Airbus Helicopters X6
| Industry | Aerospace, Helicopter manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | July 1, 1992 |
| Headquarters | Marignane , France |
| Products | Helicopters, including Airbus Helicopters X6 (concept) |
The Airbus Helicopters X6 represented a conceptual design for a twin-engine heavy lift helicopter accommodating 19 passengers, intended as a successor to the Airbus Helicopters H225. The project was discontinued in early 2018.
Development
Airbus Helicopters initiated a two-year conceptual development phase in June 2015, collaborating with a customer advisory group. The program targeted markets including commercial transport, oil and gas operations, and search and rescue, with an anticipated operational introduction around 2022-2023.
In June 2017, the European Commission granted approval for €377 million ($420 million) in repayable state aid, consisting of €330 million from France and €47.25 million from Germany, repayable over an eight-year period. The X6 was planned to be Airbus’s inaugural commercial helicopter featuring fly-by-wire control systems, expected to achieve fuel consumption and direct operating cost reductions of 15-20% compared to existing models. The proposed powerplant for this 11-ton category helicopter was the Safran Aneto engine.
By January 2018, the program was put on hold due to difficulties in securing appropriate fly-by-wire technology and engine suppliers. Although demand for military and parapublic variants of the H225 remained robust—evidenced by 44 orders in 2017—the primary market for the X6, offshore oil and gas, experienced contraction owing to North Sea field depletion and depressed oil prices. The €377 million refundable launch aid remains unutilized but may be allocated to support future initiatives.