The Airbus Helicopters AS365 N2 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 two 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. Production ended in 2021 with more than 1100 AS365N versions built: the last AS365N3 was delivered on 24 January 2022.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator with Wake Category used to classify
aircraft types is AS65 for the AS365 N2 helicopters.
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 1993-built Eurocopter AS365 N2 c/n 6446 was test flown as F-WYMN. On
15 July 1993, the Dauphin II was registered OY-HMY in Denmark with Maersk
Helicopter A/S. On 22 June 2000, registration OY-HMY was cancelled. On
13 July 2000, the helicopter was registered 5N-BBR in Nigeria with Aero
Contractors Ltd. On 30 March 2005, AS365 N2 5N-BBR was ferried out of
Port-Harcourt to Sudan and registration 5N-BBR was cancelled on 29 April
2005. The aircraft was registered EP-HCK in Iran in December 2005.
Dauphin EP-HCK was seen at Fairoaks in the UK in July 2006.
Registration EP-HCK was cancelled and the helicopter was registered
5N-BJE on 19 June 2007 with Aero Contractors of Nigeria Ltd. as operator
and Helicopter Leasing Group as owner. On 9 August 2010, the Eurocopter
was registered LN-OCM in Norway with Helicopter Transportation Group,
Lysaker. Registration LN-OCM was cancelled on 2 May 2012. The Eurocopter
AS365 N2 was registered D-HOAR with NHC - Northern Helicopter, Emden, on
22 June 2012. In service with NHC - Northern Helicopter the Dauphin II is
operated as "Rettungsdienst Emden 14-81". On 18 December 2012,
the Airbus Helicopters AS365 N2 D-HOAR was christened "Seacloud" at Emden Airport.
After the helicopter was withdrawn from use at Emden Airport, registration D-HOAR was cancelled on 8 November 2019.
In January 2021, the airframe was transported by road to EX=plane in Uithoorn, the Netherlands. Mid-2023, the
airframe has left its storage location in Uithoorn and was moved to the Lofi events location in Amsterdam-Sloterdijk.
On 23 July 2015, the NHC' Eurocopter AS365 N2 Dauphin II D-HOAR "Seacloud" was seen at Flugplatz Leer-Papenburg (EDWF)
with 'Windea Care'; 'Die Johanniter' and 'Klinikum Oldenburg' titles .
Luchtvaart déjà vu
