Sikorsky Aerospace Services to Establish BLACK HAWK Helicopter Training Center For Latin America

March 26, 2010
The facility will be a launching point for development of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul services, spares and training center for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

March 24, 2010 - BOGOTA, Colombia - Sikorsky Aerospace Services announced today an agreement with the Colombian Ministry of Defense to establish an S-70TM BLACK HAWK Helicopter Training Facility at the Colombian Air Force Base in Melgar, Colombia. Sikorsky Aerospace Services is the aftermarket business of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

The Training Facility will offer a full motion BLACK HAWK helicopter simulator, providing the highest level of fidelity recognized in the industry, to support pilot training for the Colombian Armed Services as well as all Sikorsky military customers in Latin America. Structured as an offset program, the facility will be a launching point for development of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul services, spares and training center for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

“One goal of the new Training Facility is to further improve the operational readiness of the Colombian Armed Services as well as regional armed forces. With the third-largest fleet of BLACK HAWK helicopters in the world, Colombia is a very important customer,” said David Adler, President of Sikorsky Aerospace Services. “The Training facility also represents a major milestone toward our overall commitment to our customers in Latin America and is in line with our international strategic initiatives. We look forward to our continued expansion into the global military market.”

Sikorsky Aerospace Services provides comprehensive support to rotary and fixed wing aircraft around the world. It offers its military and commercial customers a full portfolio of support services. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture, and service. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high-technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.