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 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:
EC155 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 N2 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.
On 1 July 1991, Aérospatiale AS365 N2 s/n 6420 was permitted to fly with Aérospatiale test-registration F-WYMR. On 15 September 1991, test-registration
F-WYMR was cancelled as the helicopter was exported to Japan. On 24 September 1991, the Dauphin II was registered JA6677 with All Nippon Helicopters.
On 20 September 2002, registration OY-HLL was reserved for the AS365 N2 in Danmark by the Helicopter Transportation Group, on 18 December 2002
followed by a reservation for registration SE-JGU in Sweden by the Helicopter Transportation Group. On 14 November 2002, registration JA6677 was
cancelled as exported to Norway and on 29 January 2003, the helicopter was finally registered OY-HLL with Helicopter Transportation Group as owner
and DanCopter as operator. On 4 November 2003, registration OY-HLL was cancelled and on 5 November 2003, the helicopter was registered LN-OCO with
Helicopter Transportation Group as owner and Airlift as operator. The helicopter was operated by Airlift as a SAR helicopter in Spitzbergen. In
November 2009, Blueway Helicopter was registered as owner of the LN-OCO with Airlift as before as operator. In October 2012, ownership of the LN-OCO
changed to Blueway SAR Helicopter. Early April 2014, the AS365 N2 Dauphin II LN-OCO visited Den Helder Airport on route from Spitzbergen, Norway, to
Ostend, Belgium. The Search and Rescue helicopter was flown by a crew of NHV. On 14 April 2014, registration LN-OCO was cancelled as exported to Belgium.
On 24 April 2014, the helicopter was registered OO-NSZ with Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen, Ostend. On 1 January 2014, NHV replaced Bristow
Helicopters on the NOGEPA offshore SAR contract and the OO-NSZ became one of the NHV helicopters operated on the SAR contract out of Den
Helder Airport. On 15 November 2022, the SAR-contract came to an end, when NHV was replaced by Britsow Helicopters on the contract.
On 5 June 2018, AS365 N2 Dauphin II OO-NSZ was seen at Den Helder-De Kooy in service with NHV / Netherlands Coastguard.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
