Friedrichshafen – AERO, the Global Show for General Aviation, will be presenting a significantly expanded helicopter area, the Helicopter Hangar, as part of the exhibition from Wednesday, April 13 to Saturday, April 16, 2011. The show’s organizer, Rainer Herzberg, promises a high concentration of helicopter power, with large helicopters from various manufacturers being shown for the first time, including a first appearance at AERO by the company Eurocopter. The topics of pilot training and careers in the helicopter industry will be covered even more thoroughly. A total of 550 exhibitors from 26 countries are expected at the Global Show for General Aviation. Klaus Wellmann,CEO of Messe Friedrichshafen, and Roland Bosch, Project Manager of AERO, are both pleased with the “exceptionally high number of participating exhibitors” and the large proportion of foreign companies who have signed up as exhibitors at the show on the shores of Lake Constance.

The entire spectrum of general aviation will be on display across nine exhibition halls and the well-booked open air grounds. The leading glider manufacturers will be on hand in Friedrichshafen, and the business jet sector will also be strongly represented. Helicopters were presented for the first time within general aviation in their own exhibition hall at AERO in 2009. Already in 2010, the number of exhibitors more than doubled, and Hall A6 was filled to capacity with 28 helicopters. The topic of helicopter pilot training was also a great success – not only for the exhibiting flight schools, but also for the German Bundeswehr (Army, Navy, Air Force), the German Federal Police and the state police forces, who were able to attract numerous potential applicants through their recruitment campaigns.

Over the past two decades, AERO Friedrichshafen has become the leading general aviation exhibition in Europe. For this reason, the show will be setting signals in the helicopter sector to an even greater degree in the future. A clear sign of this is the fact that in 2011, two halls will be devoted to presenting the current models, new developments, research projects and products from the supplier industry. Furthermore, rarities and classic models will also be on display, giving interesting insights into the development of helicopters in the past. Hall B4 is reserved for general aviation helicopters. AERO Project Manager Roland Bosch is pleased to welcome Eurocopter as a first-time exhibitor. The company will be taking this opportunity to give a large rescue exercise on Lake Constance entitled “Rotor + Resque.” Exhibits from the military, police and rescue services will be located in Hall B5.

Among the highlights of the Helicopter Hangar at AERO 2011 will be several large turbine helicopters. These will likely include the Bundeswehr’s new NH 90 transport helicopter and an enormous Sikorsky Seaking from the German Navy. The German Federal Police are expected to present an AS 352 Superpuma, and the state police forces will be showing an EC155. There will also be other current turbine helicopters from the manufacturers Bell, Eurocopter, Sikorsky and PZL.
But of course the proven small-scale and training helicopters will also be represented at AERO 2011: the Robinson R22, R44, and most likely also the brand-new R66 turbine helicopter will be on display, as well as other piston engine helicopters from companies such as Schweizer, Enstrom and Guimbal. Ultralight helicopters, which are not yet approved in Germany, but are in neighboring European countries, will fill out the category. Furthermore, many exhibitors will be offering up-to-date information not only on training to become a private or professional helicopter pilot, but also on other jobs in the flourishing helicopter industry.

AERO coordinator Rainer Herzberg promises: “Unlike many other aviation exhibitions, helicopters at AERO 2011 won’t be placed behind railings far away from visitors. Instead, attendees can marvel at them up-close in the exhibition halls, and even get into them and talk to crew members and training officers. The Helicopter Hangar at AERO 2011 thus truly offers a hands-on experience with helicopters!”