The European airworthiness authority validated Airbus Helicopters’ flight training and support services in China

Marignane, France, 17-12-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — The European airworthiness authority has validated Airbus Helicopters’ flight training and support services in China, endorsing the high quality standards of these operations and their contribution to safety in one of the world’s most rapidly-growing rotorcraft markets.

The approvals involve European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification of the CGAMEC joint venture’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities – located in Shenzhen – to Part 145 standards; along with the qualification of Airbus Helicopters China’s full-flight simulator in Beijing for the EC225 rotorcraft.

“These approvals confirm our commitment to providing training and support services in China that meet the most stringent world-class standards and contribute to enhancing operational safety,” said Sylvain Goldberg, Chief Operating Officer of Airbus Helicopters China. “We will continue to devote the resources and capabilities in responding to the market needs, positioning Airbus Helicopters as a supplier of choice for rotorcraft products and services for Chinese and Asian operators.” EASA’s Part 145 certification for CGAMEC approves the overhaul of dynamic components, the repair of rotor blades, and non-destructive testing capabilities – enabling the company to handle the most in-depth maintenance on vital helicopter elements. With this approval, the main and tail rotor gearboxes on Airbus Helicopters’ best-selling AS350 Ecureuil rotorcraft can now be overhauled in-country to the aircraft manufacturer’s quality standard.

Created in 2001, CGAMEC is a joint venture of Airbus Helicopters, CITIC Offshore Helicopter Company (COHC) and Samwell. It became the first Sino-foreign joint venture in the general aviation/rotorcraft MRO sector, and is approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The Airbus Helicopters EC225 full-flight simulator qualified by EASA provides highly realistic training for pilots and instructors, featuring a motion system and high-resolution visual displays to represent the flight enviroment in various operational and weather conditions. This allows pilots to be trained to react safely in critical situations without operational training risks. The simulator is located within the Airbus Training Center in Beijing and is part of Airbus Helicopters’ worldwide network of training centers.

About Airbus Helicopters China
Created in December 2006, Airbus Helicopters China is the local based customer center of Airbus Helicopters, responsible for sales and customer support activities for the company’s entire range of products. In China, Airbus Helicopters has a market share of 40%. With 45 years of presence and over 30 years of experience in industrial cooperation in China, more than 140 civil and parapublic helicopters from Airbus Helicopters are flying in the country today. In order to provide quality service in proximity to Chinese operators, Airbus Helicopters China has established a multi-based organization in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Harbin, Chengdu, Wuhan and Hong Kong staffed with around 100 employees.

About Airbus Helicopters
Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With 46 percent market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its customer centers and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.

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CGAMEC facility (© Copyright Airbus Helicopters China)