| Helibras will upgrade 34 Eurocopter helicopters for the Brazilian Army |
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Helicópteros do Brasil S.A.-Helibras, Eurocopter subsidiary
in Brazil, signed on the 24th of December 2009 a contract to upgrade 34
AS365K Panther helicopters of the Brazilian Army Aviation. This is the
largest service contract signed by the Brazilian subsidiary in more
than 30 years of presence in the country. This Programme will lead to a
new generation of Panther helicopters that benefit from the last
technical evolutions developed by Eurocopter.
The
objective is to extend the life of the current fleet by at least 25
years thank to modernisation (32 aircrafts) and reconstruction (2
aircrafts).
The upgrade consists of new Turbomeca Arriel 2C2 CG
engine managed by a FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) with
up to 15% increased continuous power and various contingency ratings.
The
cockpit will be enriched with new digital radio communication systems
(Proline 21) and full Glass cockpit (various enlarged last state-of-art
displays for Primary Flight, Navigation, Tactical and miscellaneous
information).
The introduction of this new Man Machine Interface
coupled with the 4-Axis Autopilot will significantly reduce the pilot
workload for better night and day mission accomplishment.
Four aircrafts will be upgraded per year. Deliveries are expected to take place between 2011 and 2021.
The
Panther fleet was purchased in 1988 by the Brazilian government when
the Brazilian Army Aviation created the 1st Army Aviation Squadron (1º
BAvEx) at Taubaté (Sao Paulo). They are now operated by the army as
troop transport and light support platforms. The Panther is a variant
of the Dauphin, a proven-powerful medium family well appropriate for
each need.
The upgrade of the Panther helicopters will be
performed by Helibras Engineering Center. This entity that was set-up
to support the deal signed a year ago between the Brazilian government
and a consortium formed by Helibras and Eurocopter for the local
production of 50 EC725 helicopters for the Brazilian Armed Forces.
As
part of this upgrade, engineers, technicians and logistic staff from
the Brazilian Army Aviation will be involved in all the stages of the
programme and receive “on-the-job” training courses for technical
know-how transfer.
About Helibras
Helibras
is the only Brazilian helicopter manufacturer. The company is a
subsidiary of Eurocopter, the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer
which is owned by EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company).
Founded in 1978, Helibras has facilities in the states of Minas Gerais,
São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia and employs more than 300 highly
skilled staff. It holds more than 50% of the Brazilian turbine
helicopters market share. Helibras produces 30 aircraft per year in
Itajubá (Minas Gerais) and covers the civil, government and military
markets. Since its foundation, Helibras has delivered nearly 600
helicopters, of which more than 70% are the Esquilo. The 2008 turnover
was 112.1 million USD, 22% higher than in 2007. More information: www.helibras.com.br
About Eurocopter
Established
in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a Division of
EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defence and related services. The
Eurocopter Group employs approx. 15,600 people. In 2008, Eurocopter
confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer in
the civil and parapublic market, with a turnover of 4.5 billion Euros,
orders for 715 new helicopters, and a 53 percent market share in the
civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s products account for
30 percent of the total world helicopter fleet. Its strong worldwide
presence is ensured by its 18 subsidiaries on five continents, along
with a dense network of distributors, certified agents and maintenance
centres. More than 10,000 Eurocopter helicopters are currently in
service with over 2,800 customers in more than 140 countries.
Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in
the world.
For more information, please click external link at bottom of page, or contact Eurocopter Southern Africa by clicking here
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| DOMINIQUE FOUDA |
| Thursday, 07 January 2010 |
| http://www.eurocopter.com/site/en/ref/Press-Releases_310y2010.html |