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The 'EC 135' is a twin-engine civil helicopter produced by Eurocopter, widely used amongst police and ambulance services, and for executive transport. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules (IFR).

Contents

Development

Operational history

Variants

Operators

Incidents

Specifications (EC 135)

References

External links

Related content

Development

The EC 135 can trace its history back to before the formation of Eurocopter. It was started as the Bo 108 by MBB of Germany in the mid-eighties. A technology demonstrator flew for the first time on 15 October 1988, powered by two Allison 250-C20R engines. A second Bo 108 followed on 5th June 1991, this time with two Turboméca TM319-1b Arrius engines. Both these machines had a conventional tail rotor.
In late 1992, the design was revised with the introduction of the ''Fenestron'' tail rotor system. In contrast to other helicopters, the tail rotor blades have been integrated into the tailboom and as they are framed by the tailboom, the risk of an accident has been significantly reduced, especially during the difficult flight conditions encountered during aeromedical flight service. This revolutionary tail rotor system, combined with the fuselage's dimensions, means that the EC-135 aircraft has become hugely popular with aeromedical helicopter operators.
Two pre-production prototypes were built. They flew on 15 February and 16 April 1994, testing the Arrius 2B and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206B engines. A third helicopter followed on 28 November 1994.

Operational history

The EC 135 made its US debut at the Heli Expo in January 1995 at Las Vegas. After over 1600 flight hours, European JAA certification was achieved on 16. June 1996, with FAA approval following on 31. July. Deliveries started on 1st August, when two helicopters (0005 and 0006) were handed over to Deutsche Rettungsflugwacht. The 100th EC 135 was handed over to the Bavarian police force in June 1999. By that time the worldwide fleet had clocked up around 30000 flight hours.
Single pilot IFR certification was granted by the German LBA on December 2, 1999. Deliveries to the German Heeresflieger began on 13 September 2000 at the Waffenschule at Achum (Bückeburg). The EC 135 received single-pilot IFR certification from the UK CAA in December 2000.
In the autumn of 2000, Eurocopter announced the start of certification work for the Pratt & Whitney PW206B2, a version of the PW207 which offers improved single-engine performance and 30 second emergency power. The LBA certification was achieved with some delay on 10 July 2001, and the first EC 135 with the new engines was handed over to the Swedish National Police on 10 August 2001.
The current world fleet leader in aircraft hours for this type is G-NESV (s/n 0067). This aircraft was delivered to the North East Air Support Unit in April 1999 and on 29th March 2007 it clocked up its 9000th hour.

Variants

;EC 135 P1 :powered by two Pratt and Whitney Canada PW 206B. Later versions have the Center Panel Display System (CPDS).
;EC 135 T1 :powered by two Turbomeca Arrius 2B1/2B1A/2B1A1. Later versions have the Center Panel Display System (CPDS).
;EC 135 P2 :powered by two, 463 kW (621 shp) Pratt and Whitney Canada PW 206B2.
;EC 135 T2 :powered by two, 472 kW (633 shp) Turbomeca Arrius 2B2.
;EC 135 P2+ :latest production version with the PW 206B2 engine, it has an increased maximum certified take-off weight (MCTOW) along with new power ratings based on a FADEC software upgrade, component time between overhaul (TBO) changes, and a change in the main transmission lubricating oil.[1]
;EC 135 T2+ :latest production version with the Arrius 2B2 engines, it has a MCTOW Upgrade along with new power ratings based on a FADEC software upgrade, component TBO changes, and a change in the main transmission lubricating oil.
;EC 635 :military variant operated by Jordan.

Operators

★ 25 EC 135 T1 & T2's in service with the Austrian Motorist & Touring Club (ÖAMTC) for air rescue purposes usually with a HEMS crew member and emergency physician on board. The helicopters serve the ÖAMTC Air Ambulance Services from 22 bases around Austria.^[1]

★ 2 EC 135's in service, one private, the other with the Queensland Emergency Management Services in Brisbane.

★ 2 ordered by the Shanghai Public Security Bureau in 2007 to be used for police air patrol and reconnaissance missions in Shanghai and during the 2008 Olympic Games due to some soccer matches being held in the city.^[2]

★ 7 EC 135 T2's in service & 1 on order with the Czech Police Aviation Department in Prague. 3 are for emergency medical service, 4 are for police missions and 1 will be for universal mission operations when it is delivered in 2008.^[3]

★ 3 EC 135T2's and one EC 135 T1 in service DSA (Delta System Air) - privat air rescue

★ 12 ordered by the French Gendarmerie in 2007 to replace its aging AS 350 Ecureuil fleet for police missions. Costing €233 million, the new helicopters are expected to be delivered by the end of 2008.^[4]

★ 12 in service with Helicap in Paris and eight regional hospital centers in France performing emergency medical services.^[5]

★ 22 in service with the German Army Air Corps in Bückeburg for training purposes.

★ 2 delivered in 2007 and 14 on order with the German Ministry of the Interior to replace the BO 105 in its "Orange Fleet" for air rescue duties in Germany. Deliveries are expected to by completed by 2009.^[6]

★ 2 in service with the Hamburg Police Helicopter Squadron, replacing the retired BO 105 helicopters for law enforcement missions.^{[7] [8]}

★ 22 in service with the Bundespolizei

★ 9 in service with the Bavarian Police Helicopter Squadron:

★ 2 EC 135 T1's in service with the Greek Police in Athens.

★ 2 EC 135 P2 helicopters are in service with the Irish Air Corps for pilot training, emergency medical services and army support.^[9]

★ 1 EC 135 T1 is in service with the Irish Police (Garda Síochána), based with their Air Support Unit in Baldonnel and used for police support missions in Dublin.^[10]

★ 2 in service with the Lithuanian Border Guard for border patrol operations at the eastern frontier with Belarus.^[11]

★ 3 in service with Transportes Aéreos Pegaso operating from Ciudad del Carmen and serving the PEMEX offshore oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.^[12]

★ 4 serve as air ambulances in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Nijmegen and Groningen.

★ 3 in service with the Romanian Ministry of Interior, two being equipped for police missions and the third being equipped for emergency medical service.^[13]

★ 4 ordered by INAER to be delivered between 2007 and 2009 and will be used for emergency medical service operations. ^[14]

★ 4 ordered by the Spanish Ministry of Defence in 2007 for the Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME), a new Spanish Armed Forces unit.^[15]

★ 7 in service with the Swedish Police and equipped with night vision equipment, infrared camera, searchlight, exterior loudspeaker, emergency floats, rescue winch and casualty stretcher. The helicopters are used for law enforcement, ground patrol and air rescue missions across Sweden.^[16]

★ 2 on order with the Swiss Air Force for Federal Air Transport Services, expected to be delivered between March 2008 & December 2009.^[17]

★ 1 in service with Falcon Aviation Services.^[18]

★ 2 in service for the Scottish Ambulance Service, operated under contract by Gama Aviation.

★ 1 in service for the police forces in the north east of England.

★ 1 in service for Merseyside Police.^[19]

★ 1 in service for Lancashire Constabulary.

★ 10 in service with Air Methods for air ambulance purposes

★ 10 in service with CJ Systems Aviation Group for Air Medical Service operations.^[20]

★ 8 ordered by Era Helicopters in 2007 for oil & gas support in the Gulf of Mexico.^[21]

★ 10 EC 135 P2 helicopters in service with PHI for air medical duties and offshore energy sector support.^[22]

Incidents

An Air Methods Corporation EC 135 crashed on 10th January 2005 after delivering a patient in Washington, D.C., killing the pilot and a paramedic whilst seriously injuring a nurse. The wreckage of the helicopter was recovered from the Potomac River.^[23]


An EC 135 on a sightseeing tour of Manhattan made an emergency landing in the Hudson River on Saturday afternoon, July 7th, 2007, leaving all eight people aboard drenched but not seriously harmed. It appeared the helicopter had engine trouble before it went down, passengers said. The pilot deployed yellow emergency floats and made a controlled landing.

Specifications (EC 135)

References

1. Eurocopter Press Release - Eurocopter Delivers 500th Aircraft Of Best-Selling EC135 Helicopter Austrian ÖAMTC Takes Over Its 25th Aircraft
2. Eurocopter Press Release - Shanghai Public Security Bureau Signs Contract With Eurocopter For 3 Helicopters
3. EADS N.V. - Czech Police Inaugurates First Of Eight EC 135 Helicopters
4. Eurocopter Press Release - Eurocopter Signs With The French Gendarmerie For 37 EC135
5. Eurocopter Press Release - HELICAP - 15,000 Hours Logged For Emergency Medical Support(EMS) Missions By The World Leader Operator Of EC 135 Helicopters
6. Eurocopter Press Release - Eurocopter Hands Over The First 2 Of A Total Of 16 EC135 Rescue Helicopters To The German Ministry Of The Interior
7. EADS N.V. - City Of Hamburg Is The Latest Police Customer For The EC 135
8. EADS N.V. - Two New Dragonflies In The Hanseatic Skies
9. EADS N.V. - Irish Air Corps Takes Delivery Of Its First EC 135
10. Garda Air Support Unit
11. EADS N.V. - Lithuanian Border Guard Orders Eurocopter EC 135 & EC 145
12. EADS N.V. - Eurocopter Delivers 400th EC135 For Offshore Operations In Mexico
13. Eurocopter Press Release - Eurocopter Romania Presents Three Of His Future EC 135 Helicopters To The Romanian Ministry Of Interior
14. EADS N.V. - The INAER Group Continues The Renewal Of Its Fleet With Nine New Eurocopter Helicopters
15. Eurocopter Press Release - Spain Signs With Eurocopter For 45 NH90 Helicopters For Its Armed Forces
16. Eurocopter Press Release - EC 135 For The Swedish Police
17. Eurocopter Press Release - First Eurocopter EC635 For Swiss Air Force Takes To The Air
18. Eurocopter Press Release - FAS Enlarges Its Fleet & Orders 2 EC130 and 2 AS365 N3 Eurocopter helicopters
19. Merseyside Police - About Us: Departments: ASG: New helicopter
20. Eurocopter Press Release - With 76 Eurocopters Already In Fleet, C.J Systems Aviation Group Orders Ten EC135s & Two EC145s
21. Aviation Today - Era Orders 20 Eurocopters For Offshore, New EMS Services
22. Eurocopter Press Release - The PHI Oil & Gas Division & PHI Air Medical Division Have Placed An Order For Ten Eurocopter 135P2 Helicopters
23. PR Newswire - Air Methods Corporation Confirms Fatal Accident In Virginia

External links

★ Eurocopter - EC 135

★ RTH.info - Eurocopter EC 135 (in German)

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