I
N
D
U
S
T
R
Y

F
O
R
U
M

2
0
0
0

---

Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | HELICOPTER

---

"If we want to extend the usage of helicopters, the vehicle must be environment-firendly and its flight envelope must be extended. One of our key technology aims is adverse-weather capability."

1. How do see the position of your company in the market? What is the overriding, long-term aim of your company?
Eurocopter is the market leader. The overriding aim of our company is to confirm this posititon and to remain the preferred chioce as a supplier of helicopters, including services. Today we are well placed with our product line which is fully modernized and at the same time proven and increasingly reliable. Our efforts go towards customer satisfaction.

2. How would you qualify the business situation of your company in 1999, especially regarding orders/turnover, competitive situation etc.?
1999 has been a good year for the industry in general and for eurocopter in particular. Civil and parapublic orders have been placed as targeted by our company and we have fulfilled our business objectives. It has been a more remarkable year with regard to the military business as our past and continuing efforts around the Tiger and NH90 programmes are coming to fruition. This gives Eurocopter an incredible push of growth and solidity for the coming decades.

3. Which companies do you see as your main competitors?
Our competitors are obviously the other big helicopter manufacturers and we accept the challenge of facing them in our day-to-day business.

4. How would you assess the general situation in the civil market right now?
The civil market evolution is, in general terms, positive. Evidently, there are regional particularities.

5. .... and how do you see the mid-term outlook to 2005 (expansion, new equipment trends etc.)?
We regard the mid-term outlook as positive. We are confident thatour new aircraft, the EC 120, EC 135 and the EC 155, will contribute to a certain market expansion.

6. How would you assess the general situation in the military market today?
The military market accessible for Eurocopter has not been decreasing in real terms over the last 10 years. The only major decline was in the US domestic market. This means that our international market base has remained virtually unchanged. A growth market in the coming years is Europe.

7. ... and how do you see the mid-term military outlook to 2010?
We have already opened a major part of the mid-term military market up to 2010 with the tiger and NH90. Our current product line, together with the new programmes, will allow us to benefit fully from a market which is increasing.

8. Which region(s) of the world will see the fastest growth in helicopter salesin the next five years?
In the military field, Europe is of overriding importance but there are some other global regions which will evolve positively. With regard to the civil market, Asia will recover and other regions will remain on a positive level.

9. ... and which region(s) will be the most difficult?
The most difficult region will remain the CIS.

10. Which class of helicopters will grow fastest in the next five years?
Due to the large European military requirements for new equipment, we believe that the major growth will be in the 9-10 tonne class and the attack helicopter segments. In the civil segment, we see good chances to multiply the procduction of our EC 120.

11. What are the main regulatory problems for helicopters today (heliports, unsurance, FAA regulations etc.?)
One problem we see, among others, is the integration of the helicopter in new ATC concepts. The freer helicopter usage is, the more does its operation become economically viable.

12. What are the determining factors in customer buying decisions today?
The key buing factors of our customers remain the same: cost, performance and reliability, coupled with effective service. Eurocopter is currently building a new business concept around these criteria determinging customer satisfaction.

13. Does your company intend to introduce new models in the next five years? In which sector?
Eurocopters product line is by far the most modern. It has laways been our tradition to be on the leading edge of technology. If the market requires us to do something, we will do it as fas as it is economically justified.

14. Is there overcapacity in the helicopter industry?
There is no ocercapacity on our side, as we have a good order book and a reasonably clear outlook for the coming years. There might be some industrial players who suffer from declining government orders in other parts of the world.

15. Will there be more mergers/sales/consolidations in the helicopter industry in the near future?
Further mergers/consolidations cannot be excluded. Consolidation is always a positive phenomenon showing that the forces of competition work in a healthy manner. Different scenarios are possible and Eurocopter will attempt to contribute to that kind of evolution.

16. What are the main technological trends in helicopter design in the next decade?
If we want to extend the usage of helicopters, the vehicle must be environment-firendly and its flight envelope must be extended. Eurocopter is working on several projects to this effect. The EC 120, EC 135 and EC 155 already show quite a remarkable progress in terms of noise reduction. One of our key technology aims is adverse-weather capability.

17. Will there be a breakthrough for new concepts like tiltrotors? How much market share can they win?
It is diffucult to forecast the success ot th etilt rotor concept. We do not foresee that tilt rotors will take a major slice form the traditional helicopter segment but they can generate new markets alongside the helicopter missions.

18. What is your vision for the helicopter industry in 2025? Will there be totally new uses, new vertical flight concepts, the helicopter for everyone, city-centre tilt-rotor shuttle services etc?
To look forward, you have to look back. No major technolgy has been evolving in a stable and linear way. The vertiflight concept will for sure be profoundly modified. The tilt rotor will only be one potential track of evolution. However, we do not believe that ther will be a "Volkshubschrauber concept" for every one to fly coming up.