Russian helicopter operator UTair signed an agreement to purchase 15 Eurocopter EC175 medium utility rotorcraft at Heli-Expo yesterday, three years after signing a letter of intent at Heli-Expo 2008 when the aircraft was first introduced. Deliveries of the 16-passgenger EC175 to UTair will commence in 2013 and the order will be completed in 2014.

“This is another important endorsement for the EC175,” said Dr. Lutz Bertling, Eurocopter president and CEO at the signing ceremony in front of a mockup of the helicopter at the company’s display area (Booth No. 4637). “We are committed to justifying UTair’s trust in us.”

UTair has been operating Eurocopter helicopters since 2006. Its current fleet includes the AS350B3, AS355N and BO105, used in a range of missions, including oil and gas industry support, aeromedical, VIP transportation and humanitarian assistance.

“UTair will use the EC175s for further market expansion and in our development of the oil and gas segment,” said Andrey Martirosov, general director of UTair Aviation. “The quality of Eurocopter products, along with its high level of technical support, gives us confidence in taking these new steps for our further strategic development.”

No terms of the agreement were disclosed, and Eurocopter declined to quote a price for the EC175.