The Airbus Helicopters EC135 / H135 is a lightweight five/seven seat twin-turbine-engine multi-role helicopter with a radius of 720 km.
The EC135 is offered with either Safran Helicopter Engines (former: Turbomeca) Arrius 2B2 or Pratt & Whitney PW206B2 engines.
Development of the Eurocopter EC135 started in the 80s as the MBB Bo.108 Advanced Technology Helicopter. The prototype BO108 with
conventional tail rotor flew first on 15 October 1988. When the helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aérospatiale from
France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group, the Bo108 program was transferred as well. An advanced low noise ducted
10-blade Fenestron tail rotor was, next to other modifications, incorporated into the design and the name of the helicopter was
changed into Eurocopter EC135. The prototype of the EC135 (D-HBOX s/n S-01) flew first on 15 February 1994 and went in series
production in 1996 at Donauwörth. On 14 June 1996, the German certification was granted by the LBA and the first customer delivery
followed on 31 July that year. Next to the EC135 a special military version was developed designated the Eurocopter EC635. The
EC635 has a structural reinforcement of cabin structure and can be equipped with wire-guided, laser-guided, autonomous missiles. Over
1500 EC135 / H135 / H135M airframes have been delivered since the helicopter entered service in 1996. In March 2015, Airbus Helicopters
changed the marketing name for its entire product line to better reflect its closer allignment with ist parent company and simplify the
naming convention for the portfolio. That is why the EC135 T3/P3 has since been marketed as “H135” as stated in revison No.EASA.R.009 Issue:
07 of the Type Certificate Data Sheet for EC135 dated 18 March 2015. “H135M” is used as marketing designation for the military EC635 P3(CPDS);
EC635 P3H; EC635 T3(CPDS) and EC635 T3H helicopters. The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the EC135 / H135 helicopters is EC35.
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.
The production and final assembly line of the EC 135 is at the Airbus Helicopters Deutschland factory in Donauwörth in
Germany. Next to the final assembly in Germany a second assembly line was put into operation at the Airbus Helicopters Espana factory in Albacete, in
the Castilla-La Mancha region in Spain. Since 2003, final assembly for the USA is done at the American Eurocopter (AEC), EADS North America, Columbus,
Mississippi facility. Next to this, as part of the Swiss light transport and training helicopter (LTSH) program for the Swiss Air Force, RUAG Aerospace
opened an assembly line in Alpnach in Switzerland. In 2019 also a final assembly line of the H135 was opened in Qingdao, China. The factory is the first
helicopter FAL built by a foreign manufacturer in China, as well as the first H135 FAL outside of Europe. The opening of this FAL followed a cooperation
agreement signed between Airbus Helicopters and China in 2016 for the purchase of 100 H135s destined for the Chinese market. Ninety-five of these 100
helicopters will be assembled on this FAL from 2019 onwards. Main components including the main fuselage, main gearbox kits and rear fuselage will be
shipped to Qingdao from Donauwörth, Germany and Albacete, Spain respectively.
Variants of the production EC135 models are:
- Eurocopter EC135 P1(CDS)
Pratt & Whitney
engine version with two PW 206 B engines. LBA approved on 14 June 1996. Serial numbers 0006 and subsequent.
- Eurocopter EC135 P1(CPDS)
Pratt & Whitney
engine version with two PW 206 B engines. LBA approved on 06 November 1998. Serial number 0030 and subsequent.
- Eurocopter EC135 P2(CPDS)
Pratt & Whitney engine version with two PW 206 B2 engines. LBA approved on 10 July 2001. Serial numbers 0189 and subsequent and upgraded EC135 P1 models.
- Europcopter EC135 P2+ (EC135 P2i was also used as marketing designation):
Pratt & Whitney engine version with two PW 206 B2 engines. EASA certified on 21 February 2006. Serial numbers 0505 and subsequent and upgraded EC135 P2 models.
- Eurocopter EC635 P2+: The military variant EC635 P2+ corresponds to the EC135 P2+ plus structural reinforcement of cabin structure.
Pratt & Whitney engine version with two PW 206 B2 engines. EASA approved on 6 December 2006. Serial numbers 0505 and subsequent.
- Airbus Helicopters EC135 P3(CPDS) (EC135 P3e was also used first as marketing designation; the current marketing designation is H135).
Pratt & Whitney engine version with
two PW206B3 engines. EASA certified on 18 March 2015. Serial numbers 1178 and subsequent and upgraded EC135 P2+ models.
- Airbus Helicopters EC635 P3(CPDS): The military variant EC635 P3 corresponds to the EC135 P3 plus structural reinforcement of cabin structure.
Pratt & Whitney engine version with two PW 206 B3 engines. EASA approved on 18 March 2015. Serial numbers 1178 and subsequent and upgraded EC635 P2+ models.
- Airbus Helicopters EC135 P3H (H135 is used as marketing designation for the EC135 P3H helicopter).
Pratt & Whitney engine version with
two PW206B3 engines. EASA certified on 15 November 2016. Serial numbers 2006 and subsequent and upgraded EC135 P2+ models.
- Airbus Helicopters EC635 P3H: The military variant EC635 P3H corresponds to the EC135 P3H plus structural reinforcement of cabin structure.
Pratt & Whitney engine version with
two PW206B3 engines. EASA certified on 15 November 2016. Serial numbers 2006 and subsequent and upgraded EC135 P2+ models.
- Eurocopter EC135 T1(CDS)
Turbomeca engine version with two Arrius 2B1A engines.
LBA approved on 14 June 1996. Serial numbers 0005 and subsequent.
Early helicopters had 435kW Arrius 2B engines, later replaced by 500kW Arrius 2B1. Uprated Arrius 2B1A engine certified April 2001.
- Eurocopter EC135 T1(CPDS)
Turbomeca engine version with two Arrius 2B1A engines. LBA approved on 26 May 1999. Serial numbers 0028, 0092 and subsequent.
Early helicopters had 435kW Arrius 2B engines, later replaced by 500kW Arrius 2B1. Uprated Arrius 2B1A engine certified April 2001.
- Eurocopter EC635 T1(CPDS): The military variant EC635 T1(CPDS) corresponds to the EC135 T1(CPDS) plus structural reinforcement of cabin structure.
Turbomeca engine version with two Arius 2B1A engines. LBA approved on 31 August 2001. Serial numbers 0173 and subsequent.
- Eurocopter EC135 T2(CPDS)
Turbomeca engine version with two Arrius 2B2 engines. LBA approved on 9 August 2002. Serial numbers 0243 and subsequent and upgraded EC135 T1 models.
- Eurocopter EC135 T2+ (EC135 T2i was also used as marketing designation)
Turbomeca engine version with two Arrius 2B2 engines. EASA certified on 21 February 2006. Serial numbers 0506 and subsequent and upgraded EC135 T2 models.
- Eurocopter EC635 T2+: The military variant EC635 T2+ corresponds to the EC135 T2+ plus structural reinforcement of cabin structure.
Turbomeca engine version with two Arrius 2B2 engines. EASA approved on 6 December 2006. Serial numbers 0505 and subsequent.
- Airbus Helicopters EC135 T3(CPDS) (EC135 T3e was used first as marketing designation; the current marketing designation is H135).
Turbomeca version with two Arrius 2B2plus engines. EASA certified on 20 October 2014. Serial numbers 1155 and subsequent and upgraded EC135 T2+ models.
- Eurocopter EC635 T3(CPDS): The military variant EC635 T3(CPDS) corresponds to the EC135 T3(CPDS) plus structural reinforcement of cabin structure.
Turbomeca version with two Arrius 2B2plus engines. EASA certified on 20 October 2014. Serial numbers 1155 and subsequent and upgraded EC635 T2+ models.
- Airbus Helicopters EC135 T3H (H135 is used as marketing designation for the EC135 T3H helicopter).
Safran Helicopter Engines (former: Turbomeca) version with two Arrius 2B2 engines. EASA certified on 15 November 2016. Serial numbers 2001 and subsequent.
- Airbus Helicopters EC635 T3H: The military variant EC635 T3H corresponds to the EC135 T3H plus structural reinforcement of cabin structure.
Safran Helicopter Engines (former: Turbomeca) version with two Arrius 2B2 engines. EASA certified on 15 November 2016. Serial numbers 2001 and subsequent.
Non-production variants include:
-Eurocopter EC135 ACT/FHS: Active control technology and flying helicopter simulator; German fly-by-light trials programme;
first flight of modified production EC 135 (D-HECV) took place on 28 January 2002.
- Eurocopter EC135 APH: Advanced Police Helicopter. Unified
mission fit offered by McAlpine Helicopters of UK, 1997; allows simple
outfitting with sensors and equipment, according to tasking, using
underfuselage pod; typical equipment, including loudspeakers,
searchlights, microwave downlink and multisensor turret, can be fitted
externally; TV and video equipment earned internally. Pod reduces
maximum speed by 9km/h.
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