Poland’s Ministry of Health orders 23 Eurocopter EC135s for Nationwide Emergency Medical Services

The Polish Ministry of Health has signed a contract for 23 Eurocopter EC135 helicopters to serve its nationwide Emergency Medical Services (EMS) network. The aircraft will be delivered between 2009 and 2010. The state-of-the-art EC135s, which will replace an ageing fleet of Mi-2s, will enable Poland’s air rescue system to become fully compliant with European JAR OPS-3 standards and to offer to its population the world’s most widely used EMS helicopter of the new generation. An EC135 flight simulator is also part of the contract.

The selection of the EC135 follows an international tender, according to public procurement law, issued by the Polish Ministry of Health. After a highly professional evaluation process, Eurocopter’s offer was identified as the most advantageous and in line with the specifications for the nation’s EMS operations. The fleet of 23 helicopters will serve bases all over Poland and will be operated by the Ministry’s Lotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe (LPR) organization.

Lutz Bertling, CEO of Eurocopter, stated: “Eurocopter is committed to equipping the Polish Emergency Medical Services with modern and reliable medical helicopters within the tight timeframe stipulated by the Services in order to ensure a smooth transition with the phasing out of the older-generation helicopters presently in service. The company will also provide the maintenance of the EC135s in Poland, in its own center which was opened in 2005 in Warsaw to provide pilot training as well as maintenance for the aircraft. We are convinced that this contract is only a first step of our long-term and partnership-type relationship with Poland.”

The LPR’s EC135s will be supported by Heli Invest of Warsaw, with whom Eurocopter has a Distributorship Agreement which includes the full scope of customer support services and maintenance under Part 145 regulations. Heli Invest’s service to LPR includes a 24/7 service hotline in Polish language, warranty support, full maintenance services as well as on-site customer support at the LPR’s bases all over the country.

With the EC135’s selection by the Polish Health Ministry, Poland will now be able to offer to its citizens the same high standard of helicopter emergency medical services as its neighbour countries in the European Union, notably Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania.

Due to its versatility and excellent track record in hardest mission environments, the EC135, of which more than 680 units have been delivered to 160 clients in 40 countries worldwide since its market introduction in mid-1996 has become the international reference helicopter for EMS operations. The EC135 holds an 80 percent market share in the international EMS helicopter market in its class, including the United States where it is the top-selling helicopter in this field.

The EC135 stands for modernity and innovation: According to international safety regulations for EMS, it is powered by two turbine engines, with a fast cruise speed of 254 km/h and giving it an average range of 620 km. The worldwide success of this Eurocopter type is due to the helicopter’s easy handling, its excellent manoeuvrability and its high availability (98 percent). Other assets of the EC135 are its bearingless main rotor and shrouded Fenestron® tail rotor, reducing noise level and vibrations during operations to a high extent. The EC135’s external noise level is 7 db below ICAO limits, an advantage in EMS operations which frequently serve hospitals in densely populated neighbourhoods.

In addition, Eurocopter has decisively minimized maintenance costs of the EC135. An EC135 has to be serviced for the first time after 400 hours flying time. This is an absolute benchmark for helicopters in its class. Combined with the aircraft’s fuel efficiency, this is a major cost advantage for customers.

Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a Division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defence 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 civil 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 centres. More than 9,800 Eurocopter helicopters are currently in service with over 2,500 customers in 140 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.

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