The MBB Bo.105 is a five-seat lightweight, general-purpose
helicopter. Development of the Bo.105 started back in 1959 when Bölkow
designed the Bo.103 helicopter. The Bo.103 single-seat flew first on 14
September 1961. The two-seat Bo.104 followed this study-project. Due to
marketing reasons this project was stopped in favour of the five-seat
Bo.105. Design work for the Bo.105 began in July 1962. Construction of
the first of three prototypes began in 1964. The first Bo.105 prototype
D-HAKO s/n V-1 was destroyed in ground tests and written off in October
1966. The second machine, D-HECA s/n V-2, was powered by two 317shp
Allison 250C18 turboshafts and on 16 February 1967, the BO105 took off
for its maiden flight in Ottobrunn (near Munich), Germany. On 14 May 1969,
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm GmbH (MBB) was formed and development of the Bo.105 continued
with the first production BO-105A, D-HABV s/n S-1, flying on 11 April 1970.
The breakthrough came in 1974 when the German Army ordered the BO
105 as a connection and observation helicopter. In January 1992, the MBB
Bo 105 became part of the large helicopters types row of Eurocopter when
the helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aerospatiale from
France merged to form the Eurocopter Group. In 1993, the BO 105 CBS with
a 25cm fuselage stretch and extra window was certificated. Over the years,
license agreements for the BO105 CB/CBS versions with the Philippines,
Indonesia and Spain were concluded, and for the BO105 LS, a cooperation
agreement with Canada. Until production ended in 2001, as the BO105 was superseded by
Eurocopter’s EC135, a total of 1,406 BO105s had been delivered to 55 customer nations.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the MBB Bo.105DBS-4 is B105
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). 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.
MBB BO105DBS-4 s/n S.34/912 was original built in 1972 as
a MBB BO105C with c/n S.34 and test flown by MBB as D-HDAN. On 27 April
1972, the airframe was registered G-AZTI in the UK with British
Executive Air Services at Oxford Airport. On 19 December 1972, the
G-AZTI was registered with North Scottish Helicopters at Longside
Airfield, Peterhead. Registration G-AZTI was cancelled as exported to
Spain on 17 August 1982. The Bölkow was registered EC-DRY with Heli
Espana. On 19 May 1986, the G-AZTI was restored to the register as a MBB
BO105DB with Bond Helicopters. The helicopter was registered for a short
period (3 October 1986 - 3 November 1986) in Ireland as EI-BTE, and on
26 January 1993 registration G-AZTI was cancelled as permanently
withdrawn from use. The hull was transferred to the Netherlands and was
used by the Koninklijke Luchtmacht for instruction purposes as “B-00”.
One half of the fuselage was used at Gilze-Rijen and the other half of
the fuselage went to the MLM Soesterberg as "B-105". Today the “B-00” half of
the fuselage is on display in the 'Traditiekamer' at Gilze-Rijen AFB. On 29 January 1993,
Bond Helicopters registered the MBB105DBS-4 c/n S.34/912 (a rebuilt with
new pod) as G-BUTN. On 6 April 1999, the G-BUTN was re-registered
G-NAAA, due to its operations on behalf of the Wales Air Ambulance. On
17 August 1999, the registered ownership of the G-NAAA was changed to
Bond Air Services, Staverton. On 28 July 2012, MBB BO105DBS-4 G-NAAA was flown out of Gloucestershire Airport Staverton to
Hoogeveen Airfield in the Netherlands and kept in a hangar. On 23 August 2012, the G-NAAA was registered with Heli Invest BV,
Uitwelleringa, Netherlands. On 21 March 2013, registration G-NAAA was cancelled as exported to the Netherlands and registered the same day PH-RWY
with Heli Invest BV, Uitwelleringa. The PH-RWY is operated by
Rotarywings, Uitwelleringa When seen at Hoogeveen airfield on 1 May 2013,
MBB BO105DBS-4 c/n S.34/912 PH-RWY was flown first since its arrival as G-NAAA at Hoogeveen.
After undergoing maintenance at Teuge airfield, BO105DBS-4 PH-RWY
entered service with Rotor & Wings at Lelystad Airport on 23 August 2013.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
