European rotary wing giant Eurocopter has expanded its product line with a number of new announcements at the recent Heli-Expo 2011 exposition in Florida.
The raft of Eurocopter announcements at Heli-Expo 2011 was led by the unveiling of the EC145 T2. This newest member of the Eurocopter family is an evolved version of the twin-engine EC145 that incorporates new Arriel 2E engines, a Fenestron shrouded tail rotor, upgraded main and tail rotor gear boxes, a new digital avionics suite and a four-axis autopilot.
The EC145 T2 borrows from Eurocopter’s EC145 and its BK117 predecessor, which together have logged more than 2.8 million flight hours in service around the world.
“The EC145 T2 will offer significantly improved performance, increased flight safety, enhanced human-machine interface, improved maintainability and lower operating costs for the light-medium twin-engine helicopter,” Eurocopter said.
The EC145 T2’s most visible change is the integration of Eurocopter’s Fenestron shrouded tail rotor, which is installed in a new, damage-tolerant all-composite tail boom and replaces the standard two-blade tail rotor. The Fenestron tail rotor affords the EC145 T2 pilot increased ground and inflight safety, enhanced anti-torque control efficiency, reduced power demand in forward flight, and lower sound and vibration levels.
The Fenestron shrouded tail rotor has proven its worth – it comes as standard on Eurocopter’s EC120, EC130, EC135, AS365 Dauphin and EC155 helicopters. The EC145 T2’s new engines are digitally controlled by dual Full Authority Digital Engine Controls (FADEC), providing increased performance throughout the aircraft’s operational range.
“The EC145 T2’s new Arriel 2E turboshaft engines provide an average performance increase is 25 per cent, with significant enhancement in the OEI (one engine inoperative) flight mode,” Eurocopter said.
Eurocopter expects first deliveries of the EC145 T2 to begin in 2013. The launch customers include Spanish helicopter operator Inaer, which holds orders for 10 EC145 T2s, and three US-based operators with a total of seven aircraft on order. These first 17 aircraft will be predominantly used for emergency medical services, with one to be used for both business aviation and oil and gas operations.
As well as the EC145 T2 announcement, Eurocopter also used Heli-Expo 2011 to announce an evolution its current product line, which will see the Eurocopter AS350, EC135, AS365/AS565 and AS332 helicopters undergo refinements to, “enhance operating capabilities, improve mission effectiveness and increase efficiency”.
The EC145 T2. (Eurocopter)
