Crafting perfection

摘要

"Our cabins are handcrafted; they rely on the individual knowledge and skill of the people who make them." Frederic Lemos, Head of Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) was speaking to the author at a London preview event last December for the ACH130 Aston Martin Edition, a beautifully finished exclusive variant of the popular single-engined machine, sprinkled liberally inside and out with magic touches from the British sports car manufacturer. Asked the aircraft's price, Lemos responded that ACH worked on a strict price-on-application basis but, understandably, there was a premium for the special edition. However, he confirmed that the H130 range started at €2.8 million. After our conversation, I stepped out to the helicopter with Lemos, for a short flight along the Thames. Having experienced earlier ACH135 and ACH145 cabins, I was anticipating something special, but the ACH130 Aston Martin Edition surpassed them both. Nonetheless, Lemos' comments hold true for any of the ACH range. It's a selection of machines from the Airbus Helicopters (AH) catalogue modified for corporate, business and VIP customers. The relationship is not unlike that of AMG and Mercedes or Overfinch and Range Rover; ACH takes the basic helicopter and transforms it according to customer requirements.