 |
 |
 |
LAAD 2011 Defence & Security News - Eurocopter / Helibras |
| |
Thursday,
April 14, 2011, 01:53 PM |
|
|
| |
| Helibras
subsidiary of Eurocopter Group presents the EC725 Cougar helicopter
for Brazilian Army. |
| |
|
| |
The
French Company manufacturer of helicopter Eurocopter with
its subsidiary Company Helibras present the first EC725
Cougar helicopter from the Brazilian army. The EC725 Cougar
helicopter is spotlighted, underscoring Brazil’s
major acquisition of these rotary-wing aircraft and the
key industrial role of Helibras in their production.
|
|
EC725
Cougar helicopter |
|
Among
the helicopters spotlighted on Helibras’ exhibit
(#G-30, on the outdoor display area) is the twin-engine
EC725 Cougar helicopter, which is being acquired by the
Brazilian Armed Forces – and will be built in a
new center of excellence created at its Itajubá
facility in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. The Eurocopter
parent company also is participating in the LAAD 2011
event, presenting an overview of its rotary-wing aircraft
family on the stand of EADS (#F46 in Hall 4).
As
the only Brazilian helicopter manufacturer, Helibras has
the capability of producing a variety of aircraft in Eurocopter’s
product line. It supplies over 50 percent of the country’s
turbine-powered helicopters – having delivered more
than 500 aircraft in its 33 years of operation to meet
the requirements of governmental, military and civil customers.
|
|
Video
EC725 Cougar helicopter
{youtube}ccsHAJnIq-0{/youtube}
|
|
“Helibras
is on the way to becoming a cornerstone in Eurocopter’s
global industrial base, with all the skills necessary for
helicopter manufacturing, assembly, integration, upgrades
and support,” said Eurocopter President & CEO
Lutz Bertling. “Our presence in Brazil positions Eurocopter
for future growth in the country and across Latin America,
while also ensuring excellence in support and training for
operators throughout the region.”
At
Itajubá, Helibras is preparing for the assembly of
EC725s, which the Brazilian government contracted in 2008
to acquire 50 helicopters for transport and civil security
missions. Construction is underway on Helibras’ new
EC725 production factory for completion in 2012 –
doubling the company’s employment, bringing total
staff to approximately 1,000.
The
EC725 is Eurocopter’s latest member of the Super Puma/Cougar
helicopter family. In addition to building this 11-metric-ton-class
rotary-wing aircraft at Itajubá, Helibras is to become
involved in such industrial activities as the manufacture
of EC725 tailbooms and electrical harness, plus the assembly
of gearboxes. Helibras also is working with Brazilian companies
to develop a local supply chain, and it is supporting the
acceleration of in-country technical and university courses
for aeronautics and aerospace. |
|
AS550
Fennec helicopter |
|
At
this week’s LAAD 2011 defense and security show, Helibras
also is exhibiting the AS550A2 Fennec, operated by the Brazilian
Army Aviation Command – and which will be modernized
by the company in a program that incorporates a tailored
complement of armament, a new glass cockpit, an Automatic
Flight Control System (AFCS) with autopilot, and the installation
of improved pilot seats for enhanced crash protection.
The
single-engine, multi-purpose AS550/AS350 entered service
with the Brazilian Army Aviation Command more than two decades
ago, and Helibras’ upgrade program will ensure the
continued operation of these helicopters for at least 25
additional years. As part of the LAAD 2011 exhibition, Helibras
will be showing the AS350/AS550’s new instrument panel
layout, which incorporates three large multifunction liquid
crystal displays and is being developed by the company in
cooperation with France’s Sagem and the Brazilian
firm Aeroeletrônica.
Helibras
has produced more than 400 AS350s for the South American
market. The helicopter’s modernization also can be
applied to the large inventory of AS350 Ecureuils operating
throughout Brazil – which totals some 350 aircraft. |
| |
Included
on Helibras’ LAAD 2011 exhibit stand as well will
be a single-engine EC130 fitted with an aeromedical kit,
along with a twin-engine HM-1 Pantera helicopter –
the version of Eurocopter’s AS565 Panther in service
with the Brazilian Army. Helibras has a contract to upgrade
34 HM-1 Panteras of the Brazilian Army Aviation, which will
extend the current fleet’s operating lifetime by at
least 25 years. The Pantera modernization includes new Turbomeca
Arriel 2C2 CG engines with FADEC (Full Authority Digital
Engine Control), a full glass cockpit, 4-axis autopilot,
the Pro Line 21 radio suite for communications, navigation
and surveillance, as well as a new Fenestron with asymmetric
blades.
“With
our very strong presence at the 2011 Latin America Aero
& Defense show, Helibras is demonstrating how the company
is pursuing its vision for the future,” explained
CEO Eduardo Marson Ferreira. |
| |
|
 |
|
 |
|
