Airbus Helicopters Buys ZF Luftfahrttechnik

Airbus Helicopters and ZF Friedrichshafen AG have signed an agreement for the acquisition of ZF Luftfahrttechnik GmbH by Airbus Helicopters. With the acquisition, Airbus Helicopters aims to strengthen its maintenance business and improve fleet availability of the helicopter programmes supported by ZF Luftfahrttechnik, who announced the news.

The two companies have been working together for a long time. As a subsidiary of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, ZF Luftfahrttechnik is considered one of the leading companies in terms of maintenance, repair and overhaul for dynamic components of helicopters. ZF Luftfahrttechnik has delivered more than 10,000 gearboxes all over the world, including the H135 main gearbox, the tail gearbox for the Tiger and has a share in the H145 programme. The company at Kassel-Calden Airport/Germany is currently the MRO service partner for the majority of the German Armed Forces’ helicopter fleet.

The acquisition has been approved by the relevant boards of both companies. It remains subject to regulatory approvals, as well as other conditions usual in this type of transaction, which should be completed in 2021.

Gerhard Heiming