The helicopter manufacturer Eurocopter, a Division of EADS is the world’s leading exporter of helicopters. This company has established sales and marketing bases in México, Brazil and Chile. A total of almost 800 military and civil helicopters from Eurocopter are operated in Latin America, with the greatest concentrations in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Ecuador. The Eurocopter Group has been present in South America for more than twenty five years, and represents 30% of the civil and parapublic fleet currently in service in this region.

Over 150 helicopters have been delivered in South America since 1995. Despite the difficulties brought on by the Brazilian Real crisis and the repercussions of the Argentinean economic crisis, Eurocopter has succeeded in solidifying and even reinforcing its position over the last few years:

In 1999, Eurocopter’s share of this market had grown to 39%, and by 2000, this share had reached 55% in the civil and parapublic market. Eurocopter has been locally present in Brazil since 1978 through Helibras, Helicópteros do Brasil, which is the market leader in the Brazilian turbine engined helicopter (52% market share), military (63% market share) and parapublic (80% market share) segments. Since 2004, Helibras has also been the leading supplier to the corporate market with 45% of this segment. Eurocopter holds a 45 percent share in the voting capital of Helibras. The remaining 55% is held by two Brazilian shareholders, the State of Minas Gerais (MGI Participações) and a private investor (Bueninvest). The plant is located in Itajubá, South of Minas Gerais state. Two other facilities in Rio de Janeiro (maintenance) and São Paulo (sales and maintenance) complete this arrangement.

Helibras currently has created about 300 highly qualified jobs and has delivered nearly 500 helicopters to Brazil and other Latin American countries. Its turnover oscillates around 50 million US$.

The commercial, production, and maintenance capacities developed by Helibras make it a major base for Eurocopter throughout the entire Latin American market. This close range industrial presence and the export financing solutions brought by the Brazilian government enables Helibras to supply Eurocopter Chile and EMSA in Mexico with helicopters coming out of its production line.

Eurocopter helicopters represent 48% of the total fleet in service in Brazil (military, civil, and parapublic).

Eurocopter helicopters make up to 62% of the market for military aircraft currently in service. This long term relationship has started in 1979 with the first purchase of Esquilo by the Navy and has been consolidated along the years by several contracts with the three Forces, the latest one being for eight Cougars currently delivered to AvEx (Army Aviation), the largest operator of EC helicopters in Latin America with 80 A/C.

Eurocopter represents 38% of the helicopters in service in the civil Brazilian market, where most of the sales (80%) in the past two years were made by Helibras, and is the leader in the Parapublic sector (81%), mainly State police organizations. The AS 350 Esquilo is especially appreciated and suited for these missions. This model has also been the preferred choice of operators for transport and corporate missions, which continue to offer promising futures for helicopter use. With the sales of 3 Super Puma and 6 Dauphin Eurocopter is re-entering the booming Brazilian offshore market which is renewing and expanding its complete fleet.

Most of the wide Eurocopter range of products are commercialized and currently in operation in Brazil.

Due to security and ground transportation concerns, helicopters are now considered to be an efficient alternative for use in flights over urban areas, and a remedy for inconveniences caused by fixed wing air traffic congestion. An estimated 450 helicopters (of all sizes and manufacturers) are currently operated in Greater São Paulo metropolitan area. Furthermore, the high importance that Eurocopter places on technological innovation has made it possible for the Group to offer operators helicopters with noise levels well below the current standards.

The subsidiary in Chile, created in June 2001, has reached its stability with 38 employees and carried out a turnover of eight million US$ in 2004. In 2005 the turnover reached nineteen million US$ and the bookings 37 million US$.

Current activities are sales, maintenance, aircraft customisation, training, technical support and logistics for a fleet of 180 aircraft in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, and Uruguay.

Within the framework of the cooperation agreement signed between EADS and ENAER, Eurocopter makes a point of playing an active part through actions of maintenance, and customisation.

Due to the importance of the potential governmental requirements in terms of helicopter fleet renewal (10 to 20 EC145 or AS 365 N3 with the Air Force, the Police and the Navy, 5 to 20 AS 350 B3 with the Air Force and the Army), Eurocopter is studying the possibility of giving to ENAER a dominant role of production of EC parts in Chile.

Since the announcement of the creation of the new subsidiary, successively the Police of Investigation and the Army has ordered six Ecureuil 350 B3/355 N and other projects to replace the old Lama fleet are in discussion with the Army, the Air Force and the Police.

Carabineros have been operating for more than 25 years Eurocopter aircraft and are developing since 1997 a program of renewal of fleet (10 to 12 units), but until now only one EC 135 has been purchased in 1998. The demonstration of the EC 145 in Chile in 2003 and of the AS 365 N3 in 2005 has made a very good impression on the operational team and 2006 seems to be a year of decision for this institution.

Both FACH and Navy have flown the AS 365 N3 last year and shown interest to replace their current aging fleets (UH 1, BK 117, B 412 and BO 105). The combination of well proven and state of the art technologies makes the AS 365 N3 an ideal workhorse for this modernization. Last year the Navy bought 3 second hand Dauphin AS 365 N2.

The Chilean corporate market is regaining momentum after several difficult years, yet it is still equipped with rather old helicopters and eager for new models. Delivery of the third EC130 B4 occurred last year in Chile and two AS 350 B3 were sold.

The presence of the subsidiary has given a new impulse to this market, which in general does not have any structure of support (the major part of the new helicopters sales have been made by EC in the past two years).

Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Uruguay are showing signs of beginning of economical recovery. There EC Chile is developing a maintenance relationship in order to stay close to the customers needs more oriented to the restoration of their fleets to flying status. This proximity generates greater reactivity to the benefit of the operators of the Eurocopter products in this region.

The first civil EC 145 of South America was sold last year in Argentina.

Together with the French companies Dassault, Thales and Snecma, EADS ownes a 20 per cent share of the voting stock in the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer.

 

Source: Eurocopter
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