Eurocopter highlights its Market Leadership at Helitech 2007 with Police and Corporate Helicopters on Display

Eurocopter and its UK distributor, McAlpine Helicopters Ltd., are present at Helitech with a joint booth (No. 1106) and a strong line-up of its state-of-the-art helicopters in the Static Display. One of the three EC145s of the London Metropolitan Police is joined by Eurocopter’s latest generation of private and corporate helicopters, all of them customer aircraft – an EC120, EC130, EC135 and EC155.

Today, Eurocopter's market share in the UK and Ireland is 73% in the police and law enforcement segment, 73% in the EMS market and around 50% in the corporate/private segment.

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, AS355 and BK117 and, more recently, the EC135 and the EC145. The EC135 is the reference helicopter for police surveillance throughout the British Isles. The larger EC145 is a complementary helicopter platform to the EC135, adding a new dimension in terms of multi-role capability and lift capacity.

The corporate and private market segment is enjoying substantial growth at present. In the UK., more than 190 corporate and private helicopters are Eurocopter products, which amounts to a market share of approx. 50%. In Ireland, the private/corporate Eurocopter helicopter fleet presently stands at 27 aircraft and has doubled over the past five years, with particular emphasis on the EC130. The company’s single and twin-engine helicopters on display at Helitech are prime examples of what this dynamic market demands today, offering comfortable transport capacity from 4 to 13 passengers depending on model and configuration.

McAlpine Helicopters Ltd. is the sole distributor of Eurocopter products in the UK and Ireland. The Company specialises in helicopter sales, bespoke completions, maintenance and spares support. Its in-house engineering capabilities include design, installation, flight-testing and certification, with all of its 160 employees being committed to delivering first class customer service. McAlpine develops advanced mission systems which have contributed to over 70% in market share for the Police and the Emergency Medical Service sectors. The Company is also able to offer a completion service to further adapt or modify helicopters to meet the most demanding specific mission requirements along with providing VVIP completions for corporate and private customers.

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 2006, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 3.8 billion euros, orders for 615 new helicopters, and a 52% 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 9,800 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.

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