PH-HED Eurocopter EC-120 B Colibri c/n 1068 - heliport Emmen in Holland - 5 July 2005

The Eurocopter EC-120 B Colibri is a 5-seat light utility helicopter powered by a single Turbomeca Arrius 2F turbine engine. The EC 120 B Colibri, also known as Hummingbird, was developed with simplicity of design and low costs of maintenance in mind. It makes extensive use of composite materials and modern avionics. The new generation of fenestron tail rotor takes part in the decrease in external noise level, which makes the EC120 B ideal for missions near settled areas. The project started in 1990 when Aerospatiale of France, CATIC of China and Singapore Aerospace agreed in forming a partnership to develop a new light helicopter, then designated P‑120L. The helicopter divisions of Aerospatiale from France and MBB from Germany merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group. In October 1992 the development of the new helicopter started and in January 1993 the Eurocopter designation EC 120 was given to the helicopter. The first of two EC-120 prototypes, the F‑WWPA (c/n 1), flew first on 9 June 1995. Production of the EC 120 began on a small scale in 1997 at Eurocopter France's Marignane facility, with the first production Colibri flying in December 1997. Next to the Eurocopter France production line, in 2004 an assembly line was built in Harbin, China to manufacture the EC120 helicopter, designated HC-120 for the Chinese market. As of 2005, Eurocopter has delivered more than 400 EC120 helicopters.

The 1999-built Eurocopter EC120B c/n 1068 was registered G-YSON in the UK on 14 January 2000. Colibri G-YSON arrived on 22 December 2004 at the Heli-Holland heliport near Emmen in the Netherlands to be prepared for the Dutch registry. The registration G-YSON was cancelled on 06 January 2005. The helicopter was registered PH-HED with Flying Thorn BV on 7 January 2005.