A prevailing gloomy economic outlook notwithstanding, Turbomeca projected an air of optimism at a Saturday afternoon press briefing when Pierre Fabre, the company’s chairman and CEO, declared that the French turboshaft engine manufacturer has “long-term confidence in the helicopter market.” He said Turbomeca’s immediate goal is to stabilize activity at the same high level achieved in 2008 when it built 1,313 engines and recorded “the best overall improvement in customer satisfaction” of any engine OEM. Russ Spray, president and CEO of Turbomeca USA, noted that military work promises to pick up some of the slack caused by a reduction in civil market activity.
Still, Fabre continued, given an uncertain short term future “Turbomeca is prepared for this phase of instability and is preparing for the long-term future by investing 11 percent of sales in research and development.” A considerable portion of that investment will be devoted to “green” technology based on a multifaceted environmental strategy. Development criteria include reduction of fuel consumption with attendant reduced greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and noise, along with selection of more eco-friendly materials, manufacturing and maintenance processes.
