Eurocopter Delivers the First EC120 B Colibri Helicopter to HeliDax

Eurocopter Delivers the First EC120 B Colibri Helicopter to HeliDax (NSI News Source Info) MARIGNANE, France - October 28, 2008: Eurocopter delivered on its Marignane site the first EC120B Colibri helicopter to HeliDax, the company selected by the French Ministry of Defense in 2007 to provide up to 22,000 helicopter flight hours for the Army's light aviation (EA.ALAT) school in Dax located in the southwest of France.

EC120 B Colibri Helicopter

The EC120 B Colibri will replace the current fleet of Gazelle (SA341 and SA342) helicopters. This is the first of the batch of 30 EC120B helicopters (plus 6 options) which will be delivered until 2010. The first EC120B helicopter will enter into operation in 2009. This contract which is valid for 22 years is funded by an innovative financing solution of “Public Private Partnership” nature, whose main advantage is to allow for savings on operating and finance costs by eliminating the need for procurement and ongoing maintenance. The EC120B Colibri – the worldwide reference for training missions The EC120B Colibri helicopter of which more than 600 units are currently in service in 50 countries, is selected by military and civilian training schools worldwide such as in Spain, Indonesia and Singapore. The EC120B Colibri helicopter is perfectly adapted for initial and recurrent pilot training due to its small size, reduced operating costs, easy piloting capabilities, simple design, large cabin visibility and environmental friendliness. It is equipped with the most advanced technologies and enhanced energy attenuating systems (seats, main structure, fuel tanks compartment) which enhances instructors to perform training missions in optimal safety conditions. 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. 14,000 people. In 2007, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer in the civil and parapublic market, with a turnover exceeding 4 billion Euros, orders for 802 new helicopters, and a 53 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Within the scope of the public-private partnership, DCI and Proteus created Helidax, a company with a 15 million euro capital whose head office is in Dax. Défense Conseil International (DCI) is a company specialised in training, consulting and assistance activities for the armed forces of allied countries to whom it transfers the know-how of the French Armed Forces. Since 1991 DCI has been in charge of supporting a foreign military helicopter fleet and this contract reinforces its partnership with the French Army, representing an opportunity to place its training activities directly for French Defence in a long-term position. Proteus Hélicoptères, owned by Spanish group INAER, is an air transport company and medical transport leader in France. This contract represents an important standing change for this company as regards its personnel as well as its business sector.