Airbus Helicopters Gears Up for EC175 Entry into Service | Aviation International News

Airbus Helicopters Gears Up for EC175 Entry into Service

“Maturity” trials have taken place at a customer base, and 14 aircraft are on the final assembly line.

Airbus Helicopters is planning to ramp up EC175 deliveries from three this year to 18 next year. (Photo: Emmanuel Foudrot)

By Thierry Dubois • Writer

July 2, 2014

Certification in hand, Airbus Helicopters is endeavoring to ensure a faultless entry into service of the EC175 medium twin, a critical product for the company in the highly competitive offshore oil-and-gas market. The first delivery, to Belgium-based operator NHV, is slated for the second half of this year, almost five years after the type first flew. Program officials are confident that an unprecedented degree of preparation at the company’s headquarters in Marignane, France, as well as at a customer base, will ensure the new helicopter operates as promised immediately upon delivery.

“We want the delivered aircraft to be as close as possible to perfection; our oil-and-gas customers have high expectations in reliability and support,” EC175 program director Laurent Vautherin told AIN. Airbus is under even greater pressure than usual to deliver robust helicopters, following a series of incidents and accidents with the Super Puma, especially in the UK, since 2012 that has blemished the OEM’s reputation for reliability.

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