EUROPEAN ROTORS 2025 speakers call for global industry collaboration Leaders from the global vertical aviation industry welcomed attendees to the helicopter trade show featuring more than 250 exhibitors and 22 aircraft at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. EUROPEAN ROTORS 2025 officially opened Nov. 18 at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with strong attendance from operators, manufacturers, regulators, and students. Vertical Aviation International (VAI) produces the four-day international trade show, which is jointly organized by the European Helicopter Association (EHA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and managed by European Rotors GmbH. This is the show’s fifth year of operation, and its third in Cologne. EASA Rotorcraft Symposium Sets the Tone The EASA Rotorcraft Symposium began the morning of Nov. 17 with updates on single-engine IFR certification, crashworthiness, and restricted icing. The afternoon sessions reviewed Europe’s safety data, operational risks, and emerging approaches to pilot mental health and peer support. VAI President and CEO François Lassale delivered the industry keynote speech and urged coordinated action across national borders and sectors. He spoke about the impact of losing seven colleagues early in his helicopter career, compared with none across two decades of flying for airlines. Lassale pointed to the strength of the safety systems surrounding operators as a major factor in the difference. “Safety is the currency of our credibility, and collaboration is what gives that currency its value,” he said. Lassale called for regulators, manufacturers, operators, and associations to treat safety information as shared lifeblood, not competitive data. He noted VAI’s work to align more closely with EASA and EHA, strengthen engagement with the International Civil Aviation Organization, and promote joint efforts in advanced air mobility integration and workforce development. “We are a global industry facing global challenges, and only collaborative global solutions will move the needle,” he said. Schnieder: Focus on Next Generation The Nov. 18 opening ceremonies included remarks from German Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder, who emphasized the daily value of vertical aviation. “Helicopters continue to be a success story, which all of you helped to write as you shaped the present and will shape the future of the industry in Europe and around the world,” Schnieder said. He also highlighted the challenges in growing the next generation of pilots, engineers, and maintenance technicians—a key focus for VAI in the United States and globally. Show floor features more than 250 exhibitors The exhibition hall experienced heavy traffic on the first day of the show. With 263 exhibitors and more than 22 aircraft on display, organizers expect close to 5,000 visitors from over 80 countries. Attendees joined workshops in the Rotor Safety Zone and sessions in the Innovation Showcase. Training providers, maintenance specialists, and OEMs reported steady interest in fleet reliability, sustainability strategies, and next-generation avionics, among other topics. EUROPEAN ROTORS 2025 runs through Thursday, Nov. 20.
