By Rebecca Rayko
LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Eurocopter for the fourth year in a row leads the world in sales revenue. The consortium last year reported more than $2.7 billion in sales, and by its own estimate secured 74% of helicopter sales in terms of value.
Eurocopter also increased its penetration in the worldwide market in 1999, capturing 45% of the world deliveries in the civil market, which is growing at a rate of 5%.
In Europe, the group's marketshare is close to 65%, in Latin America it's 30%, and in Asia/Australasia Eurocopter's marketshare remains constant at 35%.
By the end of 1999, 450 Eurocopter helicopters in both the civil and parapublic sectors were on registry worldwide.
But Eurocopter president Siegfried Sobotta admitted one area could stand some improvement in 2000: "Enhancing the satisfaction of our customers."
"We are not number one in customer support," he admitted, but the consortium has plans underway to remedy this.
This includes decreasing direct maintenance costs (DMC) for operators in 2000 with new scheduled maintenance programs. These will eliminate costly 5,000-hour major G inspections. Eurocopter will also extend the main gearbox TBO (time before overhaul) to 3,500 hours.
American Eurocopter president Christian Gras said the company's North American arm has invested $50 million over the last three years in parts, facilities and other assets to improve responsiveness to their operators.
"Customers expect us to be in the repair and overhaul business," said Gras. AEC has improved its fill rate 19% over the last three years, with a 96% fill rate in 1999.
The company also plans to rewrite its technical manuals so that they are more clearly understood by customers.
Eurocopter still has no plans to enter the tiltrotor market, said Sobotta, because they have to be cautious financially about future programs. He noted that the Osprey received funding from the US government, and that Europe's smaller size would prohibit similar funding levels from being raised to develop a European tiltrotor.
EC 155
Taking the spotlight at the Eurocopter booth was the brand new EC 155 making its US debut at Heli Expo. The large twin is still awaiting US certification, although Sobotta says FAA approval is "imminent."
The 14-seat aircraft has been certified in Europe since last year, but until recently no orders had come in from the US.
Eurocopter announced at Heli Expo the first US sale to Fred Drasner, co-chairman of US News & World Report and co-publisher of the New York Daily News.
Drasner, who has flown a Eurocopter AS355 Twin Star, said his group needed to upgrade to a true corporate aircraft.
"Our mission profile has changed and we needed a larger, longer-range aircraft. This new Eurocopter had considerable advantages over the Sikorsky model, with a larger cabin and larger compartment for luggage," Drasner said.
Insiders are calling Eurocopter's EC 155 "the S-76 killer" in reference to its rivalry with the Sikorsky model.
Drasner's aircraft is expected to be in operation by first quarter 2001.
