AVIC II, through its subsidiaries Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation and Shanghai Xinsheng Aviation Industry Investment and Development Company, today announced it is joining Shanghai Sikorsky as a shareholder. Shanghai Sikorsky is a civil aerospace joint venture company whose other shareholders are Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. and Shanghai Little Eagle.

Shanghai Sikorsky, established in 2003 by Sikorsky and Shanghai Little Eagle, focuses on the Chinese civil helicopter market and serving its growing vertical lift needs. The venture’s business includes civil helicopter sales and support, including services and training, and general aviation services. With Changhe and Xinsheng becoming shareholders, Shanghai Sikorsky will soon expand its business to provide supply chain management services and to serve both Sikorsky’s and Changhe’s civil fleet in China.

Sikorsky’s business relationship with AVIC II dates back more than a decade to the development and production of the S-92(R) helicopter. In June 2006, Sikorsky and AVIC II furthered their business relationship and announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for collaboration on development and manufacture of civil helicopters. In October 2006, Schweizer signed an agreement for S-300(TM) helicopter subcontract production with Changhe, and in July 2007 Sikorsky announced an S-76(R) helicopter airframe production collaboration with Changhe.