Reuters/Paris

 
Airbus Group’s finance director declined to elaborate on the company’s stance towards the possible sale of US helicopter maker Sikorsky but noted its own helicopter division was already focusing on various projects.
Airbus Helicopters chief executive Guillaume Faury said at the Paris air show on Tuesday he was “keeping an eye” on the potential sale of Sikorsky by parent United Technologies.
“Guillaume has said everything about it and I think (Airbus Group chief executive) Tom (Enders) has said everything about it,” group finance head Harald Wilhelm told Reuters at the show yesterday.
“Airbus is a key player in the market; we follow everything that is happening around it and that is all we can say at this stage.”
Asked whether Airbus Group had the appetite for such a transaction, Wilhelm said: “I think you can see quite powerfully here at the show what Airbus Helicopters is doing in terms of incremental product innovation, new products... I think that is where the focus of where Guillaume is. But it is for him to comment.”
Analysts put Sikorsky’s value at $7bn to $10bn.
Pressed on whether Airbus Group had the flexibility for an acquisition of that scale, he said: “I commented where I see the priority for Airbus Helicopters.”
The head of Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron Inc, earlier declined to comment on the sale of Sikorsky.
Airbus Helicopters announced a development concept phase for a new heavy helicopter, code-named X6, at Paris Airshow on Tuesday and this week began flight tests of its H160 medium helicopter to be delivered in 2018.
The H135/145 helicopter “has been enjoying a healthy market situation and success”, Wilhelm added.