Fresh from receiving permission from the American authorities to fly over Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, Eurocopter’s EC130 B4—one of the quietest helicopters in its class—made its debut today on Reunion Island, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2010. Delivered to the company Corail Hélicoptères, the aircraft will be used to perform tourism operations and aerial work.

Founded in 2004, when it began operating with an AS355N, Corail Hélicoptères specializes in tourism transport as well as aerial work, firefighting and air evacuation. The company has grown since then and this latest delivery takes its fleet of helicopters to five, all of them from Eurocopter’s Ecureuil family. A second EC130 B4 will join the fleet before the end of the year. Corail Hélicoptères carried more than 22,000 passengers in 2011, and following these latest aircraft additions, the company is planning to add a new transportation link between Reunion Island and Mauritius to its range of missions.

“Aside from the performance of a helicopter that boasts Ecureuil technology, the added safety of the Fenestron rotor and exceptional cabin visibility, the EC130 B4 is out in front when it comes to reduced sound levels—a factor that has earned it global recognition among the most demanding authorities in the field,” commented Alfred Chane Pane, CEO of Corail Hélicoptères. “Our selection of this helicopter is part of the program we have set up to share the splendor of Reunion Island with tourists from all over the world, and to protect that heritage through our aerial work and firefighting operations.”

“In addition to flight safety and technological excellence, environmental performance is a core aspect of Eurocopter’s innovation strategy,” said Olivier Michalon, Eurocopter Vice President Europe and Central Asia. “Thanks to our investments in this area, Eurocopter helicopters are now at the forefront of environmental performance. Eurocopter will continue to make every effort to offer its customers a range of aircraft that are even more environmentally friendly.”

A member of the Ecureuil family, the EC130 combines comfort and performance. Equipped with a Fenestron rotor and an automatic system for regulating rotor speed according to flight phases, it generates sound levels that are 8.5 decibels below the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard and 0.5 decibels below the permissible level for flying over the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. What is more, its carefully designed interior and superb visibility fully meet the expectations of both tourists and corporate passengers alike.