Eurocopter Ecureuil

Infobox Aircraft
name = AS 350 Ecureuil/AStar AS 355 Ecureuil 2/TwinStar



caption = An AS350 B2
type = Light utility
manufacturer = Aérospatiale Eurocopter Group
designer =
first flight = 26 June 1974
introduced = 1975
retired =
status =
primary user =
more users =
produced = 1975 to date
number built =
unit cost = ~US$1.6M (AS350 B2) ~US$2.0M (AS350 B3) ~US$2.9M (AS355 NP VFR) ~US$3.6M (AS355 NP IFR)
developed from =
variants with their own articles = Eurocopter Fennec Eurocopter EC 130

The Eurocopter AS350 Ecureuil ("Squirrel") and AS355 Ecureuil 2 are a family of light helicopters originally manufactured by Aérospatiale (now part of Eurocopter Group). The AS350 (marketed as the AStar in North America) is the single-engined version, while the AS355 (TwinStar) uses two engines. The EC130B is a recent adaptation of the AS350 airframe.

Design and development

Development began in the early 1970's to replace the Alouette II, and the first flight took place on 27 June 1974. [http://62.160.110.229/jrotor/73/latinamerica.html#I0000f69b] A twin-engined version, known as the Ecureuil 2, Twin Squirrel, or in North America as the TwinStar, first flew on 3 October 1979. Despite the introduction of the EC130, production of the Eurocopter AS350 and AS355, and the AS550 and AS555 "Fennec" military versions remains strong.

Both single and twin-engined versions have been built under licence by Helibras in Brazil.

Operational history

On May 14, 2005 a standard-configured Ecureuil AS350 B3 piloted by Eurocopter test pilot Didier Delsalle touched down on the top of Mt. Everest, at 8,850 meters (29,035 feet) . ["http://www.everestnews.com/stories2005/everestcopter05272005.htm] This record has been confirmed by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. [Rotorcraft World Records [http://records.fai.org/rotorcraft/history.asp?id1=112&id2=80&id3=1&id4=2] ]

Variants

ingle engine

;AS350:Prototype.;AS350 Firefighter:Fire fighting version.;AS350B:Powered by one Turbomeca Arriel 1B engine.;AS350 B1:Powered by one Turbomeca Arriel 1D engine.;AS350 B2:Higher gross weight version powered by one Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 engine.;AS350 B3:High-performance version, is powered by a Turbomeca Arriel 2B engine equipped with a Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system. This helicopter is the first ever to land on Mount Everest. Recently introduced AS350 B3/2B1 variant introduces enhanced engine with dual digital FADEC, dual hydraulics and a 2,370 kg (5,225 lb) M.T.O.W.;AS350 BA:Powered by a Turbomeca Arriel 1B engine and fitted with wider chord main rotor blades.;AS350 BB:AS350 B2 variant selected to meet rotary-wing training needs of UK MoD, through its Defence Helicopter Flying School in 1996. Powered by a derated Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 engine to improve the helicopters' life cycle.;;Eurocopter Squirrel HT.1::Designation of "AS 350BB" in operation with British RAF as a training helicopter.;;Eurocopter Squirrel HT.2::Designation of "AS 350BB" in operation with British Army Air Corps as a training helicopter.;AS350 C:Initial variant of Lycoming LTS-101-600A2 powered version developed for the North American market as the "AStar". Quickly superseded by AS350D.;AS350 D:Powered by one Lycoming LTS-101 engine for the North American market as the "AStar". At one stage marketed as AStar 'Mark III.';AS350 L1:Military derivative of AS350 B1, powered by a 510-kW (684-shp) Turbomeca Arriel 1D turboshaft engine. Superseded by AS350 L2.;AS350 L2:Military derivative of AS350 B2, powered by a 546-kW (732-shp) Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 turboshaft engine. Designation superseded by AS550 C2.;HB350 B Esquilo:Unarmed military version for the Brazilian Air Force. Brazilian designations CH-50 and TH-50. Built under licence by Helibras in Brazil. ;HB350 B1 Esquilo:Unarmed military version for the Brazilian Navy. Brazilian designation UH-12. Built under licence by Helibras in Brazil.;HB350 L1:Armed military version for the Brazilian Army. Brazilian designation HA-1. Built under licence by Helibras in Brazil.

Twin engine

;AS355:Prototype of the twin-engined Ecureuil 2 or Twin Squirrel.;AS355 E:Initial production version, powered by two Allison 250 turboshaft engines. Known as the Twin Star in the United States and Canada.;AS355 F:Improved version, fitted with improved rotor blades and systems.;AS355 F1:Powered by the Allison C20F engine. 2,400 kg (5,291 lb) M.T.O.W. ;AS355 F2:Powered by the Allison C20F engine with uprated engine and transmission for higher M.T.O.W. (2,540 kg or 5,600 lb), and hydraulic accumulator for better tail rotor control.;AS355 M:Initial armed version of AS355 F1.;AS355 M2:Armed version of AS355 F2. Superseded by AS555 Fennec.;AS355 N Ecureuil 2:Version fitted with two Turbomeca Arrius 1A engines and a Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system for better M.T.O.W (2,600 kg or 5,732 lb) and better single engine performance. Known as the TwinStar in the United States.;AS355 NP Ecureuil 2:Introduced in 2007, this version is fitted with two Turbomeca Arrius 1A1 turboshaft engines and a new AS350 B3-based main gearbox, increasing maximum take-off weight to 2,800 kg (6,173 lb). [ [http://www.eurocopter.com/publications/FO/scripts/newsFO_complet.php?lang=EN&news_id=463 Eurocopter Press Release - Eurocopter Upgrades Its Most Affordable Twin, The AS355 Ecureuil/TwinStar] ] ;HB.355F Ecureuil 2:Licence built in Brazil by Helibras.;HB.355N Ecureuil 2:Licence built in Brazil by Helibras.

Aftermarket conversions

;Soloy Super D:AS350 BA powered by an LTS101-600A-3A engine.;Soloy Super D2:AS350 B2 powered by an LTS101-700D-2 engine.;Heli-Lynx 350FX1:AS350 BA powered by an LTS101-600A-3A engine.;Heli-Lynx 350FX2:AS350 BA or AS350 B2 powered by an LTS101-700D-2 engine.;Otech AS350BA+:AS350 BA powered by an LTS101-600A-3A engine [Reyno, Mike, "Power Play", "Vertical" December 2006] .;Heli-Lynx 355FX1 :Powered by the Allison C20F engine. FAA, TC, and EASA approved.;Heli-Lynx 355FX2 :Powered by the Allison C20F engine. FAA,TC and EASA approved.;Heli-Lynx 355FX2R :Powered by the Allison C20R engine. FAA and TC approved.;Starflex AS355F1R:AS355 F1 powered by the Allison C20R engine. FAA, TC and EASA approved.;Starflex AS355F2R:AS355 F2 Powered by the Allison C20R engine with optimised tail rotor blades. FAA, TC and EASA approved.

Operators

Military operators

;ALB;DZA;ARG;AUS
*Royal Australian Navy, Fleet Air Arm (RAN)
**No. 723 Squadron RAN;BEN;BOT;BRA;BUR;BDI;CAM;CAN;CAF;CHL
*Chilean Army AS350 & HB355;CHN;COM;DEN;DJI;ECU;FRA;GAB;GUI;JAM;flag|Malawi;MAS;MLI;flag|Mauritius;MEX;MAR;NEP;PAR;PER;RWA;SIN;TRI;TUN;UAE;UK
* 38 AS350 BB helicopters in service with FB Heliservices for the Ministry of Defence's Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury for training all British Armed Forces helicopter pilots. [ [http://www.eurocopter.com/publications/FO/scripts/newsFO_complet.php?lang=EN&news_id=474 Eurocopter Press Release - FB Heliservices Ltd. Clocks Up 250,000 Flight Hours With Eurocopter AS350 BB ‘Squirrel’ Fleet As Defence Helicopter Flying School Celebrates 10th Anniversary] ] ;URY;VEN

Law Enforcement operators

;AUT
*Flugpolizei (Ministry of Interior) [ [http://www.bmi.gv.at/flugpolizei/ Flugpolizei Website (German!)] ] operates five AS350 B1, two AS355 F2, and two AS355 N. ;AUS
*New South Wales Police Force;BIH
*Federal Police;BRA
*Brazilian Federal Police
*Brazilian Military Police
*Goiás Military Police [ [http://www.pm.go.gov.br Polícia Militar de Goiás website] ] ;CAN
*Royal Canadian Mounted Police
*Ontario Provincial Police;CHI
*Policía de Investigaciones de Chile;IRL
*Garda Síochána;MAS
*Royal Malaysian Police Air Wing Unit;MAR
*Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie;NED
*Netherlands Coast Guard for use at Curacao (Netherlands Antilles);NZ
*New Zealand Police Air Support "Eagle Unit";NOR
*Norwegian Police Service;PHI
*Philippine National Police;RSA
*South African Police Service Air Wing operates 11 AS350B3s.;TRI
*Special Anti-Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago;USA
*Anaheim Police Department operates an AS350 B2 helicopter.
*Baltimore County Police Department recently purchased three Eurocopter AS350B3 helicopters.
*Bernalillo County Sheriff Department operates an AS350 B3 helicopter.
*Broward County Sheriff's Office operates an AS350 B2 helicopter.
*California Highway Patrol operate 10 AS350 B3 helicopters and a single AS350 B2.
*Citrus County Sheriff's Office operates a single AS350 B3 helicopter.
*Dekalb County Police operate 2 AS350 B2 helicopters.
*East Bay Regional Park Police operates an AS350 B2 helicopter.
*Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office operates 3 AS350 B2 helicopters.
*Lee County Sheriff's Office operates two AS350B/B2 helicopters.
*Los Angeles Police Department operates 14 AS350 B2 helicopters. [ [http://www.aviationtoday.com/manufacturers/eurocopter/13392.html LAPD Standardizes AS350B2s With Sagem Cockpit] ]
*Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department operates 12 AS350 B2 helicopters.
*Massachusetts State Police operates 4 AS355 N TwinStar helicopters and an AS350 BA.
*Memphis Police Department operates an AS350 B3 helicopter.
*Oakland County Sheriff's Department operates 2 AS350 B2 helicopters.
*Ohio State Highway Patrol operates an AS350 B2 helicopter.
*Ontario, CA Police Department operates 2 AS350 B2 helicopters.
*Orange County, CA Sheriff's Department operates 2 AS350 B2 helicopters.
*Phoenix Police Department operates 3 AS350 B3 helicopters.
*Pinellas County Sheriff's Office operates 2 AS350 B2 helicopters.
*Riverside County Sheriff's Department operate 4 AS350 B3 helicopters.
*Salt Lake County Sheriff operates an AS355 N helicopter.
*San Antonio Police Department operates an AS350 B3 helicopter.
*San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department operates 6 AS350 B3 helicopters
*San Diego Police Department operates 4 AS350 B3 helicopters.
*Suffolk County Police Department operates 1 Eurocopter EC145 and 2 Eurocopter AS350 B2 helicopters.
*Texas Department of Public Safety operates three AS350 B and nine AS350 B2 helicopters.
*U.S. Customs and Border Protection operates 48 AS350 helicopters, and in July 2008 signed a multi-year contract for up to 50 additional AS350 B3s to meet its Light Enforcement Helicopter requirement.
*U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operate several AS350 B2 and AS350 B3 helicopters.
*U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency operates two AS350 B2 helicopters.
*Utah State Highway Patrol operates 2 AS350 B2 helicopters.
*Washington DC Metro Police Department operates 2 AS350 B3 helicopters.

Civilian operators

;AUS
*Australian Helicopters operates transfers from Gladstone, Queensland to Heron Island.
*The Australian Antarctic Division uses the Eurocopter AS350 for intra-continental air operations in Antarctica. ;BHU [http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=6438 Kuensel Newspaper - Domestic helicopter service picks up ] ] ;BRA;CAN
*CHC Helicopter Corporation
*CHI
*DAP Helicópteros (355) [ [http://www.daphelicopteros.cl/ DAP Helicópteros webpage] ]
*Ecocopter (350) [ [http://www.ecocopter.cl/ Ecocopter Chile webpage] ]
*Helicopters.cl (350B3) [ [http://www.helicopters.cl/ Helicopters.cl webpage] ]
*Kipreos (350BA) [ [http://www.kipreos.cl/ Kipreos Ingenieros webpage] ]
*SumaAir (350B3) [ [http://www.sumaair.com/ Suma Air webpage] ] ;FIN
*Heliflite Oy in the arctic Finland [ [http://www.heliflite.fi/ Heliflite webpage] ] ;GER;GRL
*Air Greenland;HUN
* 3 AS350 B in service with Hungarian Air Ambulance Service, all of them received general overhaul in 2005-2007. [ [http://www.legimentok.hu/index.php?mod=ShowStatic&page=as350b OMSz Légimentõ Kht ] ] ;IRN
* Iranian helicopter service company (IHSC);ISL
* 1 AS350 B2 is operated by Northflight, also do they have one more on its way.;NEP;PUR
* Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority;UAE;UK
* CabAir Helicopters operate a number of Twin Squirrel "VIP Version" helicopters. [http://www.cabairhelicopters.com]

Accidents and incidents

* On 14 January 1986, French singer and songwriter Daniel Balavoine and Thierry Sabine, founder of the Dakar Rally, crashed into a dune during a sandstorm in Mali.

* On 22 October 1996, Chelsea Football Club Vice Chairman Matthew Harding together with five companions were killed when their AS355 F1 Squirrel, registration G-CFLT, crashed near Middlewich, Cheshire. [cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/35087.stm | title = Pilot disorientated on impact | publisher = BBC News | accessdate=2007-09-17]

* On 27 July 2007, two AS350s collided in mid-air while reporting a police pursuit.The two helicopters were part of KNXV-TV and KTVK television stations in Phoenix, Arizona. Four crew members were killed by this accident. [http://www.abc15.com/content/aboutus/bios/story.aspx?content_id=cbbf03e0-247b-4b74-be7a-8c199c50d80d]

* On 15 September 2007, former World Rally Championship driver Colin McRae and three passengers were killed when his AS350 B2 Squirrel, [ [http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=detailnosummary&fullregmark=G-CBHL Civil Aviation Authority] ] which he was piloting, crashed near Lanark, Scotland. [cite news | url=http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20070915/tuk-auto-rally-gbr-mcrae-b5b5cc4_1.html | title = Colin McRae feared dead in helicopter crash - police | publisher = Yahoo! News/AFP | accessdate=2007-09-16] [cite news | url=http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment.cfm?id=1483222007 | title=Rally ace Colin McRae dies in helicopter crash | publisher=The Scotsman | accessdate=2007-09-16] .

* On 24 May 2008, an AS350 crashed on the west end of Catalina Island, killing the pilot, Emeric Maillet, and two passengers along with critically injuring three other passengers. [ [http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-briefs27-2008may27,0,142498.story California in Brief - Los Angeles Times ] ] [ [http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-crash25-2008may25,0,5808447.story 3 killed, 3 hurt in helicopter crash on Catalina Island - Los Angeles Times ] ] [ [http://ktla.trb.com/news/ktla-chopper-crash,0,6699444.story Popular Teacher Killed in Catalina Copter Crash | News | KTLA The CW | Where Los Angeles Lives ] ]

pecifications (AS350 B3)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?= copter
jet or prop?= prop

ref={Original Ecureuil article}

crew= 1
capacity= 6
length main= 12.94 m
length alt= 42.45 ft
span main= 10.69 m
span alt= 35.07 ft
height main= 3.24 m
height alt= 10.63 ft
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main= 1,241 kg
empty weight alt= 2,736 lbs
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 2,250/2,570 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 4,960/5,225 lbs
more general=

engine (prop)= Turbomeca Arriel 2B or 2B1
type of prop= turboshaft
number of props= 1
power main= 632 kW
power alt= 847 shp
power original=
cruise speed main= 259 km/h
cruise speed alt= 140 knots, 161 mph - Fast cruise (127 knots normal cruise speed).
never exceed speed main= 287 km/h
never exceed speed alt= 155 knots, 178 mph
range main= 657 km
range alt= 355 nm, 408 mi
ceiling main= 5,044 m
ceiling alt= 16,550 ft
climb rate main= 10.0 m/s
climb rate alt= 1,959 ft/min
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=

armament=

avionics= Vehicle and Engine Multifunction Display (VEMD) with First Limit Indicator (FLI) fitted as standard.

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Eurocopter EC 130
* Eurocopter Fennec‎
* Changhe Z-11

similar aircraft=

sequence=

lists=
* List of active United Kingdom military aircraft

see also=

References

External links

* [http://www.eurocopter.com/site/FO/scripts/siteFO_contenu.php?lang=EN&noeu_id=81 Eurocopters AS350 B2 page]
* [http://www.eurocopter.com/site/FO/scripts/siteFO_contenu.php?mode=&noeu_id=82&lang=EN Eurocopter's AS350 B3 page]
* [http://www.eurocopter.com/site/FO/scripts/siteFO_contenu.php?mode=&noeu_id=10081&lang=EN Eurocopter's AS355 NP page]