Helicopter dealership Rotortrade has released its Global Helicopter Market Report 2026, which indicates that the global demand for helicopters is still strong in the face of delivery backlogs. According to the report, customer demand outweighs OEM production capacity, with delivery slots extending to 42-48 months in some cases. Due to these lead times, operators are opting for pre-owned aircraft instead, which is propulsing the secondary market.
“The helicopter industry remains fundamentally resilient,” said Philippe Lubrano, CEO of Rotortrade. “Demand across EMS, offshore, corporate and firefighting missions is strong, yet OEM backlogs are reshaping acquisition strategies worldwide. Our Global Helicopter Market Report is designed to provide operators, financiers and industry stakeholders with clear, data-driven insight. In this environment, access to reliable market intelligence is critical to making informed fleet decisions.”
For single-engine aircraft, Bell and Airbus are about equal, with the former providing 6,760 of the global fleet, and the latter holding 6,707 aircraft. However, Robinson Helicopter Company is steadily emerging as competition with the R66. Despite this, the piston market remains Robinson’s bread and butter, with 9,929 aircraft currently operating, and the OEM is also powering ahead with the Flight School Next programme.
For multi-engines, Airbus is at the forefront with 4,459 helicopters, while Leonardo comes second with 2,297, and Bell carries up the rear with 1,937 aircraft.
Looking ahead, the report points to the Airbus H140, Bell 525, Leonardo AW09 and AW609, and Robinson R88 as the next big players for 2026.
“Our industry is strong with a solid demand for helicopters. However, there is a bottleneck on the production lines, with backlogs for some models of 2-3 years or even more. While there is some discussion on increasing production rates, other issues remain. Increasingly, buyers are also seeking a packaged offering to ensure predictable maintenance costs going forward, providing strength to the MRO market.
“Putting all this together, we need more helicopters to be delivered green to allow all aspects completion, training and delivery to be achieved away from the OEM. There are no options for quick acquisitions, but opportunities exist via buyers willing to sell production slots, as well as leasing companies and the resale market. Aircraft can be bought in, reconfigured and presented in “as new” condition up to two years quicker than the order backlog would deliver from the production line
The report can be accessed in full here.
Photo: Rotortrade
