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SA.313 Alouette II
F-BSRM PH-NSW
SE.3160 Alouette III
RNethAF A-247 RNethAF A-292
RNethAF A-499 RNethAF H-81
EC155 B Dauphin II
G-ISST OO-NHP
PH-EQR PH-SHN
AS332 L / 532 U2
LN-ONI RNethAF S-419
PH-NHS Eurocopter AS332 L2 Super Puma c/n 2599 - NHV-Noordzeee Helikopters Vlaanderen - Den Helder Airport in Holland - 2 April 2013 Den Helder-de Kooy (EHKD)

The Airbus Helicopters AS.332 L2 Super Puma is a twin-engined medium-weight transport helicopter for up to 2 crew and 22 passengers powered by two Turboméca Makila 1A1 turbine engines. The SNIAS SA.332 Super Puma was derived from the SA.330 Puma, that flew first on 15 April 1965 under Sud-Aviation banner. On 1 January 1970, Sud-Aviation merged with a number of other French aerospace companies to form SNIAS (Société Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale). Development of the AS.332 Super Puma with more powerful engines and an enhanced rotor system started in the late 70s. On 7 September 1977, the Makila-powered test-bed prototype SA.331 c/n 001 F-WZAT, the modified SA330 B Puma c/n 1541, flew first. The first production standard Super Puma, AS332-01 F-WZJA,- was flown on 13 September 1978. On 1 February 1980, the AS332 C flew first, followed by the AS332 L version (L for long) on 10 October. SNIAS AS 332L Super Puma was certificated in 1983. From 1984, SNIAS operated under the name of Aérospatiale. The Super Puma is in use in several military and civilian roles. In 1990, the military Super Puma designations were changed from AS332 to AS532 Cougar to distinguish between the civil and military variants of the helicopter. The helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aérospatiale from France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group. 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). New Eurocopter designations for the further developed helicopters based on the AS332L series were added: EC 225 Super Puma (civilian versions) and EC 725 Cougar (military versions). 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.

In 2003, the Eurocopter AS332L2 s/n 2599 was permited to fly with the Eurocopter France test registration F-WWOO. On 17 September 2004, the 2003-built Eurocopter AS332L2 s/n 2599 was registered PP-MTM with BHS-Brazilian Helicopter Services Taxi Aereo Ltda. After being withdrawn from service with BHS, AS332 L2 PP-MTM was stored at Boundary Bay (BC), Canada. On 29 November 2012, registration PH-NHS was requested in the Netherlands for the Super Puma by Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen NV, Oostende, Belgium. On 27 February 2013, the helicopter was registered G-CHLJ in the UK with CHC Scotia Ltd., Aberdeen, as holder. On 14 March 2013, registration G-CHLJ was cancelled as exported to the Netherlands and the next day, the Super Puma was registered PH-NHS with Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen NV, Oostende, Belgium, as holder and NHV Invest BVBA, Oostende, as owner. The "big yellow bird", Eurocopter AS332 L2 PH-NHS, arrived the same day at Den Helder Airport.

From 1 January 2013, NHV - Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen operated two AS332 L2 Super Puma helicopters out of Den Helder-De Kooy on offshore flights to the gas -and oil fields in the Dutch sector of the North Sea. NHV operated the AS332 L2 helicopters until they received their first two Airbus Helicopters EC175 B seven-tonne category helicopters of which Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen had sixteen on order. After deliveries of the EC175 Bs started on 10 December 2014, both AS332 L2 Super Puma's were moved to Ivory Coast. On 14 March 2018, registration PH-NHS was cancelled with as reason: no longer compliant with requirements. On 10 May 2019, the AS332 L2 Super Puma was registered OO-NHS in Belgium with NHV Invest, Oostende. Although new registered in Belgium, the helicopter remained in storage and was offered for sale via International Aviation Marketing. On 25 April 2022, registration OO-NHS was cancelled as exported to Canada. On 11 May 2022, the AS332 L2 was registered C-GHZF with the new owner Chilkoot Aviation, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.

page last updated: 18-05-2022
Copyright © Jack Wolbrink, Emmen, the Netherlands
 

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