The Airbus Helicopters AS365 N3 Dauphin II is a twin-engined medium-weight transport helicopter powered by a pair of
737 hp Turbomeca Arriel 1C2 Turbine engines, accommodating up to 13 passengers and 2 crew. The twin-engine SA.365 was developed in 1973 by SNIAS
(Société Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale) out of the single-engine SA.360 Dauphin. The SNIAS SA.365 prototype F-WVKE, a
SA.360 fitted with 2 Turbomeca Arriel 1A Turboshafts, flew first on 24 January 1975. In 1977 production commenced with
the SA.365-C, with deliveries starting in 1978. An improved version of the SA 365C Dauphin II, the SA.365N flew
first on 31 March 1979. The SA365 N differs from the SA365C in having Arriel 1C turbine engines, a
re-profiled fuselage, fully retractable undercarriage and increased fuel capacity in new under-floor tankage.
Deliveries of the production model began in 1982. Deliveries of the AS.365 N2, equipped with two Turboméca
Arriel 1C2 turboshafts, started in 1990. From 1984, SNIAS operated under the name of Aérospatiale.
The helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aérospatiale from France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter
Group. A new Eurocopter designation was added:
EC 155 B1, originally known as the AS 365 N4. The Dauphin II is in use
in several military and civilian roles. The AS 565 Panther is the military version of the Dauphin. The AS 366 G1,
powered by two Textron-Lycoming LTS.101-750B-2 turboshafts, is used by the United States Coast Guard under the
designation HH-65A Dolphin. The Dauphin II is manufactured under licence in China as the Harbin Z-9 Haitung and in
Brasil as the Helibras MH-1. Already over 1100 AS365/366/565 and EC155 versions have been produced.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the AS365 N3 helicopters is AS65.
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.
In June 2004, Eurocopter AS365 N3 s/n 6699 was permitted to fly with the Eurocopter France test registration F-WQDK.
In July the permit to fly registration was changed to F-WWOA. On 27 October 2004, Eurocopter AS365 N3 Dauphin II was
registered I-LOBE in Italy with Credito Valtelinnese as owner and Elilario Italia as holder. The 2004-built Eurocopter AS365 N3 Dauphin II
entered service with Elilario Italia as the HEMS 118 Regione Sicilia. In October 2006, registration F-HELP was reserved for the helicopter
by Proteus Helicoptères that operates as a subsidiary of Elilario Italia since 31 December 2004, but registration F-HELP was not taken up.
In June 2008, Elilario Italia was taken over by the Spanish operator Grupo Inaer. As of 26 August 2009, Elilario Italia operates as INAER
Helicopter Italia. On 4 December 2014, in Germany registration D-HNHA was reserved for the Dauphin II. On 18 December 2014, registration I-LOBE
was cancelled as exported to Germany and on 17 January 2015, the helicopter was seen first as D-HNHA at Emden airfield still in Inaer colors. In
January 2015, the AS365 N3 was registered D-HNHA with NHC - Northern Helicopter, Emden. In service with NHC - Northern Helicopter the
D-HNHA is operated as "Northern Rescue 01" and stationed at St.Peter-Ording airfield. On 13 January 2016, the NHC' Dauphin II D-HNHA was
seen at the Heli Holland heliport near Emmen in the Netherlands with 'RESCUE'; 'Windea Care'; 'Die Johanniter' and 'Klinikum Oldenburg' titles.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
