Airbus renews Niagara Helicopters fleet with four Fort Erie-built aircraft

One of Fort Erie’s largest employers is taking flight as Airbus completes four new H130 helicopters for Niagara Helicopters, strengthening Niagara’s tourism and manufacturing industries.

The aircraft, completed at Airbus Helicopters Canada’s facility on Gilmore Road, will fly tourists over Niagara Falls on Niagara Helicopters’ sightseeing tours. The new H130s feature quieter engines compared to older models, and wide panoramic windows designed specifically for low-noise flights above one of Canada’s busiest natural landmarks.

At Friday’s event, Airbus president Dwayne Charette told Fort Erie Radio that the partnership with Niagara Helicopters demonstrates how collaboration between local industries fuels growth. Charette said proximity has allowed Airbus and Niagara Helicopters to work hand-in-hand customizing the new aircraft to their standards and also using Fort Erie’s local supply base for materials.

“Being neighbours here in Niagara has allowed our teams to grow close…to build something lasting together,” he said.

The four aircraft, each completed locally, feature the Airbus fenestron enclosed tail rotor that reduces noise and boosts safety. The aircraft are also used for tours in the Grand Canyon and Hawaii, being the only aircraft that meets the sound requirements to be used near the Grand Canyon.

Charette also noted the company’s wider investment footprint, including a 21,000-square-foot distribution centre opened this year in Niagara Falls to improve logistics and support growth.

Niagara Helicopters vice-president and general manager Anna Pierce praised the skilled workforce in Niagara, noting the experience and dedication of the Airbus team that has supported their operations for more than a decade.

“Some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry are here working for Airbus Helicopters,” said Pierce.

Niagara South MP Fred Davies said the project underscores the economic importance of keeping advanced manufacturing in the region.

“The commitment to Niagara, and particularly to Fort Erie, is an amazing example of what can happen when an international corporation like Airbus invests here in Canada,” said Davies.

The Fort Erie facility completes between eight and 12 helicopters each year, a number expected to rise by 2026 as work ramps up on 19 H135 aircraft for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Future Aircrew Training program.

The Fort Erie facility employs over more than 250 people, says the company’s website. About new 500 jobs were created in Canada this year by Airbus, including aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians in Fort Erie, according to Dwayne Charette.

Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates spoke passionately about the facility’s long-standing manufacturing culture, calling it one of the finest examples of advanced industry in Ontario. He said Airbus’s reputation for safety and precision stems from the pride and skill of its local workforce.

“There’s nothing like this place. This place is clean, and the workers are absolutely amazing in the work that [they] do,” said Gates.

Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop also spoke on the company’s deep local ties, noting that many employees are longtime residents who invest their earnings and energy back into the community. He said their success strengthens both the town’s economy and its sense of identity.

“Many of you live in Fort Erie, you spend your money here, you raise your families here, you help make Fort Erie the wonderful community it is,” said Redekop.

Airbus has operated in Fort Erie for more than 40 years, producing and finishing helicopters for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police, and the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources.

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