Eurocopter's market success in Central and Eastern Europe is highlighted at the 2010 ILA Berlin Air Show

The contribution of Eurocopter helicopters to improving the homeland security and emergency medical services capabilities of many new Central and Eastern European member countries in the European Union is being spotlighted at this week's 2010 ILA Berlin Air Show.

Since the beginning of the European Union's eastward expansion in 2004, numerous new member states have upgraded their rotary-wing fleets with Eurocopter's EC135 and EC145. This enables them to meet the latest international standards in air rescue services, and to comply with the European Schengen Agreement's requirements for border patrol and law enforcement missions.

At the ILA Berlin Air Show, two of these helicopters - an EC135 for the Polish Ministry of Health, and an EC145 operated by the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service - are on display at Berlin-Schönefeld Airport.

Poland's new EC135, which is being exhibited at the HeliCenter static display, is the 11th of 23 EC135s ordered by Poland in 2008 for the country's nationwide EMS (emergency medical services) network. Flown by the Warsaw-based operator Lotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe (LPR), the fleet will be distributed among 17 Polish bases. Technical support is provided by the Heli Invest company in Warsaw, which is a Eurocopter distributor and certified maintenance center.

These EC135s are successively replacing Poland's aging fleet of Mi-2 helicopters, ensuring the highest quality of EMS services for the nation. They comply with the particularly stringent international safety regulations governing emergency medical services, thanks to their multi-role capacity and proven performance in the harshest of operating environments. As the helicopter of choice for EMS missions worldwide, Eurocopter's EC135 accounts for 80 percent of all sales in this category.

The EC145 for Lithuania's State Border Guard Service is on display at EADS's ILA Berlin Air Show exhibit (Booth No. 100, Hall 7). Lithuania was the first of three Baltic countries to receive new helicopters for law enforcement and border patrol missions necessitated by the Schengen Agreement's security requirements.

The Lithuanian government has been operating an EC120 since 2002, along with three other highly modern and fully mission-equipped Eurocopter aircraft: two EC135s and one EC145, which were delivered to the State Border Guard Service in 2006 for border surveillance and law enforcement roles along the country's borders with Belarus and Kaliningrad (Russia).

Both helicopter types are equipped with the latest equipment and systems for the Lithuanian authorities, including a glass cockpit, a FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) sensor and a flight management system, along with compatibility for night vision goggles. The helicopters are capable of performing all missions required by European authorities according to the Schengen Agreement.

Other Central and Eastern European countries operating Eurocopter EC135s and EC145s in homeland security, law enforcement and EMS missions include the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine and Lithuania.

Source: Eurocopter