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Austria’s minister of the interior, Günther Platter, inaugurated the first three of the eight new EC135 helicopters destined for the country’s air police at the flight operations base in Innsbruck on 5 May. Eurocopter will deliver four of the new helicopters in time for the UEFA European Football Championship, which is being hosted by Austria and Switzerland. This enables the air police to patrol the event with state-of-the-art helicopters. Later in May, the new EC135s will also be publicly presented in Salzburg, Vienna and Klagenfurt – each of which is an important venue for Euro 2008.
The contract for the purchase of eight Eurocopter EC135 P2i twin-engine light helicopters was signed by the Austrian ministry of the interior on 26 September 2007. It was stipulated from the outset that four of these aircraft, configured as light multipurpose helicopters, should be ready for deployment before the beginning of Euro 2008 to ensure optimum security at this mass event, which is attended by visitors from all over the world.
Two of the remaining four EC135s will be delivered in March and two in May 2009. The four EC135s scheduled for delivery in 2009 will additionally be equipped with FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) cameras and searchlights. All the aircraft have a rescue winch, are certified for IFR (instrument flight rules), and are fitted with glass cockpits suitable for the use of night vision goggles.
The contract also makes provision for power-by-the-hour service over a period of ten years. In addition, Eurocopter will provide technical support for the Austrian police fleet while the EC135 system is being introduced at the Austrian Ministry of the Interior and during the European Football Championship.
Bestseller EC135 – versatile, safe and cost-efficient
The EC135 is a symbol of modernity and innovation. In compliance with the international safety regulations, it is powered by two turbine engines which enable it to accelerate up to 254 kilometres per hour and cover an average range of 635 kilometres. The universal success of this Eurocopter model can be put down to its easy handling, excellent manoeuvrability, and high availability of 98 percent. Other assets of the EC135 are its hingeless and bearingless main rotor head and shrouded
Fenestron® tail rotor, which drastically reduce the noise and vibration levels during operation (the noise outside the helicopter is 7 dB below the ICAO noise limits).
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 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 2,500 customers in 140 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.
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