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Eurocopter powering up UTair Aviation fleet
January 16, 2012 By Carey Fredericks
Jan. 16, 2012, Marignane, Fra. - Eurocopter has delivered the first three of 20 AS350 B3e helicopters to Russia's UTair Aviation and one to the Kenya Police Air-Wing.
The new helicopters delivered to UTair will expand its fleet of Ecureuil-family rotary-wing aircraft and the certification of the AS350 B3e variant was secured from the Russian Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) civil aviation authority in December 2011.
UTair Aviation CEO Andrey Martirosov said: "The airline was happy to have the new AS350 B3e helicopters in its fleet.
"These helicopters have improved flight safety and high reliability. They are powerful and more efficient, which enables us to offer a competitive product in the helicopter services market to our customers in the oil and gas industry."
UTair Aviation will deploy the new helicopters for patrolling oil and gas pipelines, surveillance missions, VIP transportation and cargo airlift in Russia including western and central Siberia. Eurocopter has also delivered a AS350 B3e Ecureuil helicopter to the Kenya Police Air-Wing; Eurocopter subsidiary Eurocopter Southern Africa won the contract earlier this year.
The AS350 B3e's high range and payload will allow the Kenya Police Air-Wing to patrol both the dense built-up areas around major cities including Nairobi and Mombasa and also to cover smaller towns and communities spread over large areas. The AS350 B3e will conduct anti-poaching and anti-terrorism operations, in addition to search and rescue, casualty evacuation, personnel transport and various other civic protection operations in Kenya.
The AS350 B3e helicopter is powered by a Turbomeca Arriel 2D turboshaft engine and comes with a new-generation digital FADEC (full authority digital engine control) and an engine data recorder for condition monitoring. The helicopter's dual-screen vehicle and engine multifunction display (VEMD) allows pilots to check primary aircraft and engine parameters in one glance.
The new AS350 B3e also features high lifting capability, high endurance, extended range and fast cruise speed, which allows it to perform missions in the most extreme weather and geographical conditions.
