Ex-Im Bank Approves Financing to Export Helicopters
December 3, 2012
(Ex-Im Bank)
Supports More Than 500 Jobs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Export-Import Bank of
the United States (Ex-Im Bank) announced today
it will guarantee financing to support the
export of U.S.-made helicopters to Brazil. The
Bank approved a final commitment to guarantee
support for 85 percent of the U.S. content of
the export, a portion amounting to $23.2
million. This marks the first time the Bank has
financed high-tech AW139 helicopters destined
to be operated by Omni Taxi Aereo (OTA) of Rio
de Janiero, Brazil. Omni Helicopters
International S.A. (OHI) will buy the aircraft
and assign them to its operating subsidiary,
OTA. Philadelphia manufacturer AgustaWestland
Philadelphia Corporation will supply its
twin-engine helicopters in order for OHI to
service its transportation contracts with
Petrobras, which operates deep-water drilling
rigs off the Brazilian coast.
The Bank's financing is estimated to support at
least 500 American jobs in all phases of
aircraft production and delivery, based on the
number employed by AgustaWestland in
Philadelphia.
"With this transaction, we've guaranteed
employment for skilled American workers," said
Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P.
Hochberg. "We're pleased not only to help
support these well-paying jobs, but also to
level the playing field for an American
manufacturer in the highly competitive
energy-industry aircraft market."
Brazil's state-owned Petrobras off-shore
drilling industry increasingly demands
new-technology, medium-lift helicopters like
the AW139 model produced by AgustaWestland in
its Philadelphia factory. Each AW139 helicopter
can carry fifteen passengers to remote
off-shore operations. It features a range of
575 miles and can fly at a cruising speed of
190 miles per hour.
Bruno Cellemme, President and CEO of
AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corporation,
remarked, "AgustaWestland is pleased to again
partner with the Export-Import Bank of the
United States to support the export of
helicopters produced at our Philadelphia plant.
These exports help to sustain jobs at our
Philadelphia-based manufacturing plant, which
employs more than 500 aerospace workers."
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