The EC135 is a lightweight five/seven seat twin-turbine-engine multi-role helicopter with a radius of 720 km.
The EC 135 is offered with either Turbomeca Arrius 2B2 or Pratt and Whitney Canada 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 Aerospatiale 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. In 1996, the EC135 went into series production by Eurocopter Deutschland in
Donauwörth, Germany. After German certification was granted on 14 June 1996, the first customer delivery was
on 31 July 1996. Over 900 airframes have been delivered since the helicopter entered service in 1996. Next to
the EC135 a special military version was developed designated the Eurocopter EC 635. The EC-635 can be equipped
with wire-guided, laser-guided, autonomous missiles.
On 4 August 2004, SHS (Schulungshubschrauber) EC135T1 8264 of the Heeresflieger Waffenschule (Army Aviation Weapons School) at
Buckeburg was photographed at Wittmundhafen Air Base near Wittmund in Germany. In August 1997, the Bundeswehr
(German Army) ordered 15 EC 135s as training helicopters for 95 million DM. Official handover
of the first EC 135 was on 13 September 2000. Heer (German Army) uses the EC 135 as Helicopter Flying Trainer with
the HFWS - Heeresflieger Waffenschule at Buckeburg. 2001-built EC-135T1
c/n 0117 was registered first D-HWTK with
Eurocopter Deutschland for test flying. After the D-HWTK was delivered to the Heeresflieger as 82+64, the EC135 returned to
Eurocopter Deutschalnd for a conversion. In July 2002, EC135T2 c/n 0117 was temporarily registered again D-HWTK for flight tests,
before the helicopter returned to the Bundeswehr Heeresflieger as 82+64.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
