helicopter Market Report

Covers state of rotorcraft industry through the end of 2025

EMS, offshore energy, and firefighting operators are driving demand, especially for twin-engine helicopters in the EMS segment.

Rotortrade Releases Optimistic Global Market Report

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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.

The company is also working on an upgrade to its 520N model.

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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.

Orders include firm helicopters and multi-aircraft framework agreements

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Chad Trautvetter

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News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

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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.

In this article

Rotortrade

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