Ex-Im Approves $75.7 Million in Financing For Export of U.S. Helicopters to Brazil
June 28, 2012
(Ex-Im Bank)
Washington, D.C. – The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has
authorized a $75.7 million loan guarantee for Líder Taxi Aéreo S.A.—Air Brasil
that will support the export of three Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation S-92®
helicopters to Brazil.
Ex-Im Bank 's support enabled Sikorsky to win the order in competition with
government-backed European competitors and will sustain approximately 500 jobs
at the company’s facilities in Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Likewise, the loan guarantee has proved to be an invaluable resource for Líder
Taxi, which had insufficient access to financing on acceptable terms to purchase
the helicopters.
"The financing support for these helicopters illustrates the unique ability of
Ex-Im Bank to provide essential financing to ensure American exporters can
compete in the international marketplace," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and
President Fred P. Hochberg. "Our support leveled the playing field and kept 500
highly-skilled American workers on the job.")
Headquartered in Stratford, Conn., Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is a
manufacturer of commercial and military helicopters. Its S-92 model is a
heavy-mission helicopter designed for offshore transport, medical emergencies,
and search-and-rescue missions.
"The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. often plays a vital role in the sale of
Sikorsky commercial helicopters to the offshore oil and gas industry worldwide,"
said Bob Kokorda, Sikorsky vice president for sales and marketing. "These three
S-92 helicopters will enable Líder Taxi to fly Brazilian workers to offshore
rigs in deeper water farther from shore. And they will help maintain a healthy
U.S.-based supply chain for the aircraft while sustaining a highly skilled
workforce at our helicopter manufacturing facilities in the United States."
Líder Taxi, established in 1958 and the largest air taxi company in Brazil,
plans to use the helicopters to shuttle personnel and equipment to offshore oil
platforms.
The transaction is the sixth Ex-Im Bank has approved since 2004 with the Belo
Horizonte-based company.
Brazil is one of Ex-Im Bank’s nine key markets and accounted for $2.7 billion of
the Bank’s worldwide credit exposure at the end of FY 2011.
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