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Airbus Helicopters’ new EC145 T2 is certified: Deliveries of mission-ready rotorcraft to begin in the third quarter
Airbus Helicopters’ new EC145 T2 is certified: Deliveries of mission-ready rotorcraft to begin in the third quarter
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Airbus Helicopters launches Japan’s first helicopter full flight simulator
Airbus Helicopters launches Japan’s first helicopter full flight simulator
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Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s fully-owned Airbus Helicopters EC135 T2e enters service
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s fully-owned Airbus Helicopters EC135 T2e enters service
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“Beijing 999 Emergency Rescue Center orders an Airbus Helicopters EC135 for air ambulance services”
“Beijing 999 Emergency Rescue Center orders an Airbus Helicopters EC135 for air ambulance services”
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With six deals locked in, FIDAE confirms Airbus Helicopters’ leading presence in Latin America
With six deals locked in, FIDAE confirms Airbus Helicopters’ leading presence in Latin America
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Airbus Helicopters and China’s Avicopter sign joint production agreement for 1,000 EC175/AC352 helicopters
Airbus Helicopters and China’s Avicopter sign joint production agreement for 1,000 EC175/AC352 helicopters
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Airbus Helicopters highlights its strong footprint and adapted helicopter range in Latin America at Chile’s FIDAE Fair
Airbus Helicopters highlights its strong footprint and adapted helicopter range in Latin America at Chile’s FIDAE Fair
Airbus Helicopters’ new EC145 T2 is certified: Deliveries of mission-ready rotorcraft to begin in the third quarter
Donauwörth, Germany, 17 April, 2014
The newest member of Airbus Helicopters’ proven EC145 rotorcraft family – the EC145 T2 – has been certified, clearing the way for customer deliveries beginning in the third quarter of this year.
Issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the certification covers the full range of capabilities, including single-pilot and instrument flight rules (IFR) and single engine operations (Cat.A/VTOL), along with night vision goggle capability.
“The EC145 T2 is setting new standards in its class,” said Airbus Helicopters CEO Guillaume Faury. “This new model features a design to meet and exceed the latest challenging requirements of our customers for mission capability. Our operators will benefit from an unrivalled operational advantage thanks to the perfect combination of airframe, equipment and performance”. This comes along with the highest level of flight safety by our new Helionix® avionics suite”.
(© Airbus Helicopters, Charles Abarr)
Approximately 20 EC145 T2 currently are in series production, providing a solid basis for the initial deliveries and ramp-up in production rate. To date, Airbus Helicopters has received orders and options for more than 100 EC145 T2s, along with 15 of the military EC645 T2 variant for the German Army.
Enhancements incorporated in the T2 version of the 4-metric-ton category EC145 include new Arriel 2E engines and the company’s signature Fenestron® shrouded tail rotor, along with upgraded main and new tail rotor gear boxes, and an advanced cockpit that uses Airbus Helicopter’s innovative Helionix digital avionics suite with 4-axis autopilot.
The new dual FADEC engines – combined with an upgraded main gear box – guarantee an unprecedented level of one-engine inoperative (OEI) performance, along with performance in hover, which are of utmost importance in emergency medical services (EMS) operations and for flight safety in general.
By applying Fenestron technology to the EC145 T2, Airbus Helicopters brings the tail rotor’s benefits in terms of improved flight and ground safety, enhanced anti-torque control efficiency, reduced power demand in forward flight, lower noise and vibration levels. For its use on the EC145 T2, the Fenestron has a new-design tail gearbox with lower maintenance costs, and incorporates a duplex tail rotor actuator and dual hydraulic circuits. This is installed in a new, damage-tolerant all-composite tail boom.
The EC145 T2’s designed-in modularity and its large unobstructed cabin with flat floor contribute to the helicopter’s flexibility for a full range of applications. The full range of optional equipment is being offered initially for utility, corporate and emergency medical services missions, to be followed soon by configurations for offshore and police duties.
High levels of mission capability and flexibility are ensured with the Helionix avionics, which provides undisputed superiority of in-flight envelope protection, pilot assistance and situational awareness for unprecedented flight safety levels. Meeting the latest international avionics standards, the Helionix avionics suite incorporates the most innovative alerting and self-monitoring system.
More information on the EC145 T2 is available on its website: http://www.airbushelicopters.com/EC145T2
About Airbus Helicopters
Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With over 40% market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.
For more information, please contact:
Stéphane Chéry |
Lisa Dimino |
Heather Couthaud |
Gloria Illas |
Claas Belling |
Priscilla Yip |
Airbus Helicopters launches Japan’s first helicopter full flight simulator
Tokyo, Japan, 14 April 2014
Airbus Helicopters Japan today inaugurated Japan’s first full flight simulator (FFS) for helicopters, with this high-fidelity training system now ready for service at its facilities located in the Kobe Airport vicinity.
The simulator is configured to represent Airbus Helicopters’ light twin-engine EC135 P2+ rotorcraft, and has received Level C certification from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB). With such airworthiness authority approval, training hours accumulated by pilots in the full flight simulator are now authorized to be logged as actual flight hours.
“Flight safety is our first priority at Airbus Helicopters,” said Stephane Ginoux, President of Airbus Helicopters Japan. “By introducing the first full flight simulator in Japan, we are contributing to enhancing the safety of helicopter operations. With this system now operational, the world standard in training is available for the country.”
(© Airbus Helicopters Japan)
On the picture : Mr. Toshizo Ido, the Governor of Hyogo Prefecture on the FFS
This full flight simulator accurately represents the helicopter’s cockpit, instruments and systems, enabling aircrews to experience operations in all conditions – including emergency situations and flight in bad weather. With the simulator capable of reproducing various circumstances, pilots and maintenance technicians are able to refine their skills more efficiently and safely at lower costs, reducing training time on the actual aircraft.
Incorporating a standard EC135 flight data package developed by Airbus Helicopters, the simulator allows a full representation of the rotorcraft’s functionality, including its engines, autopilot, and all other systems by using real software and components. It is capable of simulating up to 195 malfunction situations, greatly enhancing the crews’ emergency handling abilities.
The EC135 is a twin-engine rotorcraft used worldwide for rescue, emergency medical transport, fire-fighting, coastal patrol, law enforcement, electronic news gathering and other missions. Also highly popular in Japan, there are about 77 EC135s operating in the country today.
Airbus Helicopters Japan’s training center, which is the first of its kind in the country, was officially established in 2012 at Kobe Airport. With qualified Japanese instructors, this facility provides such courses as emergency procedures training, recurrent training, type rating training and mission training through a wide variety of solutions. In 2013, 30 pilots and 185 maintenance technicians attended its training courses.
Airbus Helicopters has 25 training centers around the world, providing a complete range of services for civil and military pilots, maintenance technicians and other industry personnel. In order to improve flight safety, Airbus Helicopters continues to enhance the quantity, quality and cost efficiency of its training solutions offered to customers by placing full flight simulators closer to their operational bases. A total of 21 such simulators are operated around the globe by Airbus Helicopters.
About Airbus Helicopters Japan
Airbus Helicopters Japan, formerly Eurocopter Japan, was established in 2009 as the Japanese subsidiary of Airbus Helicopters, a division of Airbus Group. It is the first foreign affiliated aircraft manufacturer to carry out direct sales, training, and customer support activities in the Japanese aeronautical sector. There are approximately 280 employees allocated at four locations, including Tokyo and Kobe. With more than 50 years of in-country presence, Airbus Helicopters Japan confirms its leadership position with a 54 percent market share overall in Japan (civil and parapublic sectors).
Airbus Helicopters Japan makes Japan’s sky safer, more reliable and cost-efficient by providing high quality products and services.
About Airbus Helicopters (www.airbushelicopters.com)
Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With over 40% market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.
For more information, please contact:
Stéphane Chéry |
Priscilla Yip |
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s fully-owned Airbus Helicopters EC135 T2e enters service
Oxford, U.K., 4 April 2014
One of the United Kingdom’s busiest medical airlift providers – Midlands Air Ambulance Charity – has put its newest rotorcraft in operation: an Airbus Helicopters EC135 T2e, becoming the first fully-owned fleet member for this regional charity organisation.
At a public launch event held yesterday at Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s RAF Cosford airbase in Wolverhampton, Hanna Sebright, the chief executive, stated: “This is a momentous milestone in Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s 23 year history.”
The new EC135 will enable a further extension of Midlands Air Ambulance’s airlift services beyond the current daylight operations.
(© Midlands Air Ambulance Charity)
Based at the Royal Air Force base in Cosford, Shropshire, the EC135 T2e will be maintained and operated by Bond Air Services, which also leases and operates two other EC135s to Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.
“Our new EC135 T2e will help us to save more lives, as it provides the opportunity to expand our service and deliver the best possible patient care to those we airlift,” said Hanna Sebright. “Its acquisition was entirely funded through public donations, underscoring the incredible support our vital life-saving service receives from local Midlands’ communities and businesses.”
The EC135 T2e is an evolved version of Airbus Helicopters’ twin-engine EC135 workhorse, providing an increased maximum takeoff weight of up to 2,950 kg. Overall, Airbus Helicopters’ EC135 is one of the world’s leading rotorcraft for emergency medical services, with more than 500 delivered in aeromedical configurations.
“Midlands Air Ambulances Charity’s selection of the EC135 T2e is another strong endorsement for the EC135 in the United Kingdom and for emergency medical airlift operations in particular,” added Markus Steinke, managing director of the Airbus Helicopters’ helicopter hub in the UK. “It joins a fleet of 50 EC135 serving as the nation’s backbone of the national resilience fleet tasked with highly demanding missions in search, surveillance, casualty evacuation and crime prevention.”
About Airbus Helicopters (www.airbushelicopters.com)
Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With over 40% market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.
For more information, please contact:
Stéphane Chéry |
Lisa Dimino |
Heather Couthaud |
Gloria Illas |
Claas Belling |
Priscilla Yip |
“Beijing 999 Emergency Rescue Center orders an Airbus Helicopters EC135 for air ambulance services”
First helicopter to be fully equipped and dedicated to emergency medical services in China
Beijing, China, March 31, 2014
The 999 Emergency Rescue Center (999 Center), a subsidiary of the Beijing Red Cross Foundation, signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters China today for the purchase of one Airbus Helicopters EC135 P2e, with an option for another similar unit. The light twin-engine helicopter is scheduled to be delivered before the end of 2014, and will be China’s first helicopter fully equipped to perform helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) missions in the country.
“We would like to congratulate Beijing 999 Center for making history by being the pioneer HEMS provider in China,” said Norbert Ducrot, President of Airbus Helicopters China. “We are very honoured that 999 Center has placed their trust in us and our products, and we are committed to support them in the development of a successful HEMS program in China.”
The EC135 P2e will be fully kitted out with medical systems and equipment from Bucher, the same provider for many established European HEMS operators. In addition, Airbus Helicopters will utilize their extensive experience and network to organize tie-ups and co-operation for 999 Center with leading European air rescue operators, to ensure a smooth and successful initiation of their HEMS operations.
(© Airbus Helicopters China)
“As a worldwide leading rotorcraft manufacturer, Airbus Helicopters has a very good and long-standing partnership with China’s helicopter industry. Today, with the acquisition of our own helicopters from Airbus Helicopters, we will be able to enhance emergency medical services and offer time-critical rescue services more efficiently,” said Tian Zhenbiao, Vice Director of Beijing Red Cross Emergency Rescue Center.
As a leading helicopter provider in the air rescue segment, Airbus Helicopters occupies 67% market share worldwide in the HEMS segment, with the EC135 being one of the reference helicopters alongside its bigger counterpart EC145. Approximately 25 percent of all medical emergency operations around the globe are performed with the EC135. A total of more than 1,100 EC135 have been delivered worldwide, and more than 500 of these rotorcraft are in HEMS configurations.
The EC135 combines a wide, unobstructed cabin with excellent performance, range and payload capacity – along with low-noise operations. The helicopter’s oversized sliding side doors and rear clamshell doors enable fast loading/unloading of patients – with additional safety during ground operations ensured by its shrouded Fenestron tail rotor.
About Beijing 999 Center
Beijing Red Cross Emergency Rescue center (999) is subordinate to Beijing Red Cross. It is a public institution formally approved by Beijing municipal commission office. Nearly two million person-times of various kinds of patients have been rescued since it was opened on 18th, May, 2001. Meanwhile, "999" has been assisting the government to offer Beijing citizens the first-aid treatment and medical rescue supports. In order to provide professional, highly efficient and good-quality air rescue services to patients at home and abroad, "999" established the first center applying motorcycle, fixed wing aircraft and helicopter to emergency rescue services, playing the function of emergency rescue and transport within and among cities with the real three-dimensional rescue system.
About Airbus Helicopters (www.airbushelicopters.com)
Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With over 40% market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.
For more information please contact:
Stéphane Chéry |
Priscilla Yip |
With six deals locked in, FIDAE confirms Airbus Helicopters’ leading presence in Latin America
Santiago, Chile, 28 March 2014
New agreements announced at this week’s FIDAE 2014 air show has further underscored Airbus Helicopters’ strong presence in the Southern Cone area of Latin America, with contracts and commitments involving military, security and energy-sector customers.
Building on a market leadership position that has seen its turnover double during the past four years, the Airbus Helicopters Cono Sur subsidiary revealed transactions at FIDAE 2014 for its AS350, EC145 and EC155 rotorcraft valued at a total of U.S $54 million.
“This success confirms our helicopter product line continues to meet the demanding operational requirements in this region of the world, which results from the capabilities of Airbus Helicopters’ current rotorcraft families and the constant evolution of our product line,” said Alexandre Ceccacci, the Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Helicopters Cono Sur.“
(© Airbus Helicopters/Cristobal Correa-2014)
Among the announcements at FIDAE 2014 is the Bolivian Air Force’s booking for two additional EC145s, which are to be used for missions ranging from support after natural disasters to governmental transport duties. The new order includes pilot training, technical assistance and a logistic package of tools and spare parts to be provided by Airbus Helicopters.
The new EC145s will join two helicopters of this type received by the Bolivian Air Force in 2012, along with six AS332 C1e rotorcraft that were ordered last year by the military service for deliveries through 2016.
With more than 500 EC145s delivered to date by Airbus Helicopters around the globe, this twin-engine rotorcraft is the reference for public services missions across Latin America, where it is being operated in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico – joined more recently by Bolivia and Peru with recent purchases for four and five aircraft, respectively.
Also announced at FIDAE 2014 was an AS350 B3 order from the Ministry of Security of Buenos Aires Province, to be deployed in surveillance, rescue and other applications. This will be the organization’s fourth AS350 B3, operated along with five BO105s. As the highest-performance member of Airbus Helicopters’ multi-role Ecureuil family, the AS350 B3 outclasses all other single-engine helicopters for performance, versatility, safety, acquisition and maintenance costs – excelling in hot conditions and very high altitudes.
During FIDAE 2014, Airbus Helicopters signed a letter of intent with Peruvian operator Heliflight for two EC145s and one EC155 B1 Dauphin family rotorcraft, to be used in supporting the country’s energy industry. This customer currently has two AS350 B3s, which are deployed on missions for mining, as well as oil and gas, including operations in hot and high environments.
The fleet of Airbus Helicopters in the Southern Cone expanded with the deliveries at FIDAE 2014 of an EC155 B1 to a private Chilean client, an AS532 Ale Cougar to the Chilean Army, and the first enhanced EC130 T2 version received in this region of the world – delivered to a private customer.
The geographical region of Airbus Helicopters Cono Sur covers the countries of Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Uruguay, for an in-service fleet of some 290 rotorcraft. Based in Santiago, this subsidiary, which has 100 employees, is responsible for the sale and customization of new and used helicopters, commercial support, spare parts distribution, maintenance and training.
About Airbus Helicopters (www.airbushelicopters.com)
Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With over 40% market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.
For more information please contact:
Stéphane Chéry |
Gloria Illas |
Airbus Helicopters and China’s Avicopter sign joint production agreement for 1,000 EC175/AC352 helicopters
20-year industrial output is launched for new-generation medium twin-engine rotorcraft
Paris, France, March 26, 2014
Airbus Helicopters and China’s Avicopter (the helicopters business unit of AVIC) today signed a joint agreement for the production of 1,000 newgeneration EC175/AC352 rotorcraft, in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President François Hollande at the Elysée Palace in Paris.
The agreement cements the industrial partnership between Airbus Helicopters and AVIC on their jointly-developed EC175/AC352.
“Today’s agreement results from several years of close collaboration between our teams. It sets the stage for an unprecedented full-scale production framework by both partners and adds a new dimension to the relationship with Avicopter,” said Airbus Helicopters CEO Guillaume Faury.
“The production contract’s signature will allow both of us to satisfy the Chinese and worldwide market needs in the medium helicopter segment," added Li Fangyong, AVIC
Executive Vice President. “This also puts Avicopter’s production resources to work in the aviation industry’s global industrial chain.”
(© Airbus Helicopters/Jerome DEULIN-2014)
While development work has been equally shared between Airbus Helicopters and Avicopter for the EC175/AC352 project, production is likewise shared, combining the capabilities of both companies. Coming from a common platform, two different rotorcraft are being built: the AC352, assembled and supported from China by Avicopter, mainly for the Chinese market; and the EC175, assembled and supported by Airbus Helicopters from Marignane, France, for the worldwide market.
The EC175, certified earlier this year by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Europe’s airworthiness authority, is a highly capable, medium-sized twin-engine rotorcraft that meets global market requirements across a full range of missions – including offshore crew transport, search and rescue, VIP, utility and medical evacuation operations. Initial deliveries to its first three EC175 customers are planned by Airbus Helicopters later in 2014.
France and China launched their cooperation on EC175/AC352 in 2005, benefitting from 40 years of close ties between the partners on previous rotorcraft projects.
For more information, visit the EC175 website at: http://ec175.airbushelicopters.com/
About Avicopter
Avicopter is the helicopter business unit under China Aviation Industry Corp (AVIC), the country's leading aviation manufacturer. Avicopter is the biggest helicopter manufacturer in China, which deliver more than 100 aircraft annually with its various rotorcraft types ranging from 1-ton to 13-tons in terms of maximum take-off weight.
About Airbus Helicopters (www.airbushelicopters.com)
Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With over 40% market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.
For more information please contact:
Stéphane Chéry |
Lisa Dimino |
Heather Couthaud |
Gloria Illas |
Claas Belling |
Priscilla Yip |
Airbus Helicopters highlights its strong footprint and adapted helicopter range in Latin America at Chile’s FIDAE Fair
Airbus Helicopters’ enhanced version is the first to be fully certified in Brazil
Marignane, France, March 21, 2014
For the first time in Latin America under its new branding, Airbus Helicopters will display its efficient and adapted product line-up at next week’s FIDAE International Air and Space Fair, featuring rotorcraft flown by a cross-section of Latin American operators to underscore the company’s leadership in this portion of the world.
Maintaining an overall 40 percent market share in Latin America during the past five years with a deployed fleet of more than 1,350 rotorcraft across the region, Airbus Helicopters has developed a diversified customer base, as well as a strong industrial presence – with 1,200 employees assigned to its subsidiaries in Brazil, Chile and Mexico for production, maintenance and support.
Airbus Helicopters’ 12 different rotorcraft types position the company as the only manufacturer covering Latin America’s full operational requirements, from lightweight to heavy-lift; with designed-in performance for duties in the region’s unique conditions, from jungle and hot environments to high altitudes in the Andes.
(© Airbus Helicopters/Charles Abarr-2014)
The product line’s versatility and efficiency is underscored by Airbus Helicopters’ Ecureuil family: more than 600 are in service across the region, having logged over 130,000 flight hours in missions that include passenger transport, mining support, power line maintenance, fire-fighting and the transportation of external loads.
Exhibited at FIDAE will be a utility-configured single-engine AS350 B3 Ecureuil from a Chile based aerial services operator that specializes in mining and energy, construction, civil work, extreme sports, tourism and filming.
Other lightweight helicopters on display at FIDAE are the EC120 and the EC130 T2 – the latter being the first of this type to arrive in the South Cone. Retaining the EC130 helicopter’s external lines, this latest Ecureuil family member benefits from Airbus Helicopters’ continued investment in its products – with approximately 70 percent of the EC130 T2’s airframe structure modified. New features include a more powerful Arriel 2D turboshaft engine and upgraded main gearbox; along with a cabin interior structure redesign and a cockpit update for enhanced man-machine interface.
The EC145, also showcased at FIDAE, is one of the most popular light twin-engine helicopter models, and is relied on around the globe for public security and disaster relief missions. With more than 500 delivered to date, this helicopter serves in the police fleets of 26 countries worldwide. Powerful, versatile and perfectly suited to the region’s terrain, the EC145 has become a reference for public services missions in Latin America, where it is being operated by the public services of Argentina, Brazil, Mexico – and more recently Bolivia and Peru, with recent purchases for four and five aircraft, respectively.
The Dauphin family’s EC155 B1 arrives in the region to set new standards for private aviation in terms of style and comfort. Presenting the biggest cabin in its class, the EC155 B1 offers a unique combination of elegance, comfort, silence and speed and, it is well position for the growing trend among private operators for large-cabin helicopters. High-end options include soft leather club seats, power sources for laptops, adjustable reading lights, cabin air conditioning, as well as satellite communications and in-flight entertainment for an exclusive flight experience.
Completing Airbus Helicopters’ flight-line presence at FIDAE is the latest Cougar family member: the AS532 ALe version of the workhorse Super Puma family that incorporates the EC225 version’s glass cockpit and four-axis autopilot. Of the 870 Super Puma/Cougar helicopters delivered to date, more than 100 are in service in Latin America, with 60 others on order. Most of the continent’s armed forces are operating this family for a wide variety of missions that range from assault and combat to special operations, tactical transport, SAR, medical evacuation and the transport of high-ranking officials.
The Cougar family is present in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Venezuela – with Airbus Helicopters’ Helibras subsidiary in Brazil producing the EC725 version for the Brazilian Armed Forces.
Airbus Helicopters’ participation in this year’s FIDAE is the company’s first at the biennial show in its new branding, underscoring its commitment toward customer satisfaction, quality, safety and competitiveness.
About Airbus Helicopters (www.airbushelicopters.com)
Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With over 40% market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.
For more information please contact:
Stéphane Chéry |
Gloria Illas |