Friday, November 13, 2009

H-72A Navy trainer delivered

EADS North America has delivered the first of five H-72A training helicopters to the Navy. The H-72A fleet will be based at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., where it is to be used to train test pilots from the U.S. military and allied countries. The H-72A shares the same airframe and is manufactured on the same production line as the Army’s UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter, both of which are produced in Mississippi by EADS North America’s American Eurocopter subsidiary. (Source: EADS North America, 11/12/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS North America has two operations in Mobile, Ala., and hopes to eventually assemble aerial refueling tankers and freighters there.