Helicopters

Eurocopter sees the Asia Pacific region as the most important civil and parapublic growth market, especially for corporate missions. Eurocopter currently holds a 52% market share of the worldwide civil and parapublic market, and in Asia today there are around 1,000 of its helicopters performing a vast array of different missions.

In Hong Kong, Eurocopter has a 46% market share and an important presence in the Corporate VIP segment. And that market share looks to be increasing – 50% of helicopter deliveries in Hong Kong since 2002 have been Eurocopter designs.

On display here at the show are three of its market-leading helicopters – the light-twin EC135, the latest large cabin version of the Dauphin, the EC155 and the improved EC225 Super Puma.

The EC135 light-twin is widely used for corporate transport, EMS and law enforcement. In April the Shanghai Public Security Bureau purchased two of the type for police missions. Elsewhere the EC135 is already being used in Guangdong and has also been ordered by several other Asian countries.

The EC155 is used by the Government Flying Service Hong Kong and is the newest large cabin version of the successful Dauphin family. As well as HKSAR government use Japan and Thailand’s Royal Thai Police also use the family for police use. The Shanghai Public Security Bureau also ordered an EC155 with its EC135 order in April this year. The Dauphin/EC155 family has had 871 deliveries to date.

The EC225 is the latest addition to the Super Puma family of heavy rotorcraft, major changes include the new five-blade spheriflex rotor as well as a new innovative piloting and display system. It is ideal for Search and Rescue, troop transport or VIP transport, and Hong Kong’s Government Flying Service already uses its predecessor, the AS332.

China’s Ministry of Communications and Citic Offshore Helicopter Co. Ltd have both acquired two EC225s each for SAR and offshore missions respectively. Since its introduction in 2000 30 EC225s have been delivered.