"Airbus Helicopters partners with IAS for the first maintenance centre in Western and Central Africa to be certified by a helicopter manufacturer"

(© IAS) photo





Airbus Helicopters partners with IAS for the first maintenance centre in Western and Central Africa to be certified by a helicopter manufacturer


A partnership agreement for the certification of the region's first Airbus Helicopters- maintenance center was signed today with the Abidjan-based company International Aircraft Services (IAS) at the ShieldAfrica 2014 exhibition


Marignane, May 6 2014


Firmly committed to the development of services situated in proximity to its operators, Airbus Helicopters today announced that it has certified the Abidjan maintenance center operated by International Aircraft Services (IAS), the largest civil helicopter operator in Western and Central Africa. Equipped with all the necessary operational resources, the center will service the AS365 and AS350 models from the famous Dauphin and Ecureuil families.


With more than 670 helicopters in service in Africa, and nearly 130 of them in Western and Central Africa, Airbus Helicopters is pursuing its international development, becoming the first helicopter manufacturer in this vast region to make available to its customers an entire maintenance and support center certified "Operational & Intermediate" (O&I) level.

"We welcome this new partnership with IAS, which underscores our commitment to providing localized support for our customers operating in the region," said Loïc Porcheron, Airbus Helicopters' Vice President for Africa and the Middle East. "This maintenance center will increase the availability of their fleet of helicopters, while guaranteeing affordable maintenance costs."


"We are very happy with this agreement, which brings a genuine international dimension to our organization and which will also allow us to create more opportunities with the region's countries," commented IAS CEO Hugues Moreau. "This partnership will see Airbus Helicopters' customers being offered a complete range of services that will encompass technical and operational support as well as the maintenance of their aircraft."

Airbus Helicopters has a network of more than 90 approved maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centers on the five continents. This new maintenance center will provide the region's operators with a service bearing all the quality hallmarks of Airbus Helicopters.

About International Aircraft Services
Located in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, the IAS (International Aircraft Services) Group, has been providing helicopter services to its clients in Africa for over 30 years. With a fleet of over 20 Airbus Helicopters aircrafts, IAS remains the largest civil helicopter operator in West and Central Africa, specializing in offshore and onshore crew changes, VIP transport, medical evacuations, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, cargo transport and finally, helicopter maintenance. As of 2014, IAS has been certified as an official Airbus Helicopters Maintenance Center allowing regional customers complete maintenance for their aircrafts.


About Airbus Helicopters
Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world's No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With over 40% market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company's fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters' international presence is marked by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters' range of civil and military helicopters is the world's largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company's chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.