The VIH Aviation Group of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada today announced the purchase of two new Eurocopter EC225 long-range heavy helicopters. The new twin-turbine helicopters will support its expansions plans in the Australian offshore oil and gas sector and be flown by HNZ Cougar Helicopters Pty. Ltd., a new joint venture.
March 2, 2010
The VIH Aviation Group of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada today announced the purchase of two new Eurocopter EC225 long-range heavy helicopters. The new twin-turbine helicopters will support its expansions plans in the Australian offshore oil and gas sector and be flown by HNZ Cougar Helicopters Pty. Ltd., a new joint venture.
“The addition of the new EC225 aircraft to our fleet signifies our commitment to the rapidly growing offshore oil and gas industry in Australia and around the world,” commented Mr. Ken Norie, President and CEO of VIH Aviation Group. “VIH is the only Canadian controlled helicopter operator offering the EC225; we have a long history of being the Canadian launch customer for Eurocopter’s products, and are proud to extend this partnership by adding the EC225 to our fleet.”
The EC225 offers offshore oil and gas industry superior speed, range, payload, optimal safety and reliability. The helicopter is the latest generation of the Super Puma/Cougar family, which has flown more than 4 million flight hours. The EC225 can accommodate up to 19 passengers for offshore crew change flights.
“We are extremely proud that VIH Aviation Group continues to place its confidence in Eurocopter and has chosen the EC225 for oil and gas operations. It marks the return of Cougar to the Super Puma family on which the company had accumulated such a recognized expertise in the harsh operational conditions of Newfoundland. VIH’s selection of the EC225 serves as confirmation that our product evolutions are well received by the operators and the market”, remarked Lutz Bertling, President and CEO of Eurocopter Group.
The EC225 is certified to the latest JAR29 standards, the state-of-the-art avionics and autopilot system minimize the pilot’s workload and ensure crews can perform cost effective missions, with absolute confidence.
The EC225 is powered by two Turbomeca Makila 2A1 turbine engines with FADEC digital engine control with dual duplex channels to ensure the highest level of reliability.
More than 85 units of the EC225 family have been delivered to 25 customers in 18 countries, the majority for transportation use by the offshore oil and gas sector.
“As VIH Aviation Group continues to expand its global footprint to provide offshore oil and gas helicopter services, the addition of the EC225 to our fleet is the right operational decision,” said Senior Vice President Offshore Oil and Gas, Mr. Rick Burt. “We believe the EC225 is the aircraft best suited to our mission requirements in Australia and we look forward to their arrival.”
Through its operating entities – VIH Helicopters Ltd. and Cougar Helicopters Inc. – the VIH Aviation Group currently flies 72 single and twin-engine helicopters, with over 20 more aircraft on order, from strategically located bases throughout Canada, Alaska, the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, South America and Australia.
The company’s new Eurocopter EC225 helicopters will be flown by HNZ Cougar Helicopters Pty. Ltd. which is a joint venture launched in October 2009 that combines the strengths of the Canada’s VIH Aviation Group and New Zealand’s HNZ Helicopters to serve the Australian offshore market.
One of North America’s oldest and most experienced helicopter operators, the privately owned VIH Aviation Group began serving customers along Canada’s rugged Pacific coast in 1955 and subsequently expanded globally. VIH Aviation Group is globally recognized for its superior all weather, deep water, offshore capabilities developed in North America through its operating company Cougar Helicopters which began offshore operations in 1990 and has almost 20 years experience flying in some of the most inhospitable offshore operating environments in the world.
The VIH Aviation Group also provides contract offshore search and rescue services, and serves a broad range of helicopter charter markets including forestry, oil and gas, air ambulance, mineral exploration, aerial construction and tourism.
Eurocopter’s Super Puma/Cougar/EC225 Family marks 4 Million Flight Hours
March 2, 2010
Eurocopter’s heavy-duty family of helicopters, the AS332 Super Puma/AS532 Cougar and their latest-generation derivatives, the EC225/EC725, have accumulated a total of four million flight hours in service. To date, 740 civil and military variants of this product family are in service with customers around the world, mostly serving in offshore oil and gas services in the harsh conditions of the North Sea, SAR (Search and Rescue) and VIP transport, as well as demanding military missions such as Combat SAR and troop transport in hostile environments.
Super Puma family helicopters are in operation in more than 20 countries from extremely low temperatures in Norway to extremely high temperatures in North Africa and in the toughest maritime environments. This unrivalled experience combined with proven technological concepts provides these helicopters with an unmatched warranty of success in life saving as well as oil and gas missions. The result is an operational availability of the Super Puma family that exceeds, on average, 98 percent.
In 2009 alone, a total of 81 helicopters from this product family were sold. Renowed customers of the various civil variants of the family by now include Awan Inspirasi, Bond Offshore Helicopters, Bristow Helicopters, CHC, the Chinese Ministry of Transport, COHC, ERA Helicopters, German Federal Police, Héli-Union, Hong Kong Government Flying Service, Japanese Coast Guard, MHS, Sonair, South Korean National 119 Rescue Service, SSFC and SWHS. Military customers include the Brazilian Armed Forces, Bulgarian Air Force, French Army Aviation and Air Force, German Air Force and Mexican Armed Forces.
As the most recent newcomer to the Super Puma/Cougar family, the civil-certified EC225 and its military variant, the EC725, benefit from the experience of this large number of operators.
The EC725 helicopter program was initially launched in response to a French Air Force requirement for a helicopter specifically designed for Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) missions. The very demanding mission capabilities required by the Air Force account for the remarkable performance of this helicopter and its success in the international market. The key requirements were:
–
Long range and high payload
–
All weather capability and autonomous navigation system
–
High level of systems redundancy and high survivability to warrant mission success
–
State of the art Man-Machine Interface to facilitate crew work and to improve situation awareness and mission effectiveness in the harshest environments
With a take-off weight of 24,251 lbs (11,000 kg), the EC725/225 carries an impressive fuel load of 5,000 lbs, guaranteeing a flight time of 5 hours. In addition to new Makila 2A1 engines with a stronger main gearbox and a new five-bladed main rotor, the EC725/225 features a state of the art glass cockpit featuring six large and redundant multifunction displays.
Another special feature of the EC725/225 is its auto-pilot (AFCS) with unique capabilities. The EC725/225 AFCS is the first to be specifically designed for helicopter flight characteristics rather than being derived from fixed-wing aircraft auto-pilots. The precision and stability provided are already setting new standards of mission capacity and safety during French Air Force Personnel Recovery and CSAR missions as well as in demanding civilian SAR operations. As an example, the EC725/225 will permit automatic hoisting on land or at sea with unrivalled precision in conditions impossible for other aircraft.
Eurocopter, líder en el mercado de seguridad nacional
July 11, 2008
Marignane, 11 de julio de 2008 Farnborough Air Show 2008
La participación en el Salón Aeronáutico de Farnborough (‘stand’ G15 del pabellón 4) de este año de Eurocopter se centra en el mercado militar del Reino Unido, que precisa helicópteros SAR (búsqueda y salvamento) y helicópteros medios y presenta maquetas del EC725 y del NH90. Los helicópteros de Eurocopter contabilizan el 75 por ciento del mercado actual de apoyo aéreo policial en el Reino Unido e Irlanda. En el mercado militar, Eurocopter y su socio británico, FB Heliservices Ltd., imparten formación a pilotos del Ministerio de Defensa, según un acuerdo COMR (Civil Owned, Military Registered) de propiedad civil y matrícula militar. Además, en junio de 2007, el Ministerio de Defensa del Reino Unido otorgó un contrato al fabricante para la fase de evaluación del Programa de Extensión de Vida de los helicópteros Puma de la RAF, gestionada por la Oficina Conjunta de Proyecto de Eurocopter y del Ministerio de Defensa, con base en Bristol.
Eurocopter crea Eurocopter UK Ltd.
Gracias a Eurocopter UK Ltd., filial al ciento por ciento, con sede en Oxford y bases en Dublín (Irlanda), Belfast (Irlanda del Norte) y Hawarden (Gales), así como la Oficina Conjunta de Proyecto de Bristol, el Grupo pisa fuerte desde el punto de vista industrial en el Reino Unido y goza de renombre como empresa innovadora, de alta calidad y con una filosofía de consistente apoyo al cliente. La creación de Eurocopter UK data de noviembre de 2007, a través de la compra de McAlpine Helicopters Ltd., la sociedad distribuidora de sus productos en el Reino Unido durante mucho tiempo. Sobre la base de la experiencia acumulada en más de 30 años, Eurocopter UK ha logrado unas prestaciones ejemplares en cuanto a distribución y apoyo a los productos de Eurocopter, con más de 200 helicópteros vendidos. El éxito se debe a una plantilla altamente capacitada, su capacidad de diseño, instalaciones, ensayos en vuelo y certificación de modificaciones a la medida del cliente, así como a un soporte de primera clase a una flota de helicópteros muy considerable, incluyendo la formación suministro, almacenamiento y la gestión de repuestos.
Eurocopter, líder en Apoyo Aéreo Policial en el Reino Unido e Irlanda
Con su moderna línea de productos Eurocopter ha respondido a las crecientes exigencias de seguridad de las Islas Británicas y en todo el mundo, adaptando específicamente su familia de helicópteros ligeros biturbina a las necesidades de los operadores responsables de la seguridad nacional. El Grupo es el proveedor de helicópteros líder en este campo. En el Reino Unido e Irlanda, diversos modelos de biturbinas de Eurocopter han participado en misiones de apoyo aéreo policiales y de evacuación médica (EMS), al principio los BO105, BK117 y AS355 y, más
recientemente, los EC135 y EC145. El EC135 es el helicóptero de referencia en las misiones de vigilancia policial de las Islas Británicas. La Policía Metropolitana de Londres es la primera unidad de apoyo aéreo policial del Reino Unido que opera el EC145, siendo así propietario de la aeronave polivalente más avanzada de todas las fuerzas policiales del Reino Unido. Esta moderna plataforma está diseñada con mentalidad para una total capacidad multimisión y puede llevar a uno o dos pilotos y ocho o nueve pasajeros. El EC145 es el helicóptero con mejores prestaciones en misiones policiales y de seguridad nacional. En la actualidad se está entregando al Ejército estadounidense como su Helicóptero Utilitario Ligero (LUH) de nueva generación.
Eurocopter, socio clave para la formación de pilotos militares de helicóptero en el Reino Unido
FB Heliservices Limited, con sede en Basingstoke (Reino Unido), opera 38 helicópteros Eurocopter AS350 BB “Squirrel” para la Escuela de Vuelo de Helicópteros de Defensa ( DHFS) del Ministerio de Defensa del Reino Unido, que funciona desde hace once años.
Los helicópteros se entregaron a la DHFS como un sistema de entrenamiento llave en mano, en el que una parte significativa de instructores civiles imparten formación a todos los pilotos de helicóptero reclutados por el Ministerio de Defensa. La Escuela Central de Vuelo (CFS) y los escuadrones de formación básica de la RAF de Shawbury comparten 26 helicópteros. Los helicópteros de la CFS se emplean para la formación de instructores y de tripulaciones. Los instructores y los aparatos destinados a la formación básica se destinan al entrenamiento ab initio de los alumnos. Seis AS350 BB están equipados con grúa de carga y flotadores para posibilitar la formación en estas operaciones sobre el agua. Los 12 helicópteros restantes, todos con cabinas de pilotaje aptas para el uso de gafas de visión nocturna, están estacionados en el aeródromo Middle Wallop del Ejército, en Wiltshire, donde se utilizan para las fases de entrenamiento avanzada y táctica de pilotos.
Eurocopter implementa la fase de evaluación para la modernización de los Puma de la RAF
Sobre la base de un contrato del Ministerio de Defensa del Reino Unido, Eurocopter lleva a cabo la fase de evaluación del programa de extensión de vida de la flota de helicópteros Puma de la RAF, con el objetivo de mejorar la muy necesitada capacidad de transporte medio de las Fuerzas Armadas. La gestión está a cargo de la Oficina Conjunta del Proyecto, que funciona en Bristol desde el 20 de agosto de 2007. El programa se basará en extensas mejoras, incluyendo los nuevos motores Turbomeca Makila, cabinas con aviónica digital y nuevos sistemas de comunicación, navegación y defensa para los 30 Puma de la RAF.
En consecuencia, los nuevos Puma, denominados HC Mk2, tendrán capacidad para prestar servicios como mínimo hasta 2022. Sus prestaciones y carga útil aumentarán considerablemente, sobre todo, a altas temperaturas y gran altura. En la Fase de Evaluación, que finalizará a principios del próximo año, se tendrán en cuenta en las implicaciones técnicas, operacionales y de coste detalladas de la modernización. Una vez completada con éxito, se celebrará a un contrato de pleno desarrollo y fabricación para la ejecución del programa principal. Como espina dorsal de la flota de helicópteros de transporte medio de la RAF, el Puma continúa desempeñando un papel vital en los teatros de operaciones del Reino Unido.
Sobre Eurocopter
Creado en 1992, el Grupo franco-germano-español Eurocopter Group es una División de EADS, líder mundial aeroespacial, de defensa y de servicios relacionados. El Grupo Eurocopter emplea aproximadamente a 14,000 personas. En 2007, Eurocopter confirmó su posición como el fabricante mundial Nº 1 en los mercados civil y de servicios públicos, con una cifra de negocios que supera los 4.000 millones de, pedidos para 802 nuevos helicópteros, y un 53 por ciento de cuota de mercado en los sectores civil y de servicios públicos. En conjunto, los productos del Grupo contabilizan un 30 por ciento de la flota mundial de helicópteros. Su amplia presencia a nivel mundial está asegurada a través de 17 subsidiarias en cinco continentes, además de una densa red de distribuidores, agentes certificados y centros de mantenimiento. Más de 10.000 helicópteros de Eurocopter están actualmente en servicio, con más de 2.800 usuarios en 140 países. Eurocopter ofrece la mayor gama de helicópteros civiles y militares del mundo.
Eurocopter leads Homeland Security Market in the United Kingdom
July 11, 2008
Marignane, July 11, 2008 Farnborough Air Show 2008
With its presence at this year’s Farnborough Air Show (Booth No. G15 in Hall 4), Eurocopter focuses on the UK military market with its requirements for SAR and medium helicopter capabilities by displaying mock-ups of the EC725 and the NH90. Eurocopter helicopters account for 75 per cent of the existing UK and Ireland police air support market. In the military field, Eurocopter and its British partner company, FB Heliservices Ltd., provide Ministry of Defence helicopter pilot training under a COMR (Civil Owned, Military Registered) arrangement. Furthermore, the manufacturer was awarded by the UK Ministry of Defence an Assessment Phase contract for the Life Extension Programme for the RAF’s fleet of Puma helicopters in June 2007, which is managed by a Eurocopter/MoD Joint Project Office (JPO) based in Bristol.
Eurocopter creates Eurocopter UK Ltd.
Through its fully-owned subsidiary, Eurocopter UK Ltd., headquartered in Oxford and with additional bases in Dublin (Ireland), Belfast (Northern Ireland), Hawarden (Wales), and the JPO in Bristol, the company now has a strong industrial footprint in the UK and enjoys a reputation for innovation, high quality and a strong customer support ethos. Eurocopter UK was established in November 2007 through the purchase of McAlpine Helicopters Ltd., the company’s long-standing distributor in the UK. Looking back at over 30 years of experience with Eurocopter products, Eurocopter UK has achieved an exemplary performance in the distribution and support of Eurocopter products, with well over 200 helicopters sold. This success is attributable to the highly skilled workforce, its capacity to design, install, flight test and certify modifications tailored to the market requirements, and to deliver first-class support for a very sizeable helicopter fleet – including training, spares provision, storage and management.
Eurocopter leads Police Air Support in the UK and Ireland
With its modern product line, Eurocopter has responded to the increasing security requirements in the British Isles and around the world by adapting its light twin-engined helicopter family very specifically to meet the demands of homeland security operators. The company is the world’s leading helicopter supplier in this field. In the UK and Ireland, various twin-engined Eurocopter models have gone into Police Air Support and EMS operations over the past 25 years, originally the BO105, BK117 and AS355 and, more recently, the EC135 and the EC145. The EC135 is the reference helicopter for police surveillance throughout the British Isles. The London Metropolitan Police is the first UK Police Air Support Unit to operate the EC145, thereby owning the most advanced multi-role aircraft of any UK Police Force. This modern platform is designed with total multi-mission capability in mind and is capable of carrying one or two pilots and eight or nine passengers. The EC145 is a top performer in police and homeland security missions. It is now under delivery to the U.S. Army as its new-generation Light Utility Helicopter (LUH).
Eurocopter is Key Partner in Military Helicopter Pilot Training in the UK
FB Heliservices Limited, headquartered in Basingstoke in the United Kingdom, operates 38 Eurocopter AS350 BB ‘Squirrel’ helicopters for the UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) which is now in its 11th year of service.
The helicopters are provided to the Ministry of Defence DHFS as a turn-key training system where to a significant extent civilian instructors train all the UK Ministry of Defence’s intake of helicopter pilots. Twenty-six helicopters are shared between the Central Flying School (CFS) and the basic training squadrons at RAF Shawbury. The CFS helicopters are used to train instructors and aircrewmen. Instructors and the basic training machines provide ab-initio training for student helicopter pilots. Six of the AS350 BBs are fitted with hoists and floats to enable overwater hoist training. The remaining twelve helicopters, all fitted with NVG cockpits, are located at the Army’s Middle Wallop airfield in Wiltshire where they are used for the advanced and tactical phases of the training of Army pilots.
Eurocopter implements RAF Puma Upgrade Assessment Phase
Under contract to the UK Ministry of Defence, Eurocopter is carrying out the assessment phase for the life extension programme for the RAF’s fleet of Puma helicopters with the aim of enhancing the British Armed Forces’ much-needed medium-lift capability. It is managed by a Eurocopter/Ministry of Defence Joint Project Office, in operation in Bristol since August 20, 2007. The programme will be based on comprehensive upgrades, including new Turbomeca Makila engines, glass cockpits, and new communications, navigation and defensive systems for 30 of the RAF’s Pumas.
The new Pumas, which will be designated Puma HC Mk2, will consequently be capable of remaining in service until at least 2022. Their performance and payload will be significantly enhanced, particularly in hot and high conditions. The Assessment Phase, scheduled to complete early next year, will consider the detailed technical, operational and cost implications of the upgrade and will lead, upon successful completion, to a full development and manufacture contract for delivery of the main programme. As the backbone of the RAF’s fleet of medium-lift helicopters, Pumas continue to play a vital role in the UK’s operational theatres.
About Eurocopter
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. 14,000 people. In 2007, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer in the civil and parapublic market, with a turnover exceeding 4 billion Euros, orders for 802 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 17 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 140 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.
Comentarios de Elenita
 |
Estimados lectores:
La historia que sigue es sobre una carrera aérea que se realiza la semana entrante. O sea, que se enterarán del resultado después de leer este artículo. Todos... Read more » |
 |
|
 | ||
