Eurocopter flexed its muscles at Le Bourget yesterday, winning a 10-aircraft order for EC130 helicopters in a deal with Rocky Mountain Helicopters (RMH), while simultaneously announcing a breakthrough sale of EC145 twins to a German customer. The combined deals are worth some $20 million.
The Franco-German manufacturer has long-standing ties with RMH which already operates AStar variants. This latest buy will see the operator expand its fleet of air medical helicopters to 95.RMH chairman and chief executive Russ Spray was quick to praise the EC130's credentials: "The EC130 B4 is an excellent aircraft for the operational requirements of today¹s EMS mission. We've been very happy with our AStars."
However, the larger cabin of the EC130 B4 gives us the ability to accommodate the additional medical equipment and personnel required for some medical procedures.
"The open cabin also provides dual patient access, which is not usually feasible in a single-engine helicopter."
Meanwhile, German EMS specialist ADAC-Luftrettung is to acquire two EC145s to use in helilift missions.
The sale is particularly important to Eurocopter because it is the first outside of the two launch customers, the French Securite Civile, which has ordered 32 machines, and the French Gendarmerie, which has ordered eight.
Friedrich Rehkopf, chief executive of ADAC, says: "The EC145 fits in perfectly with our fleet concept and will help to extend our emergency medical skills. The deciding factors are its cabin size and low noise."
Source: Flight Daily News
