France, Germany Ambassadors visit Eurocopter RomaniaUpdated: 25-01-2010 | Politics

Ambassador of France in Bucharest Henri Paul, and Ambassador of Germany Andreas von Mettenheim on Friday visited the Eurocopter Group Romania on the IAR Ghimbav platform in the county of Brasov (country center).

Head of the Eurocopter Group subsidiary Jean Louis Face presented the two diplomats the economic situation of the unit founded in 2002 and which has since grown into one of the most advanced subsidiaries of the group that is expanding on the IAR platform.

According to Mascle, Eurocopter Romania completed this month the 50th delivery of an aircraft of the Puma and Super Puma family, with maintenance and capital repair works carried out in Brasov. Eurocopter Romania, Mascle added, has become the main global competence center of the Eurocopter Group for the maintenance of this helicopter family. Most orders come from military contracts won around the world: Africa, Europe, Middle East, South America and Asia.

'Thus, in less than five years Eurocopter Romania has become one of the most important players in the Romanian industry of aeronautics. The current industrial capacity of Eurocopter Romania allows the simultaneous repair of eight medium-sized Puma and Super Puma helicopters per year. In addition, on the local market, Eurocopter Romania further develops support activities for EC 135 and Dauphin helicopters used by the Romanian state authorities, alongside the marketing and maintenance-repair activities of new generation helicopters for civilian customers from Romania and the neighboring countries,' said Jean Louis Mascle.

The cited source remarked that Eurocopter Romania also provides technical support for the helicopter of Georgia President Mikhail Saakashvili.

The company also has revision and repair contracts ongoing for eight helicopters of the British Royal Air Force and another 20 British military helicopters are also supposed to reach the Eurcopter Romania subsidiary.

At the same time, the Eurocopter Romania subsidiary is in talks with representatives of the Ministry of Administration and the Interior (MAI), the Romanian Intelligence Service and the Ministry of Health to conclude repair contracts for the entire range of helicopters MAI and the other two institutions need.

Because of the crisis, the turnover of the Eurocopter Romania subsidiary fell from 32 million euros in 2008 to 26 million euros in 2009, although repair activities have doubled.
The two Ambassadors visited the overhaul and repair division, and were shown the helicopters bound for Hungary, Chile, Morocco and Congo on the assembly line.

Agerpres