Five Companies Order 21 Aircraft In Houston
Nearly a half-dozen companies have signed orders to buy
aircraft from American Eurocopter at the 2010 Heli-Expo in
Houston.
The largest order came from Air Methods Corporation, which plans
to acquire eight EC130 and four AS350B3 helicopters, for a total of
12 aircraft. The order is part of an ongoing Air Method’s
initiative to maintain the upgrade of its fleet despite the
economic challenges throughout the country. All 12 aircraft are
scheduled to be delivered this year and they will join Air
Methods’ considerable fleet of 330 helicopters providing
emergency medical services throughout the United States.
(L-R) Aaron Todd, CEO of Air Methods
Corporation, Marc Paganini, President and CEO of American
Eurocopter
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has entered into the first
option year on the Light Enforcement Helicopter (LEH) contract and
placed an order for six AS350B3s. This is the second order on the
LEH contract that was awarded to American Eurocopter by the
Department of Homeland Security in July 2008.
“The AS350B3 has proven that it is well-suited for the
CBP’s surveillance missions and security patrol,” said
Marc Paganini, American Eurocopter President and CEO. “It
provides a cost-effective, durable and high-performance solution to
meet their varied mission objectives.”
The LEH contract with the Department of Homeland Security is a
multi-year contract and may result in orders for a total of 50
AS350B3s and could be worth over US$150 million. The first
helicopter on the contract was delivered in December 19, 2008 and
to date, 14 aircraft have been delivered. The LEH aircraft are
produced in the company’s facilities in Columbus,
Mississippi. “Our employees take pride in knowing that
aircraft they produce are an integral part in assisting the CBP in
their important homeland security missions,” explained
Paganini.
The Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) has ordered another
AS350 B2 helicopter that will join the department’s existing
fleet of two AS350 B2s and one EC145. The aircraft will replace
another helicopter and with this addition, the SCPD’s
Aviation Section will become an all-Eurocopter fleet operator.
“Due to their outstanding performance and adaptability,
the AS350 family of helicopters has established itself as a
preferred platform for law enforcement agencies throughout the
nation,” said Marc Paganini, President and CEO of American
Eurocopter.
The Suffolk County Police Department’s Aviation Section
performs a wide variety of missions including medevac,
interhospital transport, over water search and rescue, as well as
law enforcement. The Suffolk County PD’s AS350 B2s primarily
operate in the department’s law enforcement missions, but
they are also able to fulfill EMS missions in a backup role.
TEMSCO Helicopters has signed for an AS350 B3 helicopter as it
begins a fleet upgrade program. TEMSCO’s fleet includes 56
helicopters and 39 of those are Eurocopter aircraft.
(L-R) Larry Roberts VP American
Eurocopter, Joe Hicks, Senior VP TEMSCO
Helicopters
“TEMSCO was one of the launch customers for the AStar in
North America and they played an integral part in the development
of the AS350 B3,” explained Larry Roberts, VP of Sales,
Marketing and Customer Support for American Eurocopter. “This
is just the first B3 in the upgrade plan and we look forward to
working with them in the future as they continue to upgrade their
fleet.”
“We have operated AStars since 1983 and we are very
comfortable with the reliability and performance of these
helicopters,” said Joe Hicks, Senior Vice President of
Operations at TEMSCO Helicopters. “The B3 is a workhorse and
it is perfect for our fleet upgrade plans. It provides us with the
extra power and performance we need, plus the added safety features
including dual hydraulics and dual FADEC.”
Finally, Papillon Helicopters has ordered another EC130 B4 to
its aerial tour operations in the Grand Canyon and the surrounding
area. This is the fourteenth EC130 B4 in the company’s
fleet.
“Our focus is on customer satisfaction, comfort and
safety,” said Lon Halvorson, EVP of Papillon Helicopters,
Inc. "The B4 is renowned for its spacious cabin, excellent
visibility, reliability and performance, and it is the right choice
for our fleet.”
(L-R) Lon Halverson, EVP Papillon
Helicopters, Larry Roberts (standing), VP American Eurocopter, Marc
Paganini, President and CEO, American Eurocopter
The EC130B4 is equipped with a Turbomeca ARRIEL 2B1 turbine
engine. It comes with a dual channel digital engine control system
(FADEC) and has a cruise speed of 130 knots, and a range of 329 nm
with no reserves. Its Fenestron tail rotor and automatic control of
rotor RPM results in a significantly reduced operating noise level,
which makes it popular for the aerial tour industry.