A new Helicopter Centre will be developed within the Malaysian International Aerospace Centre and will become the hub for all rotary wing operations and activities. As the anchor tenant of the Helicopter Centre, Eurocopter Malaysia will begin operations at the new location from April 2012, with installation of a EC225/EC725 Full Flight Simulator also targeted for mid next year.

In a signing ceremony held on the first day of the 2011 Paris Air Show, Eurocopter Malaysia Sdn Bhd (ECM) signed a long-term lease agreement with Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB) as the anchor tenant of a new Helicopter Centre which will be developed within the Malaysia International Aerospace Centre.

The Agreement was signed by Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid, Managing Director of MAHB and Pierre Nardelli, President & CEO of ECM. Also present to bear witness to such an important occasion was the Malaysian Minister of Transport, YB Dato’ Seri Kong Cho Ha, as well as Eurocopter President & CEO, Lutz Bertling.

To be built on a parcel of land of approximately 10,000 square metres, the Helicopter Centre will become the hub for all rotary wing operations and activities such as Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) for helicopters, hangarage and parking, as well as training services. Minister of Transport YB Dato’ Seri Kong Cho Ha hailed the new centre as a strategic development in Malaysia’s aviation sector, noting that “the Helicopter Centre concept can become the reference in management of rotary wing operations for the region in future.”

Managing Director of MAHB, Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid pointed out that “Our main objective in making a clear separation between fixed wing and rotary wing operations is primarily to provide a more conducive environment for both types of operations in the safest condition according to Malaysian Civil Aviation standards.”

The Helicopter Centre has been two years in the making – ECM worked closely with MAHB by providing its expertise and experience to create the Master Plan for the development of the Helicopter Centre.
Besides ECM, the Helicopter Centre will also be the new home to the new joint venture company set up by ECM and Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation (BHIC) for MRO services, and several other operators who are also Eurocopter customers.

Designed to be a one-stop centre for all helicopter needs, ECM will also set up a EC225/EC725 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) in mid 2012 to provide training services to pilots in the Asia Pacific and Australasia region.

“The Helicopter Centre is a timely development to manage the fast evolving aviation industry in Malaysia. It will double ECM’s capacity which will allow us to accommodate our next phase of growth, especially in the development of the completion/customization lines, MRO activities as well as the scheduled deliveries of more than 20 EC225/EC725 helicopters to Malaysia in the next three years,” commented ECM President & CEO Pierre Nardelli.

About Eurocopter Malaysia (Website: www.eurocopter.com.my)

Eurocopter Malaysia was incorporated in 2002, and is the only helicopter manufacturer with a comprehensive network of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service centers in Malaysia. With a workforce of 130 employees and presence in Subang, Miri and Kerteh, it provides a broad spectrum of services, ranging from scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, aircraft modification (retrofit, painting, interior refurbishment and customization), as well logistics support (spare parts, repairs and overhaul).

Eurocopter Malaysia backs its support offer with its inventory, 24-hours’ service, highly skilled workers and efficient logistic services. Eurocopter Malaysia has in its stable some 20 small and medium enterprises. The company is also an authorized training centre which provides a range of services for customers, from standard training to customized courses.

About Eurocopter (Website: www.eurocopter.com)

Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defense and related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 17,500 people. In 2010, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s number one helicopter manufacturer in the civil and parapublic market with a turnover of 4.8 billion Euros, orders for 346 new helicopters and a 49 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the total worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong worldwide presence is ensured by its 30 subsidiaries and participations on five continents, along with a dense network of distributors, certified agents and maintenance centers. There are currently 11,200 Eurocopter helicopters in service and some 2,900 customers in 147 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.