State-owned manufacturer Indonesian Aerospace has started making its first parts for the Eurocopter EC225/725 family of transport helicopters. The two companies held an event at IAe's Bandung base on 27 January to mark the milestone.
IAe has begun work on the first tail-boom, and in May will start manufacturing fuselage sections, the company says. The first tail-boom is expected to be delivered in October, while the first fuselage should follow in November 2011.
"Six tail-boom units will be delivered in 2011 and then one unit per month during the remaining years," the Indonesian firm says.
IAe will become Eurocopter's main supplier for these parts on the civilian EC225 and the EC725 long-range tactical transport (below), it says.
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© Patrick Penna/Eurocopter |
Eurocopter says it is assisting IAe in the "early stage of the co-operation in the following areas: product planning and tooling, qualification of special processes, jigs and production facilities, certification of key staff, procurement planning and supply chain management".
The Indonesian company has been working with Eurocopter since 1978, when it began assembling SA330 Pumas. It started making AS332 Super Puma airframes in 1981.
Source: Flight International
