Great Slave Helicopters (GSH) has taken delivery of a BK117 from the Eurocopter Canada Service Center after customization. The BK117 was originally purchased in Germany, with Eurocopter Canada performing various modifications to customize the aircraft.

Great Slave Helicopters BK117 complements their existing fleet of twenty-four Eurocopter aircraft. Their extensive Eurocopter fleet consists of the following aircraft; 1 EC130 B4, 4 AS350 BA’s, 13 AS350 B2’s and 6 AS350 B3’s.

“We are confident that the BK117 will provide GSH with the high performance twin engine aircraft that our clients have been asking for,” said Jeff Denomme, President of Great Slave Helicopters. “With the continued growth of our business we can rely on Eurocopter’s track record of supplying quality products and services.”

The BK117 will join Great Slave’s vast fleet of aircraft in supporting a variety of missions including; Mining exploration, passenger transportation, oil & gas exploration, IFR and VFR flight operations, wildlife survey & ecological tourism, aerial geophysics & environmental impact surveys, aerial construction & precision external load applications, utility construction & maintenance, and emergency response, air ambulance and remote medevac emergency response.

“Great Slave Helicopters’ BK117 retrofit by our Service Center sends a positive message for Eurocopter Canada’s service record,” said Guy Joannes, President and CEO, ECL. “This particular aircraft has endured the test of time and will continue to support a range of missions for operators across Canada for years to come.”

The BK117 family of twin-engine aircraft has a global reputation for being both reliable and extremely versatile. Over 300 BK117 are still flying in the world, perfectly suited for the most demanding multi-purpose mission requirements, the BK117 has seen more than 440 deliveries worldwide and has accumulated more than 2.7 million flight hours by 125 operators.

One of the custom modifications completed for Great Slave Helicopters’ BK117 was to remove the EMS interior and convert it into a passenger transport cabin. This will allow Great Slave to perform various missions with more interior cabin space while still permitting the interior to be reinstalled for EMS missions when required.

Eurocopter Canada’s Service Center capabilities include; customizations, retrofits, avionics repairs, complete system upgrades, pilot static system certification, transponder integration/correlation checks, modifications, optional equipment installations for the EC120, EC130 and AS350 as well as, the ability to perform inspections for the AS350, AS355, EC120, EC135, BO105 and BK117. ECL offers a range of industry leading inspection, repair and overhaul capabilities for the full range of Eurocopter helicopters, with guaranteed turn-around times and cost efficiency.

About Great Slave Helicopters

Great Slave Helicopters (GSH) is a helicopter company with a long standing reputation for safety, a diverse range of specialized services and known for a track record of exceptional job completions. With almost 30 years of successful operations to their credit, GSH’s fleet of single and twin engine turbine helicopters, along with their dedicated team of people, provide exceptional service and continue to meet the needs of their customers who rely on GSH’s fleet of helicopters to carry out their missions.

About ECL & Eurocopter Group

Eurocopter Canada Limited (www.eurocopter.ca) is a subsidiary of Eurocopter. Eurocopter Canada based in Fort Erie, Ontario since 1984, has additional operations in Richmond, British Columbia and Montreal, Quebec and a support and customer service network that spans the entire country. Eurocopter Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The EADS Canada network has more than 1,700 employees.  The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 22,000 people. In 2012, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 6.3 billion Euros, orders for 469 new helicopters and a 44 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports more than 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,780 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 148 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.