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Eurocopter, Hermès partner on EC 135
By: AIN Staff
Caption: Eurocopter and the house of Hermès revealed their “l’Hélicoptère par Hermès,” an EC 135 with a decidedly up-market interior, yesterday morning here at the 
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Eurocopter and the house of Hermès revealed their “l’Hélicoptère par Hermès,” an EC 135 with a decidedly up-market interior, yesterday morning here at the convention.Eurocopter and Hermès officials met at EBACE in Geneva in May last year, held discussions for six months and decided to cooperate on a joint project that culminated in the special edition of the EC 135 on display here at Eurocopter’s booth (No. 4351).The 170-year-old design house of Hermès, known for its H logo and based in Paris, is one of the most prestigious and exclusive fashion houses in the world. Though perhaps better known for its lines of leather goods, fashion and perfume, it creates, manufactures and sells items in 14 different fields, including automobiles and airplanes, basing its undertakings on practicality and elegance. In Greek mythology, Hermès, always depicted with wings on his feet, was the god of travel, trade and athletics.The model l’Hélicoptère par Hermès needs certification, explained Marc Paganini, CEO of American Eurocopter, because of numerous changes made to the helicopter, the most visible of which is the redesign of the skids to make cabin access easier. Inside, visitors might notice the ceiling is slightly higher and the center post between the cockpit and cabin has been centered laterally by moving the air-conditioning duct. Certification is expected by next summer and Eurocopter plans to use the helicopter on display for demonstration purposes, before selling it. Several buyers have shown interest and first delivery to a customer is expected next October. Thereafter, the company plans to deliver one EC 135 l’Hélicoptère par Hermès every two months. Paganini would not provide a price estimate of the aircraft. Francois Taverne, president of Hermès Gainier, told NBAA Convention News that in addition to providing design expertise, Hermès designer Gabriele Pezzini worked closely with Eurocopter engineers to find ways to increase the spaciousness of the cabin.