Top 7 China Helicopter Companies 2025
China's helicopter industry has grown significantly, driven by military modernization, emergency medical services expansion, offshore oil operations, and growing commercial helicopter demand. China's civil helicopter fleet exceeded 2,000 aircraft in 2024, with projections for continued 10-15% annual growth. The domestic manufacturing base, led by AVICOPTER (AVIC), has developed indigenous models including the Z-20 (utility), AC313 (heavy transport), and AC352 (medium twin). China's helicopter sector spans manufacturing, MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul), leasing, and helicopter services including EMS, search and rescue, tourism, and aerial survey.
AVICOPTER (AVIC Helicopter)
Revenue: ¥50B+ (2024)
AVICOPTER, under AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China), is China's dominant helicopter manufacturer. The company produces the Z-20 (5-ton utility, military primary), AC313 (13-ton heavy transport, China's largest indigenous helicopter), AC352 (7-ton medium twin, co-developed with Airbus), AC312A (4-ton twin), and AC311A (2-ton light). AVICOPTER operates manufacturing facilities in Harbin, Jingdezhen, and Changhe. The Z-20 program represents China's most advanced helicopter, comparable to the US UH-60 Black Hawk.
CITIC Offshore Helicopter (中信海直)
Fleet: 80+ helicopters
CITIC Offshore Helicopter is China's largest commercial helicopter operator, specializing in offshore oil and gas transportation services in the Bohai Bay, South China Sea, and East China Sea. The company operates a fleet of 80+ helicopters including Super Puma, EC225, and S-92 models. CITIC Offshore serves major oil companies including CNOOC, Shell, and ConocoPhillips, providing crew transport, emergency evacuation, and logistics support to offshore platforms.
Bristow China
Revenue: ¥3B+ (2024)
Bristow China, a subsidiary of global helicopter services leader Bristow Group, provides helicopter services in China including emergency medical services (EMS), search and rescue (SAR), and offshore oil support. The company operates in partnership with Chinese authorities and has been instrumental in developing China's EMS helicopter network. Bristow China operates modern helicopters including AW139 and H175 models equipped for EMS and SAR missions.
China Helicopter Leasing (中租)
Portfolio: 50+ helicopters
China Helicopter Leasing is a specialized helicopter leasing company providing financing solutions for helicopter operators across China. The company leases various helicopter types including light, medium, and heavy helicopters for EMS, tourism, offshore, and government missions. The company has been expanding its fleet to meet growing demand from both commercial and government helicopter operators, and has partnerships with manufacturers including Airbus Helicopters, Bell, and Leonardo.
Hainan Airlines Helicopter Division
Fleet: 30+ helicopters
Hainan Airlines' helicopter division operates commercial helicopter services including island-hopping flights in Hainan, aerial tourism, and corporate helicopter charter. The company leverages HNA Group's aviation infrastructure for helicopter operations across southern China. Hainan Airlines helicopters serve the growing tourism market in Hainan Province and provide VIP transport services in major cities including Beijing and Shanghai.
Shanghai Xinhua Avicopter
Revenue: ¥2B+ (2024)
Shanghai Xinhua Avicopter provides helicopter services including aerial survey, photography, power line inspection, firefighting, and government charter flights. The company operates medium and light helicopters equipped with specialized mission equipment for various aerial work applications. The company has been expanding its services to support China's infrastructure inspection needs, including high-voltage power line inspection and pipeline surveillance.
Hover Star (翔星航空)
Revenue: ¥1B+ (2024)
Hover Star is a growing Chinese helicopter operator specializing in aerial tourism, flight training, and general aviation services. The company operates helicopter tourism routes in scenic locations including the Great Wall, Yangtze River gorges, and Guilin karst landscape. Hover Star also operates flight training schools and provides aerial photography and survey services. The company represents the growing general aviation segment in China's helicopter market.
Comparison Table
| Company | Segment | Fleet/Products | Revenue | Services | Growth | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVICOPTER/AVIC | Manufacturing | Z-20/AC313/AC352 | ¥50B+ | Domestic production | 15%+ | Military/civil |
| CITIC Offshore | Offshore oil | 80+ helicopters | ¥5B+ | Oil transport | Moderate | Offshore |
| Bristow China | EMS/SAR | 20+ helicopters | ¥3B+ | Emergency/Rescue | 20%+ | EMS |
| China Heli Lease | Leasing | 50+ helicopters | ¥1B+ | Financing | 25%+ | Leasing |
| Hainan Airlines Heli | Commercial | 30+ helicopters | ¥2B+ | Tourism/VIP | Moderate | Tourism |
| Xinhua Avicopter | Aerial work | 15+ helicopters | ¥2B+ | Survey/Inspect | 15%+ | Industrial |
| Hover Star | Tourism/GA | 10+ helicopters | ¥1B+ | Tourism/Training | 20%+ | Tourism |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many helicopters does China have?
China's civil helicopter fleet exceeded 2,000 aircraft in 2024, with projections to reach 3,000+ by 2030. The fleet is concentrated in commercial operations (40%), government/public service (30%), and general aviation/tourism (30%). By comparison, the United States has approximately 15,000 civil helicopters. China's helicopter density remains low at approximately 1.4 helicopters per million people, compared to 40+ in the US, indicating significant growth potential. China's military helicopter fleet is estimated at 1,500+ aircraft.
What helicopters does China manufacture domestically?
China manufactures several indigenous helicopter models through AVICOPTER/AVIC: Z-20 — 5-ton utility helicopter (comparable to UH-60 Black Hawk), primary military utility helicopter; AC313 (Z-8) — 13-ton heavy transport helicopter, China's largest; AC352 (Z-15) — 7-ton medium twin-engine, co-developed with Airbus; AC312A — 4-ton twin-engine medium helicopter; AC311A — 2-ton light single-engine helicopter. The Z-20 represents the most significant breakthrough, entering mass production for military and planned civil variants.
How is China developing EMS helicopter services?
China's emergency medical services (EMS) helicopter network is rapidly expanding from approximately 50 dedicated EMS helicopters in 2020 to over 100 in 2024. The National Health Commission targets one EMS helicopter per 5 million people in urban areas. Major EMS operators include Bristow China, 999 Emergency Center (Beijing), and Red Cross helicopter services. Key challenges include airspace restrictions, pilot training, and hospital helipad infrastructure. The 2019 Beijing EMS helicopter crash highlighted safety concerns but also accelerated regulatory improvements and fleet modernization.
What is China's eVTOL and urban air mobility development?
China is actively developing eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft for urban air mobility. Leading companies include: EHang (亿航) — received world's first eVTOL type certificate, operating EH216-S autonomous passenger drone in Guangzhou; AutoFlight (峰飞) — developing 5-seat eVTOL with 200km range; Joby Aviation China partnership; Volocopter China operations in Shenzhen. China's CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration) is developing dedicated eVTOL certification regulations. The Chinese eVTOL market is projected to reach $10 billion by 2030, with applications in air taxi, logistics, and emergency services.
What regulations govern helicopter operations in China?
Helicopter operations in China are regulated by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) under CCAR (China Civil Aviation Regulations) Parts 27 (normal category rotorcraft) and 29 (transport category rotorcraft). Key regulatory aspects include: pilot licensing (private, commercial, and ATPL helicopter ratings), airworthiness certification for imported and domestically manufactured helicopters, airspace management (historically strict, gradually liberalizing with low-altitude airspace reform), and operational approval for specific missions (EMS, offshore, aerial work). China's low-altitude airspace reform since 2020 aims to open airspace below 3,000 meters for general aviation, significantly benefiting helicopter operations.