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Dart Aerospace

Press Release

Issued by Dart Aerospace.

October 2, 2007

DART Helicopter Services: AS350 Utility Fixed Float System now EASA Certified

DART Helicopter Services and its affiliated company, Apical Industries, have received EASA certification of their Utility Fixed Float System for Eurocopter AS 350D/B/B1/B2/B3/BA model helicopters.

The design of the Utility Floats for the AS350 provides for permanent inflation and full time buoyancy for helicopters assigned to off-shore or other over-water activities. Abrasion-resistance chafing material located on the underside of each float and the reinforcement of the personnel walkways are incorporated to provide additional abrasion protection. Each float consists of six separate air-holding chambers. The chambers are separated by bulkheads made of the same urethane nylon as the tube to minimize the loss of buoyancy in the event of a puncture or tear. Each chamber contains a topping valve for manual inflation and a pressure relief valve (PRV) to prevent over-pressurization.

"We at DART Helicopter Services realize what a prominent part the AS350 has to play in the helicopter industry in Europe. We hope to further the capability of European operators to meet contractual requirements by now adding the Utility Fixed Float System to the myriad DHS products that are EASA approved such as: float systems for the light and medium Bell, Agusta A119, Eurocopter EC120, MD900, Round-I-Beam™ Skidtubes, Crosstubes, Heli-Access-Steps™, the Spacedoor™, Mirrors, medium Bell Door Modification Kits, replacement Windows, Shoulder Harnesses, Emergency Dual Cargo Release, E-Z Access Kits, Avionics Console, Robinson Cold Weather Baffle Kit, Cabin Floor Protectors, and numerous other kits," commented Jeff Shapiro, CEO of Dart Helicopter Services.