Eurocopter

Eurocopter S.A.S.
Type	Subsidiary
Founded	1992
Headquarters	Marignane, France
Key people	Lutz Bertling
Industry	Aerospace
Products	Helicopters
Revenue	€3,211 million
Employees	13,000
Parent	EADS
Website	www.eurocopter.com

The Eurocopter Group is a global helicopter manufacturing and support company formed in 1992 from the merger of German DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG (DASA) and the helicopter divisions of French Aérospatiale. In 2001, Eurocopter's worldwide and American market share were 40% and 30% respectively. On May 14 2005, a Eurocopter Ecureuil production helicopter flew to the summit of Mount Everest and performed a hover landing, setting a world record for highest take-off [1] [2]. As a consequence of the merger of the Eurocopter Group's former parents, the firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS. As of 2007, more than 9,800 Eurocopter helicopters were in service with over 2,500 customers in 140 countries.^[1]

Products

Eurocopter manufactures or has manufactured the following types of helicopters:

• Eurocopter AS 332 Super Puma
• Eurocopter AS 350/AS 355/EC 130 Ecureuil
• Eurocopter AS 365/SA 365 Dauphin
• Eurocopter AS 532 Cougar
• Eurocopter AS 550/AS 555 Fennec
• Eurocopter AS 565 Panther
• Eurocopter EC 120 Colibri (with Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation)
• Eurocopter EC 135
• Eurocopter EC 145
• Eurocopter EC 155
• Eurocopter EC 225
• Eurocopter EC 635
• Eurocopter EC 665 Tiger
• Eurocopter EC 725 Cougar
• MBB Bo 105
• MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 (with Kawasaki Heavy Industries)
• NH90

Due to its 62.5%-share, Eurocopter also participates on the production of the NH90 Utility Helicopter Project. On some of Eurocopter's aircraft the main rotor turns clockwise when viewed from above, unlike most American rotorcraft. This requires the pilot to make pedal movements that are the opposite to those learned if previous flying has been on an American aircraft. On models developed in Germany or with their input (BK 117, EC 135, EC 145, UHT Tiger, Bo 105, et cetera) this is not the case. Eurocopter also pioneered the use of the "fenestron", an enclosed tail-rotor, which is more efficient and safer than the exposed version.

Gallery

BK 117 Rescue.jpg Bk-117	Bo 105	NH90 of the German Army	EC-135
EC-145	Colibri	Cougar	Eurocopter Fennec.jpg Fennec
Panther	Super Puma	EC-155 Dauphin	Eurocopter AS-355N2.jpg Ecureuil 2
Tiger

References

External links

• Official Eurocopter Website
• Official EADS Website
• Jane's Defence Weekly on US Army award of a utility helicopter contract to EADS North America
• Eurocopter timeline at Helis.com
• Video of the Everest summit landing