Providing information on the manufacturing and capabilities of Eurocopter to members of the press, Hein mentioned that as the Eurocopter Group 53% of their sales were from helicopters, 38% from support and services and 11% from R&D and, in addition, also made sales from the doors for the Airbus. Indicating that they were present in more than 150 countries throughout the world, Hein said they were collaborating with companies in nearly 30 countries and had approximately 11,300 helicopters in these countries. Stating that they possessed a large-scale structuring worldwide, Hein indicated that they had 81 maintenance centers, 100 logistic centers and 19 training centers throughout the world.

In the briefing to the press, Hein revealed their activities relating to Turkey and said that they were in Turkey since the mid-80s and that they made their first deliveries to the Ministry of Forestry and the Police Force during the same years and that during the mid-90s they had realized a successful collaboration with TAI in producing the Cougar helicopters with the Phoenix Programs. Stating that they had been quiet in Turkey for a considerable time, Thomas Hein indicated that they wished to take a new step in their relationship with Turkey in the period ahead. For this reason, instead of giving their ready made products in their hands, they were more after finding solutions to meet needs by collaborating with Turkish industry and explained their on-going collaboration with Turkey as follows:

“We signed a MoU with Roketsan in the IDEF Fair on integrating the 2.75” laser guided rocket system (C?R?T) with the Eurocopter EC635 platform. With this agreement the “C?R?T” will take place as a standard equipment in the EC635s. The C?R?T laser guided system with its high precision strike capabilities, low price and not requiring an American export license is a product that we came to choose.” Indicating that certain firing tests they planned in South Africa next year they would like to undertake in Turkey, Thomas Hein said they hoped that Turkey would support them in this regard. Hein emphasized that aside from Roketsan they were also collaborating with Aselsan as well and that they would use Aselsan’s imaging systems in their EC-635 helicopter thermal imaging systems. Their collaboration with TAI continued and that the mp1 panels for the Cougar helicopters produced for America and the engine hoods for the EC-135s were being manufactured by TAI. As a result of the specialization shown by TAI in projects in previous years, Hein underlined that they wished to undertake new collaborations with Turkey and in particular with TAI.

As the person responsible for sales and customer relations in Europe, Thomas Hein stated that they wished to take part in a large project in Turkey but that if this did not take place they were ready to collaborate on other topics. In particular, raising qualified and experienced engineers in the area of helicopters was very important said Hein, and underlined that the best place for this was industry. Stating that they had established a helicopter technology and design department at Munich University, Hein mentioned the necessity of inter-university exchange programs. He hoped that a strong cooperation would take place between Germany and Turkey to meet the qualified engineering needs in the area of helicopters in the period ahead.