The EC 135 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 and went into series production in 1996 at Donauwörth. After
German certification was granted on 14 June 1996, was the first customer delivery on 31 July that year. Over
600 have been delivered since the helicopter entered service in 1996 with the German rescue company DRF - Deutsche
Rettungsflugwacht e.V.
On 25 January 2007, the 2006-built Eurocopter EC-135 T2+ c/n 0532 was registered PH-MAA with ANWB Medical Air Assistance
and arrived in the Netherlands on 23 February 2007. The PH-MAA is one of five EMS-helicopters operated by ANWB
Medical Air Assistance. This ambulance-helicopter is operated for crew training and as a spare aircraft for maintenance cover of the lifeliners.
The four lifeliner helicopters in the Netherlands are:"Lifeliner 1" stationed in Amsterdam,
"Lifeliner 2" stationed in Rotterdam;
"Lifeliner 3" stationed in Nijmegen and "Lifeliner Europe 4" stationed in Groningen.
On 14 April 2007, the PH-MAA was photographed at the helipad of the helistation of "Lifeliner 2"
at Rotterdam Airport. Eurocopter EC135 T2i PH-MAA replaced at that time the PH-ULP as "Lifeliner 2".
MMT (Mobil Medical Team) "Lifeliner 2" is based at Rotterdam Airport and uses also the helideck
of the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
