The first EC635 built in Switzerland for Armasuisse(1) performed its maiden flight on June 19, 2008. The industrial cooperation between Eurocopter and the Swiss company RUAG Aerospace has now taken a major leap forwards.

As part of the Swiss light transport and training helicopter (LTSH) program for the Swiss air force, the German aviation authority (LBA) gave RUAG Aerospace the green light in early 2008 to expand its operations at its site in Alpnach. “Everything we needed to start production of the first helicopter on the Alpnach assembly line has come together in just one year,” explains Michael Meyer, LTSH program director. Eurocopter is overseeing production at the site, and the helicopters are being built in accordance with the Group’s standards. “In all, 14 of our employees received classroom training in Donauwörth,” recalls Thomas Schubert, assembly line manager. “They also spent almost six months training on all the different workstations of the EC135 assembly line.” In December 2007, the first kit was delivered on time and production began in Switzerland in January 2008.

Maiden Flight in Alpnach
The helicopter performed its maiden flight on June 19, 2008, with the Armasuisse test pilot, Gian von Salis, and the Eurocopter flight test engineer, Hans Abert, at its controls. Hans Abert prepared the aircraft finalization program and is responsible for ensuring that it runs smoothly. During the 41-minute flight the aircraft’s airworthiness was checked on each flight axis. All of the engine and transmission parameters were also tested— followed by the cyclic pitch stick, the yaw pedals and the pitch and rotor controls within each flight envelope. Following this maiden flight, the aircraft will now undergo a complete ground and flight test campaign. The program is proceeding in complete safety and right on schedule thanks to the first-class cooperation between Eurocopter and RUAG Aerospace.