Growing use of helicopter service in east Africa due a ballooning middle class and expected economic boom from investment in oil and gas discovery in the region is attracting helicopter assembly and repair companies such as Eurocopter from South Africa.

Eurocopter Southern Africa Ltd has announce its plan to set us a permanent base in Nairobi, Kenya as it seek to serve the region with helicopter run maintenance, repair and overhaul operations on all Airbus helicopters.

Defense news quoted Eurocopter’s spokesman Linden Birns saying “Kenya and the surrounding region is a growth market for Airbus Helicopters, and Nairobi is perfectly located for the establishment of a base for sales and support to customers and operators in East Africa.”

The new base which would be located at Nairobi’s Wilson Airport will be the company’s second in Africa, beside the existing one at the Sim-Aero training center at the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa.

No Timeline

Eurocopter however did not give any specific timeline for the planned Nairobi venture, but said it hoped to build its business in other African countries including Angola, Mozambique as well as countries around the Indian ocean area such as Mauritius.

Ventures Africa said the company had recorded 35 percent growth in business in southern Africa since 2010, as countries in the region have increased investments in military aircraft, airborne law enforcement and civil emergency response capabilities.

In recent years, it has also been able to penetrate the Namibian, Lesotho and Botswana market through the supply and systems upgrades.

Eurocopter is moving to Kenya as a response to the ongoing boom in the country’s civil aviation sector and the government’s drive to strengthen its military, law enforcement and conservation agencies, offering numerous sales opportunities, Defence news quoted Eurocopter CEO, Arnaud Montalvo as saying.

Africa has been earmarked as the next frontier for avaition. And with a teeming young population, the potential of its market will only continue to attract investors.