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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
1300 EC135 / H135 / H135M airframes have been delivered since the helicopter entered service in 1996. In March 2015, Airbus Helicopters
renamed its entire product line to better reflect its closer allignment with ist parent company and simplify the naming convention for
the portfolio. Therefore, the EC135 T3/P3 were renamed 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. |
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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. |
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Eurocopter Deutschland used registration D-HECG for the 1999-built Eurocopter EC135 T1 s/n 0115. In January 2000, the VIP-aircraft was
registered VP-CAF with Mr. Al Fayed, the Chairman of Harrods. On 25 April 2001, the helicopter was registered G-HARP in the UK with Air
Harrods. Registration G-HARP was cancelled on 29 November 2002 and the EC135 T1 was registered P4-LGB at Aruba with Roman Abramovich.
LGB stands for “Le Grand Blue” the name of the private yacht of the owner on which it was boarded. On 17 May 2004, the aircraft was
re-registered P4-XTC with Horizon Investments AVV as registered owner and on 4 July 2004, the P4-XTC was registered with Beautiful Heli.
The P4-XTC was boarded at the “Ecstasea”, one of the owner’s (Roman Abramovich) private yachts. On 13 March 2008, the EC135 T1 returned
in the UK-register as G-CEYF with Starspeed Ltd., Blackbushe Airport. On 4 October 2013, registered ownership of EC135 T1 G-CEYF changed to
Lynx-Heli Ltd., Jersey. On 28 March 2014, registration G-CEYF was cancelled as exported to Isle of Man and was registered M-GLBL with
Lynx-Heli Ltd., Jersey, the same day. On 19 May 2015, the EC135 T1 was registered G-NSYS in the UK with Nova Aerospace, Costwold Airport.
On 14 July 2010, the with emergency floats equipped EC135 T1 G-CEYF made a stop at the Heli Holland heliport near Emmen,the Netherlands, during a flight to Sweden. |
Luchtvaart déjà vu
