At the Paris Air Show, Eurocopter’s subsidiary Helibras delivers the very first EC145 Stylence in Brazil to a customer in the country. The new aircraft will transport VIP passengers between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. The two cities are 350 km apart.
"The helicopter offers an enormous advantage to corporate customers as it saves them precious time," said Julien Négrel, Commercial and Marketing Director at Helibras. "What's more, the EC145 Stylence can carry eight passengers along with the two pilots. With the enhanced comfort and cabin size offered by this configuration, in-flight meetings can be held."
Business aviation has significantly developed over recent years and now makes up 20% of Eurocopter’s total sales. Eurocopter sold 150 business helicopters last year and remains the World’s No. 1 Business Aviation helicopter manufacturer.
The EC145 Stylence that will be delivered in Brazil offers passengers excellent flight visibility and has sophisticated equipment packages, such as a weather radar and a navigation system with integrated electronic cards and GPS. The EC145 also offers simplified maintenance and impressive flight endurance (up to 680 km). It merges ergonomics and advanced technology to provide fully-equipped in-flight offices for business executives and companies.
After the presentation of the first EC130 Stylence in 2003, the EC145 is the 5th Eurocopter helicopter to enter the Stylence series following the EC120, EC130, AS350 B2 / B3 and the AS 355 NP. Since its recent introduction on the market, five EC145 Stylences have been sold throughout the world.
Eurocopter’s subsidiary Helibras is the only helicopter manufacturer in Latin America. The company was founded in 1979 and now holds more than 50% of the civil helicopter market. Helibras employs over 300 people. Its production facilities are located in Itajuba in the state of Minas Gerais, but the company also has sites in Brasilia, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Approximately 30 helicopters roll off its production lines each year. Since its creation, Helibras has manufactured and sold nearly 500 helicopters. Turnover in 2008 was 121 million dollars.
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a Division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defence and related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approx. 15,600 people. In 2008, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer in the civil and parapublic market, with a turnover of 4.5 billion Euros, orders for 715 new helicopters, and a 53 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s products account for 30 percent of the total world helicopter fleet. Its strong worldwide presence is ensured by its 18 subsidiaries on five continents, along with a dense network of distributors, certified agents and maintenance centres. More than 10,000
Eurocopter helicopters are currently in service with over 2,800 customers in more than 140 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.
