07/03/07
Following the dramatic fire season in 2003, and in order to reinforce the national means
operated in Corsica, the French Interior Ministry rented a big helicopter with a large watercarrying
capacity.
After acquiring its twelfth Canadair CL 415 and integrating two large Dash 8 water bombers in
the “Sécurité Civile” fleet, the French Interior Ministry took the opportunity of pooling the state
resources to come up with a new plan of action for the 2007 firefighting season.
Trials will be conducted in partnership with the Interior Ministry's Civil Defense and Security
Directorate and Eurocopter. With the permission of the French Defense Ministry, an EC 725
helicopter from the 1/67 "Pyrénées" squadron will be stationed in Corsica during July and
August on the “Sécurité Civile” base in Bastia. Eurocopter will fit a water jettison kit with a
capacity of 4 metric tons on the helicopter.
In service in the French Air Force since May 2006, the EC 725 was soon given the chance to
prove its reliability and operational capabilities when it was deployed to Lebanon and
Afghanistan.
The EC 725 will be operated by and under the responsibility of Eurocopter flight crews and
assistance teams. “Sécurité Civile” representatives will monitor the trials.
In the first phase of the trials, the flight crew will open up the flight envelope, testing the
helicopter's flight behavior in its water bomber configuration.
The second phase will evaluate the helicopter from an operational standpoint. In this phase
due to start on 14 July, the EC 725 will intervene directly to fight fires, initially beside the
overall aerial means. The helicopter will subsequently operate under the control of “Sécurité
Civile” fires fighting plan.
In its water bomber configuration, the EC 725 can also be used to transport 8 to 10 firefighters
in emergency situations or twenty or so firefighters in its transport configuration. The EC 725
will also be able to demonstrate its operational flexibility and its capability to get to the scene
quickly, possibly highlighted by interventions in mainland France, if necessary.
The helicopter will operate without its military equipment. The operational evaluation by the “Sécurité Civile” will validate this new concept of a water bomber helicopter in real-life
conditions. Compared to the Puma helicopter tried out for firefighting operations about 15
years ago, the EC 725 is a new generation helicopter fitted with a jettison system comprising a
flexible 4000-liter tank attached to the cabin floor, and a system of hatches underneath the
fuselage to empty the tank. The cabin part of the water bomber kit can be installed and
removed in less than 20 minutes, proof of the EC 725's water bomber//transport flexibility. The
tank can be pumped full with the helicopter in hovering flight. If the trials prove satisfactory, the
water bomber system could be certified by late 2007.
About Eurocopter
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.
100 years of vertical flight
In 1907, Paul Cornu performed history’s first ever vertical flight. Since then, thanks to
pioneering spirits, technological advances and innovative minds, the helicopter has become a
key to saving lives, protecting citizens and contributing to economic development the world
over. In 2007, Eurocopter is proud to celebrate this anniversary and to share its passion for
helicopters.
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