Everyone loves a winner. And the Golden Triangle is home to one member of a globally successful team.
American Eurocopter, a division of EADS, generated $784 million in revenues in 2009 from just two facilities — one in Grand Prairie, Texas, and the other right here in Lowndes County. Meanwhile, EADS generated $60 billion and jockeys for the No. 1 position in aerospace engineering and manufacturing with rival Boeing on a daily basis.
But American Eurocopter isn”t a team of German scientists and Finnish engineers transplanted into the Deep South. One of our own runs the place.
Earl Walker, senior director and general manager of American Eurocopter”s Mississippi operations, is a Cleveland native and a graduate of Mississippi State University. The Mississippi plant started off on shaky ground in 2006, Walker said, and “had all the ingredients for failure.” But the facility took off and became a strong contributor.
Walker stopped by the Columbus Kiwanis Club meeting Wednesday at the Country Club to talk about the plant”s success.
After starting with a staff of just 60 assembling commercial helicopters, the plant added a military line in 2007 and has grown to 286 employees, with 10 more to come on board Monday. The plant will employ more than 300 by July 1, Walker said.
He anticipates 53 military units, including the UH-72A Lakota helicopter, will be assembled in the next year, along with 40 commercial crafts.
The commercial units, such as an air ambulance built for the MedSTAT ambulance service in Winona to be delivered in June, sell for up to $4 million each. The Columbus plant sold 113 units in 2009.
Even though $4 million for a helicopter may sound like a hefty price, Walker insists American Eurocopter makes its money from sale quantity.
“Some of our units don”t cost as much as our competitors,” said Walker.
In addition to selling helicopters to the military, American Eurocopter also provides crafts to the border patrol and the FBI.
The increase in production from the early days is due in large part to the veteran staff. The education garnered through experience has given them the ability to train the new hires in-house, rather than sending them overseas. But even with a staff of nearly 300, each aircraft requires 60 days of construction from start to finish.
Unlike the Texas facility, the Golden Triangle facility has the staff on hand to test fly and certify the craft meet FAA standards.
“If you see one flying around, it”s likely we”re testing it,” said Walker.
The plant employs three pilots and keeps a fourth on contract, but Walker, a pilot himself, sticks with administration.
“They keep me as far away from the stick as possible,” he joked.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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