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.

FMI: www.eurocopterusa.com