Two EC225 helicopters in search and rescue configuration entered service with the Japanese Coast Guard on April 24, just one month after their delivery from Eurocopter. The two helicopters, which are based at Kansai International Airport, will be used to patrol Japan’s coasts and territorial waters. The EC225 won over the Japanese thanks to the latest generation of technical solutions that it offers, and the logical opportunity that it represents to prolong a long-standing and successful relationship with Eurocopter. The Japanese Coast Guard has been operating four AS332 L1 Super Pumas since 1989. In October 2006, three of these helicopters flew to the rescue of 44 people aboard two boats that were sinking in a violent typhoon. The AS332 L1 Super Puma proved once again its operational reliability, tremendous power and the crucial importance of its large cabin. These features, which are characteristic of the entire Super Puma family, make it possible to evacuate and transport a large number of passengers. But that’s not all: The aircraft’s hoisting capabilities, state-of-the-art automatic pilot, flight endurance and high safety levels make the EC225 just the right helicopter for the highly demanding missions of the Japanese Coast Guard.
These aircraft have a lot of ground to cover: 34,000 km of coastline and 430,000 km2 of territorial waters.