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SonAir resumes commercial service with Eurocopter EC225 helicopters

Marignane, France, July 29, 2013 SonAir, Africa’s largest oil and gas helicopter operator, has become the first operator to resume passenger transportation flights with the suspended EC225 fleet. Three flights were performed successfully with two EC225s from Luanda to two offshore platforms.

SonAir, Africa’s largest oil and gas helicopter operator, has become the first operator to resume passenger transportation flights with the suspended EC225 fleet. Three flights were performed successfully with two EC225s from Luanda to two offshore platforms.

Based in Angola, SonAir is the aviation division of Sonangol, Angola’s national oil company. Its resumption of EC225 rotations for the oil and gas sector marks a new step in the return-to-service status for the full EC225 fleet worldwide.

“The three flights were routine, confirming that the EC225’s service restart is backed by strong safety measures that give confidence to our clients,” said said João Andrade, SonAir’s Chairman and CEO.

(© Anthony Pecchi)

SonAir has a total of 11 EC225s located at its Luanda, Angola operating base, of which nine are dedicated to crew-change missions for offshore oil and gas platforms. SonAir’s Eurocopter fleet of aircraft also includes four AS332 L2 and three AS365 N3 helicopters.

“Eurocopter thanks SonAir and for its confidence in the EC225,” stated Guillaume Faury, President and CEO Eurocopter. “These first flights were possible thanks to a strong collaboration. Eurocopter remains fully committed to supporting this major oil and gas industry service provider in performing its very demanding missions.”

The EC225 is an 11-ton-class rotorcraft in Eurocopter’s Super Puma family. With more than 300,000 flight hours logged in service worldwide to date, it is deployed in civil, military and parapublic operations that range from offshore transportation and cargo airlift to search and rescue (SAR) duties.

About Eurocopter (Website: www.eurocopter.com)
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 22,000 people. In 2012, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 6.3 billion Euros, orders for 469 new helicopters and a 38 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports more than 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,780 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 148 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.

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Eurocopter delivers an AS365 N3 to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency for operations in Miyagi Prefecture

Tokyo, Japan, August 7, 2013 Eurocopter’s recent delivery of the AS365 N3 is the Fire and Disaster Management Agency’s (FDMA) third helicopter of this model. The brand new aircraft began operations yesterday in the Miyagi Prefecture as a replacement for its BK117 C-2 which was damaged during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

Eurocopter’s recent delivery of the AS365 N3 is the Fire and Disaster Management Agency’s (FDMA) third helicopter of this model. The brand new aircraft began operations yesterday in the Miyagi Prefecture as a replacement for its BK117 C-2 which was damaged during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

The AS365 N3 has been deployed to the Miyagi Prefectural Government for use in fire-fighting, disaster prevention, emergency medical transport and rescue missions. In the event of a large-scale national disaster, it will be dispatched to disaster areas throughout Japan under FDMA’s direction, to gather information and conduct rescue activities.

“In the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in 2011, disaster relief and reconstruction works were greatly assisted by the use of helicopters,” stated Stephane Ginoux, President & CEO of Eurocopter Japan. “The addition of the highly efficient AS365 N3 will enhance the capabilities of the Miyagi Prefectural Government in managing on-going works and future requirements. We are committed to continue providing our full support to our customers working under such difficult conditions.”

(© Eurocopter Japan, Chikako HIRANO)

The 4.5-ton AS365 N3 is part of Eurocopter’s Dauphin family, and is a highly popular helicopter type for fire-fighting services, disaster relief organizations, police agencies as well as news media in Japan and around the world. Currently, more than 50 AS365s are operated in Japan.

Eurocopter also leads the fire-fighting segment in Japan with a 60 percent market share, thanks to its wide range of products and in-country support and services network. Popular models used for fire-fighting and disaster relief missions in Japan include the AS365, the Super Puma family, as well as the BK117, which is a light, twin-engine helicopter developed jointly with Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

About Eurocopter Japan
Established in 2009, Eurocopter Japan is the Japanese subsidiary of Eurocopter, a division of EADS. 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 about 280 employees allocated at four bases, including Tokyo and Kobe. With more than 50 years of in-country presence, Eurocopter Japan confirms its leadership position with a 54 percent market share overall in Japan (for the turbine helicopter market, not including defense).
Eurocopter Japan makes Japan’s sky safer, more reliable and cost-efficient by providing high quality products and services.

About Eurocopter (Website: www.eurocopter.com)
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 22,000 people. In 2012, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 6.3 billion Euros, orders for 469 new helicopters and a 38 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports more than 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,780 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 148 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.

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DanCopter receives its fourth Eurocopter EC225 helicopter for off-shore transport duties in the North Sea

Marignane, France, July 26, 2013 Eurocopter today delivered a fourth EC225 helicopter to Denmark’s DanCopter A/S – which operates the rotorcraft for crew change missions to offshore oil and gas platforms in the North Sea.

Eurocopter today delivered a fourth EC225 helicopter to Denmark’s DanCopter A/S – which operates the rotorcraft for crew change missions to offshore oil and gas platforms in the North Sea.

The handover was made at the Marignane, France production facility of Eurocopter, and will be followed by the helicopter’s ferry flight to DanCopter’s Esbjerg, Denmark operating base with personnel aboard from DanCopter, Maersk and Blueway.

Attendees at the EC225 handover ceremony included DanCopter CEO Jens Anders Jensen; Dag Saetre, the Technical Director of DanCopter’s parent company, Blueway A/S; Ken Tapping, Technical Director for Milestone Aviation Group, the leasing company that provided the financing for the EC225 to Blueway/DanCopter; and Jesper Ladefoged, the Head of Operations at Maersk – DanCopter’s customer for the off-shore airlift services.

(© Thierry Rostang)

“This latest helicopter will provide additional resources as the EC225 returns to service on North Sea transportation missions,” DanCopter’s Jensen said. “Safe operations are the top priority for us, and we have confidence in the EC225’s ability to resume its role as a workhorse on our off-shore oil and gas missions.”

The EC225 enables DanCopter to carry 19 passengers on heavy-lift crew change missions to platforms located 140-155 miles from the coast. Its large cabin and the ability to operate in the North Sea environment – with winds, waves and icing conditions – make the helicopter well suited for such challenging service.

“We thank DanCopter, Blueway, Milestone and Maersk for renewing their trust in the EC225, and Eurocopter is fully committed to supporting them in carrying out these very demanding offshore missions,” said Olivier Lambert Eurocopter senior vice president sales and customer relations.

The EC225 is an 11-ton-class rotorcraft in Eurocopter’s Super Puma family. With more than 300,000 flight hours logged in service worldwide to date, it is deployed in civil, military and parapublic operations that range from offshore transportation and cargo airlift to search and rescue (SAR) duties.

In addition to DanCopter’s EC225s based at Esbjerg, the company operates Eurocopter EC155 B1 helicopters from England and the Netherlands.

About Eurocopter (Website: www.eurocopter.com)
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 22,000 people. In 2012, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 6.3 billion Euros, orders for 469 new helicopters and a 38 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports more than 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,780 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 148 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.

For more information, please contact:

Turkey’s THK Gökçen Aviation receives its first five Eurocopter EC135 helicopters for emergency medical missions

Ankara, Turkey, August 5, 2013 THK Gökçen Aviation, the commercial company of the Turkish Aeronautical Association THK, yesterday received the first five EC135s to provide medical airlift duties throughout Turkey. The helicopters will start operations in August.

THK Gökçen Aviation, the commercial company of the Turkish Aeronautical Association THK, yesterday received the first five EC135s to provide medical airlift duties throughout Turkey. The helicopters will start operations in August.

The delivery of this first batch takes place only three months after the selection of Eurocopter as preferred manufacturer. THK Gökçen Aviation and Saran Holding will deploy a fleet of 17 EC135 to ensure helicopter medical emergency services (HEMS) in the framework of a five-year contract with the Turkish Ministry of Health. The remaining helicopters will be delivered in spring 2014.

EC135 Copyright Eurocopter Charles Abarr

Olivier Lambert, Eurocopter’s Senior Vice President for Sales and Customer Relations said: “Turkey is a growing helicopter market and we are glad the EC135 continues to accompany the project of the Turkish Ministry of Health. With THK Gökçen Aviation we have gained an excellent partner to strengthen our footprint in this strategically important country.”

Eurocopter is present in HEMS operations of the Ministry of Health in Turkey since 2008. The choice of the EC135 by THK Gökçen Aviation underlines the international reference of the EC135 for HEMS. 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 Eurocopter’s shrouded Fenestron tail rotor.

About Eurocopter (www.eurocopter.com)
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 22,000 people. In 2012, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 6.3 billion Euros, orders for 469 new helicopters and a 38 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports more than 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,780 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 148 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.

For more information, please contact:

Belgium receives its first NH90 Naval Helicopter

Donauwörth, Germany, August 1, 2013 Eurocopter today delivered the first NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) to the Belgium Armed Forces, providing an advanced, highly capable and fully-qualified rotary-wing aircraft for this nation’s multi-role mission requirements.

Eurocopter today delivered the first NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) to the Belgium Armed Forces, providing an advanced, highly capable and fully-qualified rotary-wing aircraft for this nation’s multi-role mission requirements.

In addition to being the no. 1 NH90 NFH received by Belgium, it also is the first built at Eurocopter’s Donauwörth, Germany industrial site – demonstrating this facility’s capability to assemble and deliver these new-generation twin-engine helicopters.

Belgium will become the fifth country to put the European-developed NH90 NFH version into service, joining France, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway. The aircraft delivered today is rated at Full Operational Capability (FOC), ensuring its aptitude for the full range of Belgium naval missions – such as Search and Rescue (SAR) or military missions at sea.

Training of Belgium Navy flight and maintenance crews on the NH90 NFH will begin next month, with operations to be initiated in 2014 using its first two helicopters. Belgium has ordered eight NH90s in total, including four of NFH naval versions. The NH90 NFH is replacing the Belgium Navy’s Sea King helicopters. Its configuration is identical to the Dutch NH90 NFH version.
“The NH90 NFH is operationally proven, and Belgium will benefit from this helicopter’s already validated performance, reliability and versatility,” said Michel Polychroniadis, Director of the NH90 Programme at Eurocopter. “The Belgium acceptance teams and flight crews have been impressed by the NH90 NFH’s flight stability and its capabilities, providing a preview of the operational enhancements that will be provided for the country’s army.”

Military services currently operating the NH90 NFH have successfully utilized the helicopters in rescue, transport and surveillance missions. As an example, more than 50 persons have been rescued to date by French Navy NH90 NFH rotorcraft, while the Netherlands recently deployed its NATO Frigate Helicopters to the Horn of Africa in support of the European Union’s Atalanta naval operation.

The NH90 is the most successful helicopter program in Europe, boasting 529 firm orders from 14 different countries. A total of 154 NH90s has been delivered. The NH90 NFH version alone has accumulated 111 bookings.

Management of the NH90 program is handled by the NHIndustries consortium, which is owned by Eurocopter (62.5%), AgustaWestland (32%), and Stork Fokker (5.5%).

About Eurocopter (www.eurocopter.com)
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 22,000 people. In 2012, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 6.3 billion Euros, orders for 469 new helicopters and a 38 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports more than 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,780 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 148 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.

For more information, please contact:

Eurocopter EC225 helicopters to resume their full mission operability worldwide

Marignane, France, July 22, 2013 A return to flight of EC225 helicopters suspended from service will begin this month following approval of the prevention and detection measures developed by Eurocopter for the twin-engine rotorcraft throughout its range of missions.

A return to flight of EC225 helicopters suspended from service will begin this month following approval of the prevention and detection measures developed by Eurocopter for the twin-engine rotorcraft throughout its range of missions.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulatory authority validated on July 10 these safety measures, which were developed by Eurocopter after an extensive investigation into the main gear box shaft failures of two EC225 helicopters in the North Sea in 2012. EASA’s validation was followed by the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority’s lifting of operational restrictions on the same day, with the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway taking the step on July 19. This allows the full return to service of EC225s worldwide.

Also validated by EASA are Eurocopter modifications to the EC225’s main gear box emergency lubrication system that ensure its full performance throughout the flight envelope.

(© Anthony Pecchi)

“I am convinced that the designed and approved measures are the right ones, allowing a safe return to service of the entire fleet,” said Guillaume Faury, President and CEO of Eurocopter. “Eurocopter’s teams remain entirely mobilized to support our customers in the return to service and full availability of their EC225s. Together, we are committed to a shared priority – safety first.”

Certain EC225 operations were affected by the national authorities’ restrictions, particularly for North Sea offshore oil and gas transportation missions, while other helicopters continued flying with initial safety measures defined by Eurocopter. These helicopters have logged more than 20,000 flight hours since last October without incident.

Eurocopter is now supporting helicopter operators as they modify the aircraft in accordance with EASA’s airworthiness directive, enabling the full EC225 return to flight.

Eurocopter has worked closely with EC225 customers to keep them informed of its investigation into the shaft failures and the subsequent development of safety measures. A dedicated Knowledge Center website (www.ec225news.com) has been created featuring up-to-date EC225 information. It includes details about the approved safety measures, background material on the investigation’s methodology, and frequently asked questions. The website’s content is aimed at customers as well as passengers who fly aboard these helicopters.

Eurocopter teams are equally coordinating their efforts with operators and the oil and gas industry to help passengers feel informed and confident in the return to service.
The EC225 is an 11-ton-class rotorcraft in Eurocopter’s Super Puma family. With more than 300,000 flight hours accumulated in service worldwide, it is deployed in civil, military and parapublic operations that range from offshore transportation and cargo airlift to Search and Rescue (SAR) duties.

About Eurocopter (Website: www.eurocopter.com)
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 22,000 people. In 2012, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 6.3 billion Euros, orders for 469 new helicopters and a 38 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports more than 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,780 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 148 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.

For more information, please contact: