Friday, January 09, 2009

EC 175

Maiden Flight: 2009
IOC: 2011
Total Production: 116
Development Cost: EUR€600 million

Also Known As
EC175
Z-15 (Chinese designation)

Origin
China
France

Program Status:
Under Development

Contractor/s
Eurocopter * (50% - prime contractor)
Harbin Aviation Industry (50%)

Power plant:
PT6C-67E (2)

Description: The Eurocopter EC 175 is a 7-ton class multi-mission helicopter intended for the civil market being developed by Eurocopter in conjunction with China's Harbin Aviation Industry Group, an AVIC II corporation subsidiary. The program was officially launched on December 5, 2005 during a visit of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to France. EC 175 development will be complete in five years beginning in 2006. First flight is expected by 2009. Aircraft certification in both countries, France and China, as well as series production start are due in 2011. The EC175 helicopter is intended mainly for offshore oil and gas missions as well as search and rescue (SAR), homeland security, emergency medical service (EMS), and passengers air transport operations.

The EC 175 program will be executed by a 50/50 joint venture with two separated assembly lines in France and China. Eurocopter and AVIC II will invest about 300 million Euro each, totaling 600 million Euro. The commercial forecast for the aircraft type was numbered at 800 helicopters over a 20-year period. Overall, this program should be worth about 10 billion Euro. According to Eurocopter, the EC 175 is meant to fill the gap between 5-ton Dauphin and 10-ton Super Puma/Cougar rotary-wing aircraft. As of late February 2008 Eurocopter had logged 111 commitments from customers around the world.

The new medium-twin class helicopter will feature latest avionics and cockpit equipment highlighting four 6x8-in LCD displays, cabin and cockpit air conditioned, emergency floatation devices, a five-blade Spheriflex main rotor, a four-axis digital Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS), and high-energy crash absorbing airframe. It will be powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6C-67E engines with new generation FADEC. The aircraft will have a very low vibration level minimizing internal and external noise, falling far below the latest ICAO standards. Operated by a crew of one or two-pilots it will be able to carry as many as 16 passengers at speeds of 280 km/h. Its action radius will stay above 200 nautical miles (370 km).

Specifications
Accommodation: Crew 2, Passengers 16

Weights: Max Weight 7,000 kg (15,432 lb)

Performance: Cruise Speed 280 kph (174 mph), Max Range 740 km (400 nm)

Other: Main Rotor Blades 5, Number of Engines 2

News
Eurocopter Receives First Airframe Structure for EC175 Prototype from Harbin

Eurocopter Logs 111 EC175 Helicopter Signatures at Heli-Expo 2008

Eurocopter Unveils EC175 at Heli-Expo 2008

Operators

see operators map

Belgium

Aircraft ordered by NHV

Canada

Aircraft ordered by VIH Aviation Group (launch customer)

China / 5

Letter of Intent signed with Longken General Aviation Cooperation for five Z15 helicopters

Denmark

Aircraft ordered by Dancopter

France

Aircraft ordered by Heli-Union

India

Aircraft ordered by Global Vectra

Mexico

Aircraft ordered by Pegaso

New Zealand

Aircraft ordered by HNZ

Russia

Aircraft ordered by UTair

United Kingdom

Aircraft ordered by Bond

United States of America

Aircraft ordered by Bristow Group (launch customer); Era Helicopters; Halvorson Group

Image Gallery

Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

Last Updated: Saturday, December 20, 2008

Leave Feedback >>