Slave Lake, AB – April 26, 2007
Slave Lake Helicopters, which serves Northern Alberta, has taken delivery of an AS 350B2 Ecureuil from Eurocopter Canada. This is the third Eurocopter received by Slave Lake Helicopters in the past 12 months; the other two being a Colibri EC 120B and another AS 350B2. In addition, the company has just ordered another EC 120B, for delivery in April 2009.
“Our customers have been good to us over the years, and we do our best to be good to them,” says George Kelham, President of Slave Lake Helicopters. “This is why we are purchasing more B2s and EC 120Bs. They are quiet, comfortable, fast, and extremely safe. As well, gallon for gallon, the B2s and EC 120Bs deliver more performance and range than the competition does. That makes them the environmentally smart choice for our company.”
Founded in 1998, Slave Lake Helicopters is based in the Province of Alberta; flying 80% of its missions within a 100 miles radius of Slave Lake (150 miles to the north of Edmonton). “Our main activity is tree planting but we also perform other forestry missions, like fire-fighting,” Kelham says. “Last year, we planted 10 million trees and this year we have taken orders for 8.2 million more, and the season hasn’t even started! We are also very active in the hunt for oil.”
The Safran ARRIEL 1D1-powered AS 350B2 Ecureuil chosen by Slave Lake Helicopters is a 5-6 passenger (plus pilot) rotorcraft with a proven track record for safety, comfort, and reliability. Its ample open cabin has put the B2 much in demand for firefighting and air medical service uses. The Ecureuil’s elegant, well-appointed cabin is also popular with regular helicopter passengers, who prefer its quiet and good visibility.
With space for four passengers plus the pilot, the Colibri EC 120B is a light multipurpose aircraft capable of many different mission profiles. It is equipped with a single Safran ARRIUS 2F turbine engine that delivers maximum take-off power of 376 KW/504 shp, yet is quiet enough to measure 6.6 dB below the ICAO noise limit.
To keep pace with its growth, Slave Lake Helicopters has recently moved from a leased 3,600 square foot facility to an owned 7,000 square foot facility on the south side of Slave Lake Airport, in Slave Lake, Alberta. “We want to serve our customers with modern aircraft and infrastructure,” Kelham says. “Our customers stuck with us in the early days when we didn’t have much. Now that we have succeeded thanks to their support, we want to give them the best we can.”
“Slave Lake Helicopters is one of Canada’s most innovative and dedicated helicopter operators,” says Edouard Gaillat, President of Eurocopter Canada Limited. “They are helping Canada’s north grow for the benefit of all its peoples, and we are happy to help them in this task.”
Eurocopter Canada Limited (www.eurocopter.ca) is a subsidiary of Eurocopter. Eurocopter Canada based in Fort Erie, Ontario has customer support centres in Vancouver, British Columbia and Montreal, Quebec. 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 approx. 14,000 people. In 2006, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 3.8 billion euros, orders for 615 new helicopters, and a 52 percent market share in the civilian/commercial 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 17 subsidiaries on five continents, along with a dense network of distributors, certified agents and maintenance centers. More than 9,800 Eurocopter helicopters are currently in service with over 2,800 customers in 140 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest range of commercial and military helicopters in the world.
100 years of vertical flight
The first vertical flight ever made was made by Paul Cornu in 1907. Since then great pioneering spirit, technological advances and innovative ideas have turned the helicopter into an aircraft without which air rescue as we know it would be unimaginable and which makes a significant contribution towards the safety and protection of individuals and to economic development. Eurocopter is proud to join in celebrating this centenary and its own passion for helicopters in 2007.
| For more information, please contact: | |
| Laura SENECAL Tel : + 905 871-7772 Fax :+ 905 871-3599 laura.senecal[at]eurocopter.ca Eurocopter Canada Limited |
Cécile VION-LANCTUIT Tel: + 33 (0)1 49 34 45 04 Mob:+ 33 (0)6 72 83 90 67 cecile.vion-lanctuit[at]eurocopter.com |
| Christina GOTZHEIN Tel : + 49 (0) 89 6000 64 88 Fax :+ 49 (0) 89 6000 44 37 christina.gotzhein[at]eurocopter.com |
Jesus RUIZ Tel: +34 91 379.66.04 Fax: +34 91 379 66 10 jesus.ruiz[at]eurocopter.com |
Website: www.eurocopter.com
