Airbus pioneers know that to make progress, you have to push the limits. That’s why on 14 May 2005, Didier Delsalle, became the first person to land a helicopter on the summit of Mount Everest.

His success paved the way for many treacherous mountain rescue missions by Airbus Helicopters, but his mission was not without challenges.

Although their routes may seem different, the world’s highest peak presents similar challenges to both the intrepid foot explorer, and our pioneering pilot…

Didier, an Airbus Helicopters test pilot from France, took on the challenge inspired by the power of the AS350 B3 Ecureuil.

The civil helicopter had been built for high-performance missions in difficult conditions around the world: for aerial work such as firefighting, newsgathering and crop spraying; for law enforcement and emergency medical services.

But Didier wanted to demonstrate its capabilities for high-altitude rescue missions on Everest and beyond.

In fact, he was so determined to prove the aircraft’s capabilities that he completed the feat twice in two days, after a recording equipment failure temporarily erased evidence of his first summit. As with all those who climb Everest, he wanted to push the limits.