Eurocopter AS 350B3 Ecureuil

Type (Muster)
Light multi-purpose helicopter (Leichter Mehrzweckhubschrauber)

Country (Land)
France (Frankreich)

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Eurocopter
Aeroport Marseille Provence
F-13725 Marignane Cedex
France

Phone: 0033-4/4285-9291
Fax: 0033-4/4285-9564

General data (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 1
Passengers (Passagiere): 5 in standard version, 6 in "high density" layout. There is room for one or two stretchers plus doctor.
Baggage (Gepäck): 0,965 cu m in three holds behind cabin

Power plant (Antrieb):1 x Turbomeca Arriel 2B with FADEC
Power (Leistung): 632 kW (847 shp) at take-off, 543 kW (728 shp) maximum continuous
Fuel consumption (Verbrauch): 151 kg/h at recommended cruise speed

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Overall length, rotors turning (Länge über drehende Rotoren): 12,94 m
Fuselage length (Rumpflänge): 10,93 m
Height (Höhe): 3,14 m
Width over landing gear (Breite): 2,17 m
Width over horizontal tail (Gesamtbreite): 2,53 m
Rotor diameter (Rotordurchmesser): 10,69 m
Tail rotor diameter (Heckrotordurchmesser): 1,86 m

Cabin length (Kabinenlänge): 2,00 m
Cabin width (Kabinenbreite): 1,65 m maximum
Cabin height (Kabinenhöhe): 1,10 m
Useful cabin area (nutzbare Kabinenfläche): 2,6 sq m (without pilot seat)
Useful cabin volume (Kabinenvolumen): 3,0 cu m

Weights (Massen)
Empty weight, standard (Leermasse): 1174 kg
Useful load (Zuladung): 1076 kg
Max. payload, external (max. Nutzlast, außen aufgehängt): 1400 kg
Fuel (Kraftstoff): 540 litres (143 US gal)
Max fuel with ferry tanks (max. Kraftstoff): 1015 litres (268 US gal)
Max. take-off weight (Max. Startmasse): 2250 kg
Max. take-off weight with external load (mit Außenlasten): 2800 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. speed (VNE): 287 km/h (155 kts) at max. take-off weight
Fast cruise speed (Hohe Reisegeschwindigkeit): 258 km/h at max. take-off weight, 271 km/h at 1800 kg
Recommended cruise speed (empfohlene Reisegeschw.): 225 km/h (121 kts) at max. take-off weight,, 238 km/h at 1800 kg
Climb rate (Steigrate) 10,0 m/s at max. take-off weight, 12,0 m/s at 1800 kg
Service ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 5070 m at max. take-off weight, over (über) 7000 m (22900 ft) at 1800 kg take-off weight
Hover ceiling (Schwebeflughöhe)
- out of ground effect (ohne Bodeneffekt, ISA): 3415 m at max. take-off-weight, 5480 m at 1800 kg
- out of ground effect (ohne Bodeneffekt, ISA + 20 C): 2585 m at max. take-off weight, 4725 m at 1800 kg take-off weight
- in ground effect (mit Bodeneffekt, ISA): 4050 m at max. take-off weight, 6075 m at 1800 kg
Max. Range (max. Reichweite): 662 km (357 NM) without reserves at recommended cruise speed.
Endurance (Flugdauer, Standardtanks): 4 h 15 min at 100 km/h at max. take-off weight, 4 h 50 minat 1800 kg

Costs (Kosten)
A standard aircraft sold for around 1,255 million US-Dollars in mid-1999.
Direct operating costs were put at 184 US-Dollars per flying hour, exluding labour and fuel, in mid-1999.

Customers (Kunden)
By June 2000, Eurocopter reported sales of 164 helicopters to 50 customers in 25 countries. Among the users are:
   * Commerce'Air
   * Heli Union
   * Heli Linth
   * Heli Gotthard
   * Robers Aircraft Co (USA)
On 14. December 1999, the 100th AS 350B was handed over to the Japanese dealer Kawasho. By the certification date in late 1997, there were some 50 orders for the AS 350B3. Launch customer was Swedish operator Osterman Helicopter AB.

Competition (Konkurrenz)
Agusta A 119 Koala
Bell 206L-4 LongRanger
Bell 407

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The AS 350B3 is the latest variant of the Ecureuil family of single-engined helicopters, intended primarily as a replacement for the Lama in hot and high locations. According to the manufacturer, it offers more power, greater payload capacity over a broader temperature/altitude envelope, an augmented sling load capability and a higher cruise speed. Changes from earlier models are:

Arriel 2B turboshaft with elecronic control, which gives 110 shp more than the Arriel 1D1.
gearbox upgraded to 500 kW
tail-rotor from twin-engined Ecureuils (AS 355N)
modernized instrument panel featuring dual color vehicle and engine multifunction displays (VEMDs)

The high-performance Ecureuil (named AStar in the USA), is also offered to the military, under the designation AS 550C3. With reinforcements built in during manufacture, the AS 550C3 can be fitted with a 20 mm gun, rockets or manchine guns. The anti-tank configuration is equipped with TOW missiles along with the day and night Helitow sighting system. 4 missiles are carried.

History (Geschichte)
First considerations of a Lama successor started in 1992, and in July 1994 an Ecureuil (fitted with an Arriel 1X) successfully completed evaluation flights in Pakistan, demonstrating performance comparable with the Lama up to altitudes of 4000 m.
The definitive B3-model made its 70 minute maiden flight on March 4, 1997 at Marignane, with test pilot Didier Guerin at the controls. It achieved French DGAC certification at the end of the year.
Deliveries of the AS 350B3 began in January 1998, with the first helicopter handed over to Osterman Helicopter AB of Sweden. This was about six months later than at first predicted.
On 14. December 1999, Eurocopter president Patrick Gavin handed the 100th helicopter to Japanese dealer Kawasho (formerly Nozaki).
On 11. February 2001, Eurocopter delivered the 3000th Ecureuil, a EC 130B4 variant. Single and twin-engined Ecureuils had clocked up more than 11 million flight hours since they were introduced in the mid-70s.

Last updated 25 February 2001

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