Eurocopter shows strong Presence at Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition First African Appearance of the best-selling EC145

Eurocopter and its subsidiary, Eurocopter Southern Africa (Pty.) Ltd. have a strong presence at this year’s Africa Aerospace and Defence show. For the first time in Africa, the company presents its successful EC145 light twin-engine helicopter, which was recently selected by the U.S. Army for its Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) requirement. In addition, a VIP Stylence EC130 B4 is on show on the joint EADS/Eurocopter booth and one EC120 B, one EC135 and one AS350 B3 on the Static Display.

Eurocopter emphasises its long-standing relationship with South Africa. Eurocopter Southern Africa, formerly known as Lansav, was formed in 1994. It has its headquarters at Lanseria International Airport as well as service centers at Cape Town and Durban. Its ties with South Africa date back into the late 1970s and it became part of the Eurocopter Group in 1992. Eurocopter Southern Africa serves a fleet of around 200 helicopters.

A lot of positive changes have been implemented within Eurocopter Southern Africa during the past months with the aim to consolidate a stable platform.


Substantial additional resources are in place in order to cope with the current growth, (headcount doubled in one year, now close to 80 with 25 qualified engineers) and an extensive training plan is implemented, with 12 engineers sent to Europe in 2006. Such an investment shows Eurocopter Southern Africa’s dedication in providing a first class customer service in Southern Africa, and emphasises the company’s sustainability. It has allowed Eurocopter Southern Africa to generate a significant business increase and an anticipated MZAR400 turnover in 2006 (three times the 2005 figure) with the delivery of 20 aircraft, 18 of them new. This success solidifies the ranking of Eurocopter Southern Africa at the 5th position of Eurocopter’s subsidiaries.

The company’s technical presence has been increased with field representatives available and technical and servicing capabilities at Cape Town and Durban are part of Eurocopter Southern Africa’s commitment to provide assistance and support to operators all over the country. The current development of Eurocopter Southern Africa’s Training Academy will further emphasize the company’s services to engineers and pilots in Southern Africa.

Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a Division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defence and related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approx. 13,000 people. In 2005, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 3.2 billion euros, orders for 401 new helicopters, and a 52 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s products account for 30 percent of the total world helicopter fleet. Its strong worldwide presence is ensured by its 16 subsidiaries on five continents, along with a dense network of distributors, certified agents and maintenance centres. More than 9,500 Eurocopter helicopters are currently in service with over 2,500 customers in 139 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.

European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V.
Le Carré · Beechavenue 130-132 · 1119 PR Schiphol Rijk · Pays-Bas

EADS Deutschland GmbH · 81663 Munich · Allemagne
EADS France S.A.S. · 37, boulevard de Montmorency · 75781 Paris Cedex 16 · France
EADS CASA · Ava. de Aragón, 404, 28022 Madrid · Espagne