Description:
Eurocopter's Fennec/Ecureuil is a family of multi-role helicopters featuring design simplicity, reliability and high performance. These lightweight helicopters are intended for both commercial and military markets. Fennec designation applies to military helicopters and Ecureuil, which means Squirrel, applies to commercial helicopters. These platforms can be powered either by a single turboshaft engine or by two engines (AS 555 and AS 355 series).
Composite materials have been used extensively in the aircraft design making it more durable and lighter. There are many variants of Fennec/Ecureuil helicopter family primarily due to the use of different power plants such as Arriel and Arrius family of engines. The characteristics of Fennec/Ecureuil helicopters also translate into low acquisition costs and low costs of maintenance and operation. Eurocopter has scored a big success through this helicopter family with more than 3,100 units (2,400+ single engine models) sold around the globe.
The AS 350B2 Ecureuil commercial helicopter powered by a single engine Arriel 1D1 was introduced in the early 1990s. It assumed civilian-oriented tasks such as utility helicopter, fire fighting, police mission, or medical evacuation. In 1997, Eurocopter introduced the AS 350B3 Ecureuil powered by a single Turbomeca Arriel 2B turboshaft engine along with its military counterpart AS 550C3 Fennec. The new helicopter can conduct the same missions of its predecessor as well as training suing three crashworthy seats.
Arriel 2B engine was equipped with FADEC (Full Authority Digital Electronic Control) and is more powerful than Arriel 1D1 engine which allows to increase the takeoff weight. This model performs better than early generations in hot climate and mountainous terrain/high altitudes. AS 550 Fennec can be armed with 20mm cannon, machine guns, unguided rocket launchers, air-to-air missiles and anti-tank missiles assuming fire support, air-to-air combat and anti-tank missions.
On 11 July 2005, Eurocopter announced that Helicopter Transportation Group (HTG) A/S had ordered 5 A350 B3 Ecureuils utility helicopters and took options on another 5. These helicopter were intended for operation in Scandinavia by HTG subsidiaries Airlift AS in Norway and Osterman Helicopter in Sweden.
In late November 2005 Eurocopter delivered the 3,000th single-engine Ecureuil/Fennec helicopter family to the South African Police which received an AS 350 B3 aircraft. Eurocopter stated that up to 432 AS 350 B3 helicopters were in service when the 3,000 single-engine helicopter mark was achieved.
On 29 August 2006, Spanish INAER Group placed an order for nine helicopters from Eurocopter to be delivered between June 2007 and January 2009. The order included: four EC 135s, two EC 145s, two AS350B3 Squirrel and one AS355NP Squirrel helicopters valued at 33 million Euros. These aircraft were intended to provide fire fighting, civil protection and emergency medical services across Spain, Portugal and Italy.
On 8 September 2006, Air Methods Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Eurocopter for the purchase of ten AS350B2/B3 AStar helicopters annually on an indefinite basis.
Specifications Accommodation: Crew 1, Passengers 6
Dimensions: Height 3.2 m, Length 10.9 m, Main Rotor Diameter 10.7 m, Width 1.9 m
Weights: Max Weight 2,800 kg (6,173 lb), Min Weight 1,232 kg (2,716 lb)
Performance: Ceiling 7,000 m (22,966 ft), Cruise Speed 66 mps (238 kph), Endurance 3 hours 18 min, Max Range 467 km (252 nm), Top Speed 80 mps (288 kph)
Andorra / 5 
Australia
Botswana / 3 
Brazil
Bulgaria
China
Denmark
France
Greece
Norway
Oman
South Africa
Spain / 2 
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
Aircraft ordered by Air Methods (30); Department of Homeland Security (up to 98)