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The MBB Bo.105 is a five-seat lightweight, general-purpose
helicopter. Development of the Bo.105 started back in 1959 when Bölkow
designed the Bo.103 helicopter. The Bo.103 single-seat flew first on 14
September 1961. The two-seat Bo.104 followed this study-project. Due to
marketing reasons this project was stopped in favour of the five-seat
Bo.105. Design work for the Bo.105 began in July 1962. Construction of
the first of three prototypes began in 1964. The first Bo.105 prototype
D-HAKO s/n V-1 was destroyed in ground tests and written off in October
1966. The second machine, D-HECA s/n V-2, was powered by two 317shp
Allison 250C18 turboshafts and on 16 February 1967, the BO105 took off
for its maiden flight in Ottobrunn (near Munich), Germany. On 14 May 1969,
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm GmbH (MBB) was formed and development of the Bo.105 continued
with the first production BO-105A, D-HABV s/n S-1, flying on 11 April 1970.
The breakthrough came in 1974 when the German Army ordered the BO
105 as a connection and observation helicopter. In January 1992, the MBB
Bo 105 became part of the large helicopters types row of Eurocopter when
the helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aerospatiale from
France merged to form the Eurocopter Group. In 1993, the BO 105 CBS with
a 25cm fuselage stretch and extra window was certificated. Over the years,
license agreements for the BO105 CB/CBS versions with the Philippines,
Indonesia and Spain were concluded, and for the BO105 LS, a cooperation
agreement with Canada. Until production ended in 2001, as the BO105 was superseded by
Eurocopter’s EC135, a total of 1,406 BO105s had been delivered to 55 customer nations. |
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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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On 3 May 2004, the PH-KHE "Lifeliner 2" was photographed at the helipad of
its helistation at Rotterdam Airport in the Netherlands. The MMT (Mobil Medical Team)
"Lifeliner 2" uses also the helideck of the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam. The 1977-built
Bölkow designed BO-105CBS-4 PH-KHE (ex. HB-XGT; D-HDJG) was registered on 28 August
1996 with KLM ERA Helikopters BV. It was operated as a HEMS helicopter on behalf of the
ANWB and transferred on 30/06/1997 to the ADAC Luftrettung GmbH. It was registered with the
Medical Air Assistance BV on 15/12/1997 and based at Rotterdam Airport since August 1997.
The four EMS-helicopters in the Netherlands are: "Lifeliner 1" in Amsterdam,
"Lifeliner 2" in Rotterdam; "Lifeliner 3"
at Volkel AFB near in Nijmegen and "Lifeliner Europe 4" in
Groningen. In January 2005 Eurocopter EC135 T2 helicopters replaced the
MBB Bo-105 and the MDHI MD-900 helicopters in service with the MMTs in
the Netherlands. After being withdrawn from their MMT-duties the MBB
Bo-105s PH-KHD and PH-KHE were stored at Bonn-Hangelar in Germany early
2005 and offered for sale. On 9 May 2006, the PH-KHD was transported to
the Aviodrome in Lelystad, where this helicopter is on static display. MBB BO-105 CBS-4 PH-KHE
was sold to the Dutch Police and broken up for spares. Registration PH-KHE
was cancelled on 2 January 2007. |
Luchtvaart déjà vu
