Eurocopter yesterday delivered its 800th Dauphin here at Le Bourget after the helicopter’s 15-minute trip from the Paris downtown heliport. Eurocopter president Fabrice Brégier said that with 30 to 40 deliveries a year, Eurocopter was looking forward to delivering its 1,000th Dauphin.

Christophe de Coulon, president of Paris-based helicopter operator Heli-Union, took delivery of the AS 365N3 type, its 19th Dauphin and its sixth for offshore missions. He said that two more Dauphins would be delivered at the beginning of next year, which will bring to 37 the number of Eurocopters in the company’s fleet. Coulon told Aviation International News that there would “certainly” be further orders for Dauphins, for delivery in spring 2008. Heli-Union received its first Eurocopter machine in 1976.

Under a cooperative agreement with Heli-Union, the latest Dauphin will be used in offshore operations by EuroAsia, the biggest helicopter operator in Kazakhstan and a subsidiary of major oil group Kazmunaigas. It will be the first Western-manufactured helicopter operated by EuroAsia, which today will sign a contract for two more Dauphin AS 365N3s.

The Dauphin AS 365N3 is powered by two Turbomeca Arriel 2C engines. Its power reserve is particularly suited for operation in extreme weather conditions and on offshore liaison missions. It is equipped with a health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) and has JAR Ops requirements for offshore assignmen