The Airbus Helicopters H175 is a medium-weight multi-role utility twin
engine helicopter accommodating up to 18 passengers and 2 crew. The H175,
also known as the Avicopter AC352 (formerly the Z-15), was the newest helicopter in the Eurocopter
range and was developed as the EC175 in cooperation with China's AVIC II (Aviation Industry Corporation of China).
Development of the EC175 started in 2005 and the new helicopter was announced at
HAI Heli-Expo in the US on 24 February 2008. Designed from the outset with the close
involvement of operators, the H175 is suited for a wide range of missions, including
offshore, search and rescue, VIP, utility and MEDEVAC operations. To operate in the oil/gas
and SAR market the EC175 was designed for dual-pilot IFR. The aircraft has a five-blade
Spheriflex main rotor with an extremely low vibration level and a three-blade tail rotor. The
H175 is powered by a pair of 1,775 shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67E turboshafts. The PT6C-67E
incorporates Electronic Engine Control (EEC) with Hydro-mechanical Backup Dual channel Full
Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC). The H175 has a 16-seat interior for oil and gas transport,
with easy access through wide sliding doors, and features oversized jettisonable windows. The EC175
features a flat floor, and will omit any partition between the cockpit and the cabin. The aircraft is
offered with optional auxiliary fuel tanks under the cabin floor. Four prototypes are built, Eurocopter
EC175 c/n 1001 and 1003, and AVIC Z-15 'PT2' and 'PT4'. On 17 December 2009, the first prototype EC175,
c/n 1001 F-WWPB, flew first at Marignane, with its official maidenflight on 17 December 2009. The
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) type certification for the EC175 was received on 27 January 2014.
Deliveries of the H175 started with the first two Airbus Helicopters EC175 Bs officially handed over to
NHV Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen on 11 December 2014. Both helicopters entered service as PH-NHU and PH-NHV
at Den Helder Airport the same month. The first flight of the Avicopter AC352, powered with WZ16 engine, took
place in Harbin, China, on 20 December 2016. As previously agreed, Avicopter will sell the AC352 in China,
while Airbus Helicopters sells the H175 in the rest of the world. The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator with
Wake Category used to classify aircraft types for the H175 helicopters is EC75
As a result of the merger between the Eurocopter parents Aérospatiale-Matra; DaimlerChrysler
Aerospace (DASA) and Construcciones Aeronàuticas Sociedad Anonima (CASA) in July 2000, the Eurocopter group became a division of the new
formed EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space company). Taking off into 2014, EADS was rebranded as "Airbus Group". Uniting
all its activities under a single brand, its helicopter division Eurocopter was rebranded as Airbus Helicopters on 8 January 2014.
On 10 December 2014, Airbus Helicopters H175 B s/n 5004 was registered PH-NHU in the Netherlands with Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen N.V., Ostend, as holder.
The same day, both Eurocopter EC175 B PH-NHU and PH-NHV were handed over at Airbus Helicopters’ headquarters in Marignane, France, to Noordzee Helikopters
Vlaanderen. The next day the EC175 B's were delivered via Saint Yan at Ostend, Belgium. On 12 December, both helicopters arrived at Den Helder Airport, their
home base for offshore oil & gas missions operations. Noordzee Helicopters Vlaanderen is an H175 launch customer booking its first contract for ten of
the mid-sized, twin-engine EC175 helicopters in 2012. In February 2014, NHV ordered six more Airbus Helicopters EC175s, increasing its acquisitions
of the new-generation rotorcraft to sixteen. On 25 October 2019, registration PH-NHU was cancelled as exported to the UK and the same day the H175 B was
registered G-NHVU with NHV Helicopters, Norwich. On 15 February 2018, Airbus Helicopters H175 B PH-NHU was seen at Den Helder-De Kooy (EHKD) in service with NHV.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
