Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. is expanding its presence in Colombia with a new office that opened in Bogota yesterday and a new helicopter training center scheduled to open in Melgar early next year.
Colombia, which purchased its first Black Hawk helicopter in 1987, today operates nearly 100 of the Sikorsky-manufactured aircraft, giving it the world”™s fourth-largest Black Hawk fleet.
The Bogata office will employ 10 people and will provide the Colombian Ministry of Defense with a central point of contact for managing all aspects of business with Sikorsky, the Stratford-based company said Nov. 1.
“Colombia is a longtime strategic customer and valued partner,” said Mick Maurer, president of Sikorsky Aircraft, in a prepared statement, reinforcing Sikorsky”™s “solid commitment” to the Ministry of Defense and Columbian Armed Forces.
Sikorsky is a subsidiary of Hartford-based United Technologies Corp.
Colombia”™s Black Hawk fleet performs a variety of missions, including search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster relief, and anti-drug and counter-insurgency operations.
The training center scheduled to open in early 2013 will be South America”™s first Black Hawk training center and will feature the region”™s only full motion, high fidelity, FAA Level D Equivalent Black Hawk simulator.
The center will provide pilot and flight crew training for the Colombian Armed Forces and other Sikorsky customers throughout Latin America.
