The Dalian Municipal Public Security Bureau in northeast China is acquiring two EC155 helicopters from Eurocopter for police missions, with the initial rotary-wing aircraft deployed during an upcoming meeting of the World Economic Forum.
To be delivered early this month, the first EC155 will be utilized for VIP transport and security patrols during the World Economic Forum’s “Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2011” – also commonly known as the “Summer Davos” session – held 14-16 September in Dalian. This helicopter will subsequently perform missions with additional equipment such as searchlights and hoist for multi-role police support duties. The second EC155 is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2012.
“The EC155 impressed us with its performance, versatility and comfort,” stated a representative from the Dalian Municipal Public Security Bureau responsible for the helicopter procurement project. “On top of that, it is a very quiet machine, which makes the EC155 a good helicopter for discrete surveillance work. For the upcoming Summer Davos forum, this will be a much-appreciated feature when transporting VIPs and during aerial patrols.”
This latest order of helicopters for airborne police work marks the continuing successful support of Eurocopter’s products in the Chinese public service sector. Its helicopters have already been used extensively for various public service missions by the Hong Kong Government Flying Services, the Guangdong Municipal Public Security Department and the Shanghai Police Air Force.
“We are very proud that our range of helicopters is serving the country well, having been deployed for many major international events such as the Asian Games in Guangzhou, the World Expo in Shanghai, and in a few days’ time, the Summer Davos in Dalian,” said Eurocopter China CEO Bruno Boulnois. “This is a great testimony to the capability and reliability of our aircraft.”
Currently, there are a total of 16 EC155s operating in China, with the largest single fleet of 11 owned by the CITIC Offshore Helicopter Co. for oil and gas operations. The twin-engine EC155 is a five-ton helicopter from Eurocopter’s well-known Dauphin family. It seats up to 12 passengers comfortably, is extremely versatile and recognized to be the quietest helicopter in its class.
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.
Created in December 2006, Eurocopter China is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eurocopter Group, responsible for sales and customer support activities for the company’s entire range of products. In China, Eurocopter China covers a market share of 40%. With over 40 years of presence and 30 years of experience in industrial cooperation in China, more than 160 Eurocopter helicopters have been sold in the country. In order to provide quality service in proximity to Chinese operators, Eurocopter China has established a multi-based organization in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Harbin, Wuhan and Hong Kong staffed with around 50 employees.
