The Italian Aerospace Information Web
by Aeromedia - corso Giambone 46/18 - 10135 Torino (Italy)
New EC 135 version developed by Eurocopter Canada
The Canadian light/medium size helicopter market has been marked by the dominant position of Bell Helicopter. In the last decade, however, the number of Eurocopter products in the country has considerably increased: 246 of them are now active in various private and commercial operations. This remarkable result has been obtained thanks to the commitment of Eurocopter Canada Limited based in Fort Erie (Ontario), not far from the world-known Niagara falls.
The company, established in 1984 as MBB Helicopter Canada, was initially engaged with the assemby, marketing and support of German helicopters like BO 105 and BK 117. When MBB (in the meantime renamed DASA) and Aerospatiale merged their respective helicopter business in 1992, the Fort Erie company switched to its present title and its production range was extended to all the helicopters manufactured by the French company, comprising Ecureuil, Dauphin and Super Puma.
Since its inception, Eurocopter Canada Limited has assembled a total of 107 aircraft and has increased its in-house resources in terms of structures, dynamic components and systems overhaul and maintenance. At the moment the industrial capacity of ECL comprises the assembly or heavy re-work of 25/30 helicopters every 12 months.
A typical activity at ECL is the development of modifications suited for the peculiar Canadian helicopter operation environment like the seven-seat AS 350B3 variant and the "squirrel cheeks" supplementary external cargo or baggage containers.
Eurocopter Canada is also responsible for product support throughout Canada. To this aim, it runs two local maintenance facilities at Montreal/Dorval (Quebec) and Vancouver (British Columbia). Major overhaul and modifications activities are performed at the Fort Erie plant, where full technical publication coverage as well as free pilot and engineer training for customers are available.
Recently ECL assumed a direct commitment in the EC 135 industrial programme; in particular, it has developed a version of the new helicopter equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada PW 206B turboshafts, with full mandate for final assembly of all these helicopters to be delivered throughout the American continent.
In the picture: Eurocopter AS 350B2 C-FXEC equipped with "squirrel-cheeks" and ready to be delivered to Winnipeg (Manitoba) based Midwest Helicopters.
(Aeromedia, September 1998)