Eurocopter EC135

Eurocopter EC135
Tim Felce (Airwolfhound) · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Eurocopter EC135
Caption	EC135 in air ambulance configuration
Type	Light twin-engine helicopter
Manufacturer	Airbus Helicopters
First flight	15 February 1994
Introduced	1996
Status	In service

Eurocopter EC135 The Eurocopter EC135 is a twin‑engine light utility helicopter developed in the 1990s and produced by Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter). It entered service with civil and public service operators for roles including emergency medical services, law enforcement, corporate transport, and military training. The airframe combines a fenestron tail rotor and a composite main rotor with systems influenced by collaborative programs involving German and French aerospace industries.

Development

The EC135 emerged from a collaboration between Aérospatiale, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (DASA), and British Aerospace, building on lineage from the MBB Bo 105 and the Aerospatiale SA 341 Gazelle programs. Initial development during the early 1990s drew on technologies tested in projects tied to Eurocopter consolidation discussions that later involved Airbus Group restructuring and corporate integration. Prototype flights in 1994 preceded certification milestones achieved in the mid‑1990s by authorities such as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and international equivalents including the Federal Aviation Administration.

Program decisions reflected procurement priorities from operators such as the London Ambulance Service, German Air Rescue (DRF), and police services in Netherlands, influencing mission equipment suites and modular cabin concepts. Industrial partners included suppliers with histories in projects for Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney Canada, and systems originally developed for Eurocopter Tiger and NHIndustries NH90 efforts.

Design

The EC135 features a composite main rotor system derived from work on the MBB Bo 105, and a shrouded fenestron tail rotor concept developed in earlier Aerospatiale designs. Powerplants have included variants of the Pratt & Whitney PW206 and Turbomeca Arrius engines, integrated with FADEC systems influenced by avionics suppliers who previously worked on the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Falcon platforms. The glass cockpit options incorporate displays and flight management elements from avionics houses that supplied systems to Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Bell Helicopter programs.

Airframe choices emphasize crashworthy fuel systems and energy‑absorbing seats, with cabin modularity enabling configurations used by operators such as Royal Air Force training units, New South Wales Police Force, and civilian air ambulance providers. Materials science contributions trace to composites work in programs like Boeing 787 research and suppliers with contracts for Sikorsky UH-60 components.

Operational history

The EC135 has been flown by a broad array of civil, public service, and military operators across Europe, Asia, Americas, and Australasia. Notable adopters include Metropolitan Police Service, Bundespolizei, Norwegian Air Ambulance, and aviation units supporting events such as the 2012 Summer Olympics and international summits attended by delegations from United Nations member states. The type has also supported humanitarian response coordinated with agencies such as International Committee of the Red Cross and disaster relief efforts alongside national services like FEMA and Bundeswehr contingents.

Training and doctrine adaptations have paralleled changes in rotorcraft maintenance philosophies seen in fleets such as the Royal Netherlands Air Force and commercial operators like Air Methods, influencing aftermarket support chains linked to companies with roles in the Aerospace and Defence supply base.

Variants

The EC135 family includes multiple factory and customer‑configured variants produced to meet diverse requirements: models equipped with different engines and avionics suites tailored to airborne law enforcement units like Los Angeles Police Department, air medical operators like Phoenix Air Group, and military training establishments akin to Italian Air Force helicopter schools. Special mission derivatives support roles in Search and Rescue and offshore transport for energy companies operating in regions such as the North Sea.

Operators

Civil and government operators span municipal police forces, medical services, and armed forces. Examples include the London Ambulance Service, Metropolitan Police Service, Bundespolizei, Norwegian Air Ambulance, Royal Danish Air Force, New South Wales Police Force, and private charter firms such as Airbus Helicopters affiliated operators and commercial companies like Bristow Helicopters.

Specifications

General characteristics - Crew: 1–2 pilots (typical) — customers include units such as Royal Air Force training squadrons and corporate flight departments used by firms like Shell - Capacity: up to 7 passengers; medevac layouts used by Norwegian Air Ambulance and DRF Luftrettung - Length: variable with rotor and tail configuration; design influenced by dimensions of predecessors including the MBB Bo 105 - Powerplant: twin turboshaft engines (Pratt & Whitney or Turbomeca variants) similar to installations on platforms used by United States Army and NATO partner forces Performance figures vary by variant and equipment fit for operators engaged in missions across regions including Europe, North America, and Australia.

Accidents and incidents

The type has experienced a number of accidents investigated by national authorities such as the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, the National Transportation Safety Board, and equivalent agencies in Germany and Norway. Incident reports have informed operational changes among users including the Metropolitan Police Service and air ambulance services like Air Ambulance Victoria, leading to modifications in training, maintenance, and mission planning practiced by organizations such as Civil Aviation Safety Authority and European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

Category:Airbus Helicopters aircraft Category:1990s helicopters