Eurocopter Bolsters its Presence in Peru and Opens its First Certified Services Center

Lima, July 25, 2012

With a view to increasing the close-proximity services it offers its customers, Eurocopter’s subsidiary in the Southern Cone has put its partnership with Servicios Aéreos de Los Andes SAC on an official footing and has also opened its first certified services center in Peru.

The new center, based in the city of Ayacucho and opened by representatives of both companies, will offer customers and operators a close and reliable partner providing a comprehensive range of maintenance services. Operators of Eurocopter’s Ecureuil AS350 B3 will now have access to a maintenance center certified at “Operational & Intermediate” (O&I) level. The center will carry out inspections up to 600 flying hours and will replace small and large components, including gearboxes, blade and hub units, and electrical and avionics systems.


“The certification of this new service center underlines the Group’s commitment to be close to its customers and increase its range of services in a country that is growing fast,” said Alexandre Ceccacci, General Manager of Eurocopter Cono Sur. “The new maintenance center will increase helicopter availability for operators, thereby helping them to reduce costs.”

Having this new center effectively secures the maintenance work on the region’s ever-growing fleet of Eurocopter helicopters, which now totals 50 in-service aircraft. Although the Ecureuil family accounts for most of the existing Eurocopter fleet, the country’s oil and mining industries have been showing an increasing interest in other twin-engine aircraft in the Eurocopter range, such as the EC145 and the Super Puma AS332, both of which are ideally suited to combined passenger transportation and external load missions.

Eurocopter operates more than 80 authorized service centers for customers on five continents. This new maintenance center will provide the region’s operators with a service bearing all the quality hallmarks of the Eurocopter Group, which continues to reinforce its high-profile presence in Latin America.


About Servicios Aéreos de Los Andes SAC
Servicios Aéreos de los Andes is a civil company providing commercial air services with helicopters and airplanes across Peru. Boasting ISO 9001:2008 certification in all areas, the company manages risks through the Operational Safety Management System (SMS) it has implemented. The company also operates a maintenance workshop certified by the Peruvian Civil Aeronautics Board and the aircraft manufacturer Eurocopter, in accordance with their respective quality regulations.


About Eurocopter Cono Sur
Founded in 2001, the Eurocopter Group’s southernmost subsidiary, which covers Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Uruguay, employs nearly 80 people covering all operational positions. In 2011 the subsidiary generated a turnover of 80 million dollars, attracted orders for 13 new helicopters and commanded a 40-percent share in the civil and parapublic markets, underlining the brand’s leadership in the region. As of the end of June 2012, the Eurocopter fleet comprised 270 helicopters operating in the five countries in the region.


About Eurocopter (www.eurocopter.com)
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 20,000 people. In 2011, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s number one helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 5.4 billion Euros, orders for 457 new helicopters and a 43 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports some 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,300 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 149 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.