Helicopters can be used in many different ways. Today, helicopters are used for transportation, for construction, for firefighting, search and rescue, and a variety of other jobs that require the special capabilities of the helicopter. Some police use them to monitor traffic, and catch speeders. They are used for emergency rescue such as grass fires. They are used for air ambulances when a patient needs to be rushed to a different hospital- because of their ability to take off and land vertically, and it doesn't need a runway. Military forces use helicopters to land men on the ground to fight. The military also transports food, missiles, needed medical equipment etc.. helicopters can also be used for recreation. Some people pay money to go up in a helicopter and fly over forests cities, and anything else that would look interesting from above. 

Helicopters are also used for Aerial photography, Motion picture photography, Electronic news gathering, search and rescue, travelling, and touring or personal pleasures.

A view from the Market Demands

In 2001 there is a large demand for commercial helicopter operations. It is reported that 41% of total demand is in Oil & Gas industry followed by Air Medical operations at 29% and tours about 7% of the total helicopter operations.
63% represent commercial operation of the total market. 22% represent Corporate / Private sector and 15% at public service.
The average fleet size of Commercial helicopter operators was 10.2 helicopters, Corporate/Private 2.0   and Public Service was 7.0
Light-single turbine helicopters represent 49% of the total helicopters operated.
Light Light-single turbines fly 57% of the total flight hours. T-single turbines fly 57% of the total flight hours.
Approximately 150 new turbine helicopters have been delivered to US operators in 2000.  While the industry predictions for US helicopter operators look promising, they represent a fraction of worldwide demand for light long-range civil helicopter.
Through 2005, Asia predicts a market capacity of 350 new turbine helicopters in Siberia, 300 in China and 250 in Indonesia and Malaysia.
High import tariffs and high cost of licensed assembly of existing U.S. and European models prevent them from entering Asian markets. 

Here is our expectation from the previous study, on what most of the owner worldwide would like to consider which are the characteristics when buying a helicopter:

- Low initial purchase cost
- Low maintenance requirement
- Longer time between overhauls
- Small number of in-service repairs
- Utilitarian – can performed more than one mission
- High performance
- Safety
- Fuel efficient
- Easy to maintenance
- Parts interchangeable
- Can operate in any weather condition
- Low noise

From all listed characteristics of a helicopter, safety seems to have come to a fruition to most of them. Most of them request additional requirements under this feature as follows:

1.Improve safety regarding approach helideck operations
2.Reduce the possibility of technical failures
3.Improve the management of organizational changes and changes in the internal 
framework conditions
4.Increase the use of proactive safety indicators
5.Improve interaction between the operators involved in offshore helicopter transport
6.Develop and maintain technical and operational competence
7.Reduce the risk of lightning strikes and their possible consequences on helicopters
8.Minimize exemptions from requirements and the OLF recommended guidelines
9.Evaluate measures to reduce perceived risk

Military Helicopter



Other than that, they have agreed on the utilitarian characteristic to be the least required for their priority, as each of them has their own expectations and specific requirements especially on the personal type of helicopter to be bought.



Credit to: SINTEF