Groundbreaking ceremonies for American Eurocopter's new Mississippi facility
EADS corporate executives, national and local government officials and business leaders attended groundbreaking ceremonies for American Eurocopter's new Mississippi facility on Aug. 7. Shown here are EADS CEO Philippe Camus (left), Mississippi Lt. Governor Amy Tuck and Mississippi Senator Trent Lott.
In remarks during the Aug. 7 groundbreaking event, EADS North America Chairman Ralph Crosby said the new American Eurocopter Mississippi facility is part of EADS' long-term investment in the U.S. marketplace.
The Aug. 7 groundbreaking event at Golden Triangle Regional Airport brought together a number of helicopters operated by American Eurocopter and its customers, including the EC120, AS350, EC135 and AS365.
American Eurocopter's new Mississippi facility will include an assembly line for the A-Star helicopters sold in North America, as well as a manufacturing center for production of A-Star tail booms and horizontal stabilizers to meet Eurocopter's global needs. Operations at the facility, which is located at Golden Triangle Regional Airport near the city of Columbus, will start in early 2004.
The new American Eurocopter plant will be located at Golden Triangle Regional Airport near the city of Columbus, Mississippi. In addition to its assembly of Eurocopter A-Star helicopters and the production of A-Star tail booms and horizontal stabilizers, the facility also will be used for customization of other Eurocopter helicopter models - such as the EC120, EC135, EC-145 and EC-155 - which are sold in North America for law enforcement, offshore transportation, air ambulance service and other missions.
The startup of construction for American Eurocopter's new plant in Columbus, Mississippi, was marked by an August 7 groundbreaking ceremony that brought together EADS corporate executives, national and local government officials and business leaders at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport. From left to right are: Ralph D. Crosby, Jr., Chairman and CEO, EADS North America; Representative Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi); Senator Trent Lott (R-Mississippi), Senator Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi), Philippe Camus, EADS Chief Executive Officer; Nick Ardillo, Executive Director, Golden Triangle Regional Airport; Marc Paganini, President and CEO, American Eurocopter; and Representative Charles (Chip) W. Pickering (R-Mississippi).
Helicopter customization work is already underway at Columbus, Mississippi inside American Eurocopter’s interim facility at Golden Triangle Regional Airport. Two AS350B2 law enforcement helicopters for the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department are being completed with equipment that includes a Forward Looking Infrared Imager (FLIR), searchlight, and mission-specific radio equipment.
