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Eurocopter EC 225

Type
Medium transport helicopter (mittelschwerer Transporthubschrauber)

Country (Land)
France (Frankreich)

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

Phone: 0033-4/4285-9291
Fax: 0033-4/4285-9564
Internet: www.eurocopter.com

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 1 for VFR flight, 2 for IFR flight
Passengers (Passagiere): 19 in normal configuration. 24 in “comfort seats” plus cabin attendant. 8 to 12 in VIP configuration. 2 medical units and 4 seats.

Power plant (Antrieb): 2 x Turboméca Makila 2A (previously 1A4) turboshafts with redundant FADEC system
Max. emergency power (max. Notleistung): 2 x 1800 kW (2413 shp)
Power at take-off (Startleistung): 2 x 1566 kW (2100 shp)
Max. continous power (max. Dauerleistung): 2 x 1395 kW (1897 shp)
Max power through gearbox: 2600 kW
Fuel consumption (Verbrauch): 2 x 333 kg/h at recommended cruise speed

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Overall length, rotors turning (Länge über drehende Rotoren): 19,50 m
Fuselage length (Rumpflänge): 16,79 m
Height (Höhe): 4,60 m (4,97 m over rotating tail rotor)
Fuselage width (Rumpfbreite): 2,00 m
Width, blades folded: 4,10 m
Width over landing gear sponsons (Breite): 3,38 m (3,81 m total over horizontal tail)
Rotor diameter (Rotordurchmesser): 16,20 m
Tail rotor diameter (Heckrotor-Durchmesser): 3,15 m

Cabin length (Kabinenlänge): 7,87 m
Cabin width (Kabinenbreite): 1,80 m (1,24 m to 0,98 m at the end)
Cabin height (Kabinenhöhe): 1,45 m maximum
Cabin area (Kabinenfläche): 10,5 sq m
Cabin volume (Kabinenvolumen): 15,5 cu m

Weights (Massen)
Empty weight, standard (Standard-Leermasse): 5135 kg
Empty weight, typical offshore configuration: 6300 kg
Standard fuel (Standardtanks): 2609 litres (2061 kg)
Max. fuel (max. Kraftstoff): 2930 litres or 5305 litres with five ferry fuel tanks in the cabin
Max sling load (max. Aussenlast): 5000 kg
Max. take-off weight (Max. Startmasse): 11000 kg
Max. take-off weight with external load (Startmasse mit Außenlast): 11200 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. speed, Vne (max. zulässige Geschwindigkeit): 324 km/h at max. take-off weight
Max. cruise speed (max. Reisegeschwindigkeit): 288 km/h at 9300 kg
Recommended cruise speed (empfohlene Reisegeschwindigkeit): 276 km/h at max. take-off weight
Rate of climb (Steigrate): 7,0 m/s at max. take-off weight, 8,5 m/s at 9500 kg
Service ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 5530 m (18150 ft) at max. take-off weight, over 6000 m at 9500 kg. 1515 m with one engine.
Hover ceiling (Schwebeflughöhe):
    in ground effect (im Bodeneffekt): 2772 m at max. take-off weight, 3657 m at 9500 kg, ISA
    out of ground effect (ohne Bodeneffekt): 2084 m at max. take-off weight, 2995 m at 9500 kg, ISA, 1031 m at max. take-off weight, ISA + 20 deg C
Range (Reichweite):
  - 681 km with standard tanks, max. take-off weight
  - 740 km with 19 passengers and full reserves
  - 792 km with standard tanks and central tank, max. take-off weight, no reserves
  - 877 km with standard tanks and sponson tanks
  - 987 km with standard tanks, central and sponsons tank
Max. range (max. Reichweite): 1450 km
Radius of action (Einsatzradius): 370 km from base to rescue 15 victims
Max. endurance (max. Flugzeit): 4.26 h with standard tanks, up to 4.82 h with standard tanks and central fuselage tanks

Customers (Kunden)
By July 2004, Eurocopter said that 20 EC 225/EC 725 had been sold. The following civil customers are known:

CHC Helicopter Corporation: 2. At the Paris Air Show in June 2001, CHC became the launch customer of the EC 225 and signed a contract for the acquisition of one helicopter which should have been delivered in mid-2003. Another EC 225 was ordered in December 2001.
Bristow Helicopters: 2 plus two options. The contract, worth 32 million Euros, was signed on 12 January 2004
Unknown: 2. VIP helicopters for a foreign government

Eurocopter sees sales of 200 helicopters in civil and military (EC 725) configuration.

Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Sikorsky S-92

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The EC 225 is a further upgraded version of the Super Puma/Cougar family of helicopters, based on the airframe of the AS 532U2/A2 Cougar Mk.II and civil AS 332L2. The main differences include:

a new main rotor with five instead of four blades. The blades feature new airfoil sections and parabolic tips with anhedral. They have a spar made of composites. De-icing and anti-icing capability is included.
a reinforced main gearbox. The lubrication circuit includes a back-up spraying system for 30 minutes “run-dry” capability
more powerful Turboméca Makila 2A engines (at first designated 1A4)
a new system of integrated displays in the cockpit, with four 6 x 8 inch and two 4 x 5 inch screens. A four-axis digital auotpilot is also included
all-up weight of 11000 kg (instead of 9750 kg)
state of the art anti-vibration system with computer control
soundproof interior, with noise levels 3 dB below those of the Super Pumas currently in service

There is also a military version, the EC 725, which has been ordered by the French air force for Combat SAR missions.

History (Geschichte)
The Cougar Mk.II+ development started sometime in 1999, when it became clear from the first tests with a Combat SAR-equipped Cougar Mk.II that more performance is needed.
The first prototype (an EC 725) lifted off for its 50 minute maiden flight at Marignane on 27. November 2000. Hervé Jammayrac, Bernard Turcat and Daniel Sémioli crewed the helicopter.
By September 2002, three prototypes had clocked up 200 flight hours. The maiden flight of an EC 725 with the Turboméca Makila 2A engine took place in September 2002. It lasted about 90 minutes. Hervé Jammayrac, Bernard Turcat and Daniel Sémioli were on board.
Problems have been encountered with the development of the Makila 2A, which needed a redesign of the third axial compressor stage for acceptable surge margins. Also Eurocopter decided in 2001 to develop a new glass cockpit and autopilot, which delayed progress by six months.
The civil certification (the model is designated EC 225) to European JAR 29 standard was once foreseen for the end of 2002, but was later scheduled for late 2003.
Bristow Helicopters ordered two EC 225s on 12 January 2004.
At the Heli-Expo in Las Vegas on 14 March 2004, Eurocopter said that the certification of the EC 225 was now expected at the end of May, with deliveries to civil customers beginning in 2005. Deliveries of the military EC 725 were expected for September/October 2004.
The 220 hours endurance test, prior to the EC 225 certification, was successfuly completed on the "Iron Bird" test bench in Marignane. from January to March 2004.The dynamics and power train have hence demonstrated their reliability further to a highly demanding spectrum of loads. The programme featured 20 cycles of 11 hours with : 40 hours at TOP( Take-Off Power) 80 hours at MCP ( Max Continuous Power), 40 hours Hours at OEI (One Engine Inoperative) rating. Three cycles of 11 hours each, performed simultaneously at high oil temperature and low oil pressure Then 50 overspeed and 200 overtorque completed the endurance test.
The maiden flight of the first serial production EC 225 took place on 24 June 2004. It lasted 2 hours and 5 minutes, proving the flawless functioning of all systems.
On 13 July 2004, Turbomeca announced the certification of the Makila 2A by the EASA, with a take-off power of 2101 shp. The first production engines conforming to the certified standard were due to be delivered before the end of July. Turboméca said that production had begun to prepare for the future delivery of 14 EC 725 to the French Air Force, throughout 2004-2005. In addition, the first VIP and Off-Shore civilian helicopters should be available before June 2005.
On 29 July 2004, Eurocopter reported that the EC 225 had received its IFR Airworthiness Certificate in compliance with the latest version of the JAR 29 standard from the new European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This certification was initially applied to a flight envelope with a maximum altitude of 20,000 feet (6,000 m) and an operating envelope including temperatures between – 15C° and + 40C°. This envelope should be extended to –30C° and + 50C, and for flight in icing conditions by mid-2005.
By July 2004, 20 aircraft from the EC 225 / EC 725 family had already been ordered and the total number of orders for the Super Puma / Cougar - EC 225 / EC 725 family had risen to 682 aircraft.

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Last updated 5 October 2004

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