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
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.
In 2009, two
AgustaWestland AW139 Long Nose configuration and six
Eurocopter EC135 P2+
helicopters replaced the MBB Bölkow BO-105s in service with the KLPD Dienst Luchtvaart Politie. On 21 July, the first
two EC135 P2+ helicopters, PH-PXA and PH-PXB, arrived at Schiphol East and on 13 October 2009, the PH-PXZ, the first of
the AW139 helicopters. On 4 January 2018, the Nationale Politie, Landelijk Eenheid, Schiphol, announced that they had
ordered a third Leonardo AW139 helicopter.
In April 2009, Eurocopter Deutschland started testflying the Eurocopter EC135 P2+ s/n 0795 at
Donauwörth with Eurocopter Deutschland test registration D-HCBV. On 23 July 2009, the helicopter was registered PH-PXC with KLPD Dienst Luchtvaart Politie,
Schiphol-Oost, the Netherlands. The 2009-built Eurocopter EC135 P2+ PH-PXC was delivered together with EC135 P2+ PH-PXF at Schiphol East on 25 July 2009.
The KLPD Dienst Luchtvaart Politie helicopters have fixed call-signs: Eurocopter EC135 P2+ PH-PXA up-to and including PH-PXF uses Police01 up-to and including Police06.
The call-signs for the AgustaWestland AW139’s are Police25 and Police26. Due to the formation of the national police in the Netherlands, the Dutch police helicopters,
including EC135 P2+ PH-PXC were registered with Nationale Politie, Landelijke Eenheid, Schiphol, on 31 October 2013.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
