Eurocopter is pressing the credentials of the EC145 as a serious contender in the corporate market for the first time at EBACE.
The manufacturer is also displaying the results of its partnership with French design house Hermès, which is being brought to life on board an EC135 also on display here this week.
“Up until now the EC145 has been very successful in other sectors such as law enforcement and military applications,” says Patrice Royer, Eurocopter director of market development, business aviation private and commercial.
“We believe the time is right to launch the aircraft for the corporate market. If you look at the cabin size and also the safety and reliability of the EC145 that has been proven over many years, it is a very good fit for this market.”
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Eurocopter’s partnership with Hermès will be featured during EBACE. |
Eurocopter is bringing its Hermès concept to EBACE having launched the partnership at NBAA at the end of 2007. Hermès designers have sought to reinvent the experience of travelling by corporate helicopter, according to Royer: “They have brought a fresh eye to everything from comfort levels to the size and shape of the luggage hold. The landing gear has been redesigned and the interior changed dramatically. Most of all Hermès brought imagination.”
Royer says Eurocopter has not yet made a decision on how widely the Hermès-branded EC135 will be rolled out, but he says it is aimed at customers who demand absolute luxury.
The company has enjoyed a strong performance in the corporate helicopter market in recent times, having doubled orders in the past two years. “In 2005 we had 83 aircraft on order in this sector,” says Royer. “That rose to 111 in 2006 and to 168 in 2007. It is a market we are completely dedicated to.”
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Source: Flight Daily News