Page 35 - AAA JULY - AUGUST 2013 Online Magazine

ROTARY

VERTICAL LIFT

New RH chairman
Russian Helicopters has appointed China Offshore goes Sikorsky
Deputy CEO Vladimir Artyakov as CITIC Offshore Helicopter Company (COHC) has signed a contract with Sikorsky
its new Chairman of the Board of for two S-92 helicopters for offshore oil platform personnel transport. COHC is the
Directors, as part of the company’s largest provider of offshore operations in China, and will take delivery of one of the
drive to make a bigger mark in global aircraft in December this year, and one in March 2015. The contract was signed at
capital markets, and to increase their the Paris Air Show, and adds to Sikorsky’s presence in the China offshore sector,
global market share up to 20%. “We will where all three major offshore oil service providers use it aircraft, said Robert
do this by strengthening our positions Kokorda, Sikorsky VP, Sales & Marketing. “COHC is one of the newest customers
in the CIS, China, India, the Middle for Sikorsky Aircraft, but we are … confident this marks the beginning of a long-
East, Africa and Latin America, as well term relationship between us,” he said.
as other regions,” asserted Artyakov.
The company claims a 350 billion ruble
(US$10.6 billion) order book, and a
290-strong delivery schedule in 2012.
Artyakov will oversee the company’s
headquarters in Moscow, plus its
five production facilities, two design
bureaus, spare parts and MRO facility,
as well as an after-sales service
branch. Over 8,000 helicopters of
Soviet/Russian make currently operate
in 110 countries worldwide.

Bell back to basics

Bell Helicopter has said it will return
to the short light single-engine
(SLS) helicopter market with a brand
new design. The five-seat aircraft is
expected to complete its first flight Eurocopter in Nepal
in 2014. “Bell is no stranger to the Nepal’s Shree Airlines has signed a aircraft will make Shree Airlines the
SLS market,” said John Garrison, contract for eight Eurocopter Ecureuil largest Ecureuil operator in South
President and CEO of Bell Helicopter. helicopters for use in search and Asia. The ‘hot and high’ capability will
“We developed it nearly 50 years ago rescue operations, disaster relief, and be especially suited to the operating
with the Bell 206 JetRanger.” Design heli-tourism. The order, for five AS350 location, and the large cabins, quiet
specs are five-seat, 125 knots cruise, B3es and three EC130 T2s, adds to operation and larger load capacity
around 400 nautical miles range, and a Shree’s existing AS350 B3e, which highly suitable for tourism work, say
1,500-pound load capacity. was delivered in February. The extra the operators.

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