Helibrás
Encyclopedia
Helibras or Helicópteros do Brasil S.A. (Helicopters of Brazil, Inc.) is a Brazil
-based helicopter
manufacturer which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Eurocopter, a division of EADS
. Helibras leads the Brazilian market of the turbine helicopters in operation, with 54% stake in the civilian market, emphasis on the segment government whose participation is 85%. The military market share is about 66%.
, Sao Paulo state. Since 1980, the company has been located in Itajubá
, a city and municipality in southwestern Minas Gerais
state, Brazil
. Formerly Helibras was jointly owned by MGI Participações (MGI Investments - owned by the government of the federal state of Minas Gerais
), Bueninvest and Eurocopter. As of 2006, Helibras became a wholly owned subsidiary of Eurocopter which in turn is owned by EADS
(European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company). It is one of only two manufacturers of helicopters in Latin America
.
Helibras has already produced and delivered about 500 helicopters, 70% of them being Esquilos or Squirrels. Ten percent of total production is exported to Latin American countries such as Argentina
, Bolivia
, Chile
, Mexico
, Paraguay
, Uruguay
, and Venezuela
.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
-based helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
manufacturer which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Eurocopter, a division of EADS
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
. Helibras leads the Brazilian market of the turbine helicopters in operation, with 54% stake in the civilian market, emphasis on the segment government whose participation is 85%. The military market share is about 66%.
History
Helibras was founded 1 January 1978 in Sao Jose dos CamposSão José dos Campos
São José dos Campos is a municipality and a major city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil and one of the most important industrial and research centers in Latin America. It is located in the Paraíba Valley, between the two most active production and consumption regions in the country, São Paulo ...
, Sao Paulo state. Since 1980, the company has been located in Itajubá
Itajubá
Itajubá is a city and municipality in southeastern Minas Gerais state of the Federative Republic of Brazil.It lies in a valley by the Sapucaí river and has terrain elevations ranging from 827 to 1500 metres, occupying an area of 290.45 km2 , with a population of approximately 86,000 people...
, a city and municipality in southwestern Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
state, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Formerly Helibras was jointly owned by MGI Participações (MGI Investments - owned by the government of the federal state of Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
), Bueninvest and Eurocopter. As of 2006, Helibras became a wholly owned subsidiary of Eurocopter which in turn is owned by EADS
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
(European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company). It is one of only two manufacturers of helicopters in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
Helibras has already produced and delivered about 500 helicopters, 70% of them being Esquilos or Squirrels. Ten percent of total production is exported to Latin American countries such as Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.