Airbus sees China overtaking US in civil helicopter purchases

Airbus Helicopters, the top player in China's civil helicopter market, believes China will surpass the United States to be the world's biggest civil helicopter market soon - and aims to increase its market share from the current 40 percent to 60 percent by 2020.

"The Chinese civil (helicopter) market might be the biggest one in the world in 2018 for light single and light twin helicopters and definitely before 2020," said Norbert Ducrot, president and CEO of Airbus Helicopters China.

"With the further opening up of the Chinese low-attitude airspace and the increasing growth in the civil and parapublic segments, China is gearing up to be the biggest market for helicopters in years to come," he said.