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Ankara, Turkey, August 5, 2013 THK Gökçen Aviation, the commercial company of the Turkish Aeronautical Association THK, yesterday received the first five EC135s to provide medical airlift duties throughout Turkey. The helicopters will start operations in August. |
THK Gökçen Aviation, the commercial company of the Turkish Aeronautical Association THK, yesterday received the first five EC135s to provide medical airlift duties throughout Turkey. The helicopters will start operations in August.
The delivery of this first batch takes place only three months after the selection of Eurocopter as preferred manufacturer. THK Gökçen Aviation and Saran Holding will deploy a fleet of 17 EC135 to ensure helicopter medical emergency services (HEMS) in the framework of a five-year contract with the Turkish Ministry of Health. The remaining helicopters will be delivered in spring 2014.
EC135 Copyright Eurocopter Charles Abarr
Olivier Lambert, Eurocopter’s Senior Vice President for Sales and Customer Relations said: “Turkey is a growing helicopter market and we are glad the EC135 continues to accompany the project of the Turkish Ministry of Health. With THK Gökçen Aviation we have gained an excellent partner to strengthen our footprint in this strategically important country.”
Eurocopter is present in HEMS operations of the Ministry of Health in Turkey since 2008. The choice of the EC135 by THK Gökçen Aviation underlines the international reference of the EC135 for HEMS. Approximately 25 percent of all medical emergency operations around the globe are performed with the EC135. A total of more than 1,100 EC135 have been delivered worldwide, and more than 500 of these rotorcraft are in HEMS configurations.
The EC135 combines a wide, unobstructed cabin with excellent performance, range and payload capacity – along with low-noise operations. The helicopter’s oversized sliding side doors and rear clamshell doors enable fast loading/unloading of patients – with additional safety during ground operations ensured by Eurocopter’s shrouded Fenestron tail rotor.
About Eurocopter (www.eurocopter.com)
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 22,000 people. In 2012, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 6.3 billion Euros, orders for 469 new helicopters and a 38 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports more than 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,780 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 148 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.
For more information, please contact:
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Stéphane Chéry |
Pascale Fleury |
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Julie Guérin |
Gloria Illas |
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Christoph Mueller |
Priscilla Yip |
