06/16/09
Paris, Paris Air Show 2009– Eurocopter and the National Research Council Canada (NRC) have signed a ten year agreement on research and technology cooperation. This new agreement is a result of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between EADS, Eurocopter’s parent company, and the NRC. EADS Innovation Works, the corporate research and technology organisation, signed this framework agreement on behalf of the entire EADS Group in June 2008 in Canada. Airbus signed a similar agreement in July 2008.
A spectrum of technical subjects will be covered by the Eurocopter-NRC agreement, ranging from manufacturing technologies to flight tests for environmental investigations. In particular, Eurocopter and the NRC will actively encourage the participation of Canadian supplier partners in the cooperation helping to maintain and develop the Canadian aeronautical industry’s technology base and competitiveness.
From left to right: Jean-Michel Billig, Eurocopter Group, Dr. Sherif A. Barak, National Research Council Canada
“Canada is one of the major aeronautics nations in the world, so it is only natural that Eurocopter and the NRC should want to cooperate. We look forward to working together, especially through our local subsidiary, Eurocopter Canada Limited, which has grown extensively over the past years. This new agreement will upgrade the status of our relationship to a formal program with an enhanced spectrum of research work to increase the eco-efficiency of modern helicopters even further”, said Yves Favennec, Vice President Research and Innovation of Eurocopter, and Marie-Agnès Vève, CEO of Eurocopter Canada.
Eurocopter, Eurocopter Canada, EADS and NRC representatives at the Paris Air Show.
“This agreement builds on 20 years of research collaboration between NRC and EADS, and is another step forward in a successful partnership,” says NRC President Dr. Pierre Coulombe. “Together, we will continue to develop new technology in the lab and transfer it to the marketplace, which will strengthen Canada’s innovation system, benefit Canada’s aerospace supply chain, and contribute to a healthy aerospace industry in Canada.”
About NRC
For over 50 years, the National Research Council Canada (www.NRCaerospace.gc.ca) has helped Canada adapt to the changing needs of the aerospace industry and gain world leadership in niche markets, such as regional and commuter aircraft, civilian helicopters, and small gas turbine engines. This support is becoming increasingly critical as the industry moves toward a greater emphasis on research-intensive technologies, such as composites, nanostructures, alternate fuels and other green aerospace technologies.
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. 15,600 people. In 2008, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer in the civil and parapublic market, with a turnover of 4.5 billion Euros, orders for 715 new helicopters, and an 53 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 18 subsidiaries on five continents, along with a dense network of distributors, certified agents and maintenance centres. More than 10,000 Eurocopter helicopters are currently in service with over 2,800 customers in more than 140 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.
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