Eurocopter Group
Encyclopedia
The Eurocopter Group is a global helicopter
manufacturing and support company. It is the largest in the industry in terms of revenues and turbine helicopter deliveries. Its head office is located on the property of Marseille-Provence International Airport in Marignane
, France, near Marseille
. Eurocopter's main facilities are at its headquarters in Marignane, at Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH in Donauwörth
, Germany and at Eurocopter España in Albacete
, Spain.
and Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG (DASA
). The company's heritage traces back to Blériot
and Lioré et Olivier in France and to Messerschmitt
and Focke-Wulf
in Germany.
Eurocopter and its predecessor companies have established a wide range of helicopter 'firsts', including the first production turboshaft-powered helicopter (the Alouette II of 1955); the introduction of the Fenestron
shrouded tail rotor (on the Gazelle
of 1968); the first helicopter certified for full flight in icing conditions (the AS332 Super Puma
, in 1984); the first production helicopter with a Fly-by-Wire
control system (the NH90, first flown in full FBW mode in 2003); the first helicopter to use a Fly-by-Light primary control system (an EC135
testbed, first flown in 2003); and the first ever landing of a helicopter on Mt. Everest (achieved by an AS350 B3 in 2005).
As a consequence of the merger of the Eurocopter Group's former parents in 2000, the firm is now a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS
. The creation of EADS in 2000 also incorporated CASA of Spain, which itself had a history of helicopter-related activities dating back to Talleres Loring, including local assembly of the Bo105
.
Today, Eurocopter has seven plants in its home nations (Marignane
and La Courneuve
in France, Donauwörth
, Ottobrunn
and Kassel
in Germany, and Albacete
and Madrid
in Spain), plus 24 subsidiaries and participates around the world.
As of 2010, more than 10,500 Eurocopter helicopters were in service with over 2,800 customers in 140 countries.
Note: On Eurocopter helicopters designed in France, the main rotor
turns clockwise when viewed from above, in common with rotorcraft deriving from Russia. Eurocopter products developed in Germany have a main rotor
which turns counter-clockwise when viewed from above, in common with American rotorcraft.
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
manufacturing and support company. It is the largest in the industry in terms of revenues and turbine helicopter deliveries. Its head office is located on the property of Marseille-Provence International Airport in Marignane
Marignane
Marignane is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France.-Geography:It is a component of the metropolitan Marseille Provence Métropole, and the largest suburb of the city of Marseille...
, France, near Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
. Eurocopter's main facilities are at its headquarters in Marignane, at Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH in Donauwörth
Donauwörth
Donauwörth is a city in the German State of Bavaria , in the region of Swabia . It is said to have been founded by two fisherman where the Danube and Wörnitz rivers meet...
, Germany and at Eurocopter España in Albacete
Albacete
Albacete is a city and municipality in southeastern Spain, 258 km southeast of Madrid, the capital of the province of Albacete in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The municipality had a population of c. 169,700 in 2009....
, Spain.
History
The Eurocopter Group was formed in 1992 through the merger of the helicopter divisions of AérospatialeAérospatiale
Aérospatiale was a French aerospace manufacturer that built both civilian and military aircraft, rockets and satellites. It was originally known as Société Nationale Industrielle Aérospatiale...
and Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG (DASA
DASA
DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG, or DASA, was the former aerospace subsidiary of Daimler-Benz AG from 1989...
). The company's heritage traces back to Blériot
Louis Blériot
Louis Charles Joseph Blériot was a French aviator, inventor and engineer. In 1909 he completed the first flight across a large body of water in a heavier-than-air craft, when he crossed the English Channel. For this achievement, he received a prize of £1,000...
and Lioré et Olivier in France and to Messerschmitt
Messerschmitt
Messerschmitt AG was a famous German aircraft manufacturing corporation named for its chief designer, Willy Messerschmitt, and known primarily for its World War II fighter aircraft, notably the Bf 109 and Me 262...
and Focke-Wulf
Focke-Wulf
Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG was a German manufacturer of civil and military aircraft before and during World War II. Many of the company's successful fighter aircraft designs were slight modifications of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190.-History:...
in Germany.
Eurocopter and its predecessor companies have established a wide range of helicopter 'firsts', including the first production turboshaft-powered helicopter (the Alouette II of 1955); the introduction of the Fenestron
Fenestron
A Fenestron is a shrouded tail rotor of a helicopter that is essentially a ducted fan. The housing is integral with the tail skin, and, like the conventional tail rotor it replaces, is intended to counteract the torque of the main rotor...
shrouded tail rotor (on the Gazelle
Aérospatiale Gazelle
The Aérospatiale Gazelle is a five-seat light helicopter, powered by a single turbine engine. It was designed and manufactured in France by Sud Aviation . It was also manufactured under licence by Westland Aircraft in the United Kingdom , by SOKO in Yugoslavia and ABHCO in Egypt...
of 1968); the first helicopter certified for full flight in icing conditions (the AS332 Super Puma
Eurocopter Super Puma
The Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-size utility helicopter marketed for both civil and military use. Originally designed and built by Aérospatiale, it is an enlarged and re-engined version of the original Aérospatiale Puma...
, in 1984); the first production helicopter with a Fly-by-Wire
Fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires , and flight control computers determine how to move the actuators at each control...
control system (the NH90, first flown in full FBW mode in 2003); the first helicopter to use a Fly-by-Light primary control system (an EC135
Eurocopter EC 135
The Eurocopter EC135 is a twin-engine civil helicopter produced by Eurocopter, widely used amongst police and ambulance services and for executive transport. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules .-Development:...
testbed, first flown in 2003); and the first ever landing of a helicopter on Mt. Everest (achieved by an AS350 B3 in 2005).
As a consequence of the merger of the Eurocopter Group's former parents in 2000, the firm is now a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
. The creation of EADS in 2000 also incorporated CASA of Spain, which itself had a history of helicopter-related activities dating back to Talleres Loring, including local assembly of the Bo105
Bölkow Bo 105
The MBB Bo 105 is a light, twin-engine, multi-purpose utility helicopter developed by Bölkow of Stuttgart, Germany. Production began under Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm , which became a part of Eurocopter in 1991...
.
Today, Eurocopter has seven plants in its home nations (Marignane
Marignane
Marignane is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France.-Geography:It is a component of the metropolitan Marseille Provence Métropole, and the largest suburb of the city of Marseille...
and La Courneuve
La Courneuve
La Courneuve is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:The history of La Courneuve begins as the rest of the region with the invasion of European tribes and the eventual conquering of the area by the Romans. During the Middle Ages,...
in France, Donauwörth
Donauwörth
Donauwörth is a city in the German State of Bavaria , in the region of Swabia . It is said to have been founded by two fisherman where the Danube and Wörnitz rivers meet...
, Ottobrunn
Ottobrunn
Ottobrunn is a municipality southeast of Munich, Bavaria, Germany, founded in 1955. Ottobrunn consists of mainly semi-detached and detached houses, and lots of gardens...
and Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
in Germany, and Albacete
Albacete
Albacete is a city and municipality in southeastern Spain, 258 km southeast of Madrid, the capital of the province of Albacete in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The municipality had a population of c. 169,700 in 2009....
and Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in Spain), plus 24 subsidiaries and participates around the world.
As of 2010, more than 10,500 Eurocopter helicopters were in service with over 2,800 customers in 140 countries.
Products
- AS332 Super PumaEurocopter Super PumaThe Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-size utility helicopter marketed for both civil and military use. Originally designed and built by Aérospatiale, it is an enlarged and re-engined version of the original Aérospatiale Puma...
- medium-sized twin-engined transport/utility helicopter - AS350 Ecureuil/AStar - light single-engine utility helicopter
- AS355 Ecureuil 2/TwinStarEurocopter AS355The Eurocopter AS355 Ecureuil 2 is a twin-engine light helicopter originally manufactured by Aérospatiale...
- light twin-engine utility helicopter - AS365 DauphinEurocopter DauphinThe Eurocopter SA 365/AS365 Dauphin 2 is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter .-Design and development:...
- medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter - AS532 Cougar - twin-engined, medium-weight, multipurpose helicopter
- Eurocopter Canada - MBB Bo 105 - twin-engined, medium-weight, multipurpose helicopter
- AS550 Fennec & AS55 Fennec 2Eurocopter Fennec|-See also:-References:* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.-External links:* * *...
- single- and twin-engined, light-weight, multipurpose helicopters - AS565 Panther - military medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter
- EC120 ColibriEurocopter ColibriThe Eurocopter EC120 Colibri is a 5-seat, single-engine, single main rotor, light helicopter. Jointly designed and developed by Eurocopter, China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation , Harbin Aviation Industries Ltd and Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd at Eurocopter France's...
(with Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing CorporationHarbin Aircraft Manufacturing CorporationHarbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation , often shortened to Hafei, is an aircraft manufacturing company located in Harbin, the capital of the Heilongjiang Province of the People's Republic of China....
) - 5-seat, single-engine, single main rotor, light helicopter - EC130Eurocopter EC 130|-See also:-External links:* * *...
- light single-engine 'wide-body' helicopter - EC135Eurocopter EC 135The Eurocopter EC135 is a twin-engine civil helicopter produced by Eurocopter, widely used amongst police and ambulance services and for executive transport. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules .-Development:...
- light twin-engine civil helicopter - EC145 - twin-engine intermediate utility helicopter
- EC155Eurocopter EC 155The Eurocopter EC155 is a long-range medium-lift passenger transport helicopter developed by Eurocopter from the Dauphin family for civil aviation use. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 13 passengers along with 1 or 2 crew, depending on customer configuration...
- long-range medium-lift passenger transport helicopter - EC175 - medium-sized twin-engined transport/utility helicopter
- EC225 Super PumaEurocopter EC 225The Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma Mk II+ is a long-range passenger transport helicopter developed by Eurocopter as the next generation in the civilian Super Puma family. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 24 passengers along with 2 crew and a cabin attendant, dependent on customer...
- long-range passenger transport helicopter - EC635 - military light multi-purpose helicopter
- EC665 TigerEurocopter TigerThe Eurocopter Tiger is an attack helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter. In Germany it is known as the Tiger; in France and Spain it is called the Tigre.-Origins:...
- dedicated military attack helicopter - EC725 CougarEurocopter EC 725-See also:-External links:* * * *...
- long-range tactical transport helicopter - HH/MH-65C DolphinHH-65 DolphinThe Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin is a twin-engined, single main rotor, MEDEVAC-capable Search and Rescue helicopter operated by the United States Coast Guard...
- medium-sized search & rescue and drug interdiction helicopter - NH90 - medium-sized, twin-engine, multi-role military, fly-by-wire helicopter (via 62.5% share in NHI joint venture)
- Surion - medium-sized twin-engined transport/utility helicopter developed in cooperation with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)
- UH-72 Lakota - light utility helicopter in operation with the U.S. Army and Navy
- X3Eurocopter X3|-See also:-External links:* * * * * * *...
rotorcraft - helicopter with two forward propellers to increase speed, having high speed and full hover vertical takeoff capability.
Note: On Eurocopter helicopters designed in France, the main rotor
Helicopter rotor
A helicopter main rotor or rotor system is a type of fan that is used to generate both the aerodynamic lift force that supports the weight of the helicopter, and thrust which counteracts aerodynamic drag in forward flight...
turns clockwise when viewed from above, in common with rotorcraft deriving from Russia. Eurocopter products developed in Germany have a main rotor
Helicopter rotor
A helicopter main rotor or rotor system is a type of fan that is used to generate both the aerodynamic lift force that supports the weight of the helicopter, and thrust which counteracts aerodynamic drag in forward flight...
which turns counter-clockwise when viewed from above, in common with American rotorcraft.