History
The Eurocopter Group was formed in 1992 through the merger of the helicopter divisions of Aérospatiale and Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG (DASA). The company's heritage traces back to Blériot and Lioré et Olivier in France and to Messerschmitt and Focke-Wulf in Germany.
Eurocopter and its predecessor companies have established a wide range of helicopter 'firsts', including the first production turboshaft-powered helicopter (the Alouette II of 1955); the introduction of the Fenestron shrouded tail rotor (on the Gazelle of 1968); the first helicopter certified for full flight in icing conditions (the AS332 Super Puma, in 1984); the first production helicopter with a Fly-by-Wire control system (the NH90, first flown in full FBW mode in 2003); the first helicopter to use a Fly-by-Light primary control system (an EC135 testbed, first flown in 2003); and the first ever landing of a helicopter on Mt. Everest (achieved by an AS350 B3 in 2005).
As a consequence of the merger of the Eurocopter Group's former parents in 2000, the firm is now a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS. The creation of EADS in 2000 also incorporated CASA of Spain, which itself had a history of helicopter-related activities dating back to Talleres Loring, including local assembly of the Bo105.
Today, Eurocopter has seven plants in its home nations (Marignane and La Courneuve in France, Donauwörth, Ottobrunn and Kassel in Germany, and Albacete and Madrid in Spain), plus 24 subsidiaries and participates around the world.
As of 2010, more than 10,500 Eurocopter helicopters were in service with over 2,800 customers in 140 countries.
Eurocopter sold 346 helicopters in 2010 and delivered 503 helicopters in 2011.
Genealogy of Eurocopter
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