Una empresa familiar bonaerense presentó sus nuevos modelos de helicópteros

Cicaré, a family-run business from the Saladillo district of Buenos Aires Province, presented its new helicopters at the Oshkosh International Fair in the United States, where it established commercial operations and opened new markets for its devices, which it has manufactured since 1958 and exported since 2010. The company manufactures ultralight helicopters of domestic design and manufacture and is making progress in agreements with the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) to certify higher-performance models, while seeking to expand its production capabilities with the Argentine Aircraft Factory (FAdeA). The company's history began in 1958, when, at the age of 21, Augusto Cicaré flew the first helicopter designed and built in Latin America, the CH-1, developed in his own workshop based on his practical knowledge of mechanics and lathework. The aeronautical pioneer has developed several experimental models over the past six decades and even sold the patents for some of the engineering solutions he developed through self-taught work to international companies. After introducing some of Cicaré's designs to the international ultralight helicopter market, his sons in 2010 led the family business to move from development to aircraft manufacturing. The Saladillo-based firm participated last week in the Oshkosh International Aviation Festival in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, where it presented its current products: the single-seat CH-7B, the two-seat CH-7T, and the SVH-4 trainer. Fernando Cicaré, one of Augusto's sons, told Télam during a tour of the factory that his "father started this more than 60 years ago and during all this time he dedicated himself to development." "But starting in 2010, seeing that there was significant international demand and that the license my father had granted to an Italian company sold more than 800 units, we decided to launch a new product designed and manufactured in Argentina," he said. "From there, first came the single-seat CH-7B, which led to developments such as the tandem two-seat CH-7T, which we presented last week; we also updated one of my father's inventions, the SVH-4 flight trainer; and this year we are completing the two-seat ultralight CH-8 and the two-seat commercial CH-12, which will make up an entire family of products for the local and international markets," he explained. In that regard, he noted that until now they have been "producing 15 to 18 units per year, which satisfy between 20 and 30 percent of the global demand for ultralight aircraft, while the development of side-by-side two-seat aircraft tends to cover the demand of the rest of the market." To achieve this, "we're going to have to increase production to between 50 and 80 units per year, and that's why we're negotiating a co-production agreement with the Argentine Aircraft Factory (FAdeA) for the CH-12." Cicaré explained that they attended the Oshkosh fair "because it accounts for 40 or 50 percent of the global demand for this type of helicopter, and based on our new products, we estimate that in a few years, that market will absorb almost all of our production. In fact, during this trip, we managed to sell an SVH-4 trainer and two helicopters." "In addition to Argentina, our products have occupied a market share in Asia, the Middle East, Oceania, and Europe; and although we started with eight employees and now have 25, we still have a 12-month delay in delivering new units due to growing demand," he added. The businessman noted that his helicopters "are currently authorized for recreational use, in addition to agricultural tasks such as cattle herding in Australia or aerial spraying in our country." "We are now working with ANAC (National Aeronautical Association) to obtain certifications so that our new helicopters are authorized for training and patrol duties for security forces," he concluded. http://www.telam.com.ar