The Korean Coast Guard and Samsung Techwin successfully operate aircraft from the Dauphin range. These helicopters are very highly rated in Korea.

Eurocopter has won several contracts in Korea’s civil and parapublic market with helicopters from the Dauphin/Panther family and, in December 2006, the first EC225 was purchased by the National Emergency Management Agency. This helicopter has been fitted with an impressive array of equipment, making it able to perform multiple missions: Emergency medical services (EMS), fire fighting, search and rescue (SAR) and passenger transportation. The EC225 is scheduled for delivery in December 2008. Two other Korean operators are major Eurocopter customers in this strategic country for the Group: Close to fifty Eurocopter helicopters are currently in service in Korea, all markets considered.

The Korean Coast Guard
The Korean Coast Guard currently operates five AS565 MB Panthers, and a sixth will be delivered in the summer of 2008. The helicopters fly out of five bases covering the entire country, and perform transportation and SAR missions. The Dauphin/Panther family is the reference for coast guard SAR operations. A telling example is the U.S. Coast Guard, which has been operating 96 HH-65 Dauphins for many years, and whose fleet recently reached the one-million flight hour mark.

Samsung Group
The Samsung Group has been a faithful Eurocopter customer since 1994 through its subsidiary Samsung Techwin, which specializes in helicopter operations. Samsung Techwin operates six helicopters from the Dauphin family, including four EC155 B1s. The fleet is based at the Gimpo Airport (Seoul’s second largest airport), where five of the helicopters perform corporate missions and the sixth carries out EMS operations for the Samsung Medical Center. Samsung’s satisfaction with its purchase of a Dauphin AS365 N2 and a Dauphin AS365 N3 led it to invest in the latest generation of Eurocopter helicopters, the EC155 B1. Samsung Techwin is also the certified Eurocopter maintenance center in Korea for the Dauphin product range (see article on page 14).