Jump to content

Airbus Helicopters H175

From Alfawiki
Airbus Helicopters
IndustryAerospace
ProductsH175 helicopter (formerly Eurocopter EC175)
ParentAirbus
Websitewww.airbus.com/helicopters.html

The Airbus Helicopters H175—previously known as the Eurocopter EC175—is a super-medium utility helicopter in the 7-ton category, manufactured by Airbus Helicopters. In China, this model is produced under license by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and marketed as the Avicopter AC352. Initially introduced as both the Eurocopter EC175 and Harbin Z-15, it falls within the 'super-medium' helicopter segment.

The aircraft was officially introduced at Heli-Expo in Houston on 24 February 2008, with Airbus Helicopters forecasting sales between 800 and 1,000 units over a two-decade span. It entered operational service in December 2014 and was rebranded as the H175 in 2015 following Eurocopter's transition to Airbus Helicopters.

Development

In February 2005, Eurocopter’s president, Fabrice Brégier, announced ongoing negotiations with China Aviation Industry Corporation II (AVIC II) to jointly develop the EC175. By October that year, AgustaWestland had expressed interest in the program should Eurocopter not secure the partnership.

On 5 December 2005, Eurocopter formalized a development agreement with AVIC-II's subsidiary Harbin Aircraft Industry Group (HAIG). The project reached key design milestones with the Preliminary Design Review completed on 5 December 2006 and the Critical Design Review finalized on 5 December 2007, which locked the aircraft’s design. Development expenditures were projected at approximately €600 million. Throughout development, operator input was integrated through a customer advisory panel.

At its debut during the 2008 Heli-Expo, Eurocopter secured purchase options for 111 helicopters from thirteen clients, including launch customers Bristow Helicopters and VIH Aviation Group. Later that year, during the November Zhuhai Airshow, HAIG signed a letter of intent to acquire five Z-15 helicopters from Longken General Aviation Cooperation. HAIG manages sales within China and neighboring markets, while Airbus Helicopters oversees international commercial distribution.

The EC175 prototype undertook its unofficial maiden flight on 4 December 2009, followed by an official first flight on 17 December 2009 in Marignane, France. Delivery schedules experienced a delay of about two years, partly due to certification challenges related to the Helinix avionics system. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) granted type certification in January 2014. Avicopter unveiled its initial AC352 prototype in September 2015; by December of that year, an H175 prototype was used for flight testing of the Turbomeca Ardiden 3C/WZ16 engine.

Initial production took place at Airbus Helicopters' facility in Marignane, with plans to establish a second assembly line within five years. In April 2014, Airbus Helicopters and Avicopter agreed to manufacture a total of 1,000 EC175 units over twenty years, dividing production equally between their respective assembly plants.

By June 2014, the EC175 had set time-to-climb records for its category at both 3 km and 6 km altitudes, achieving approximately one minute per kilometre. In May 2015, it was employed as a demonstrator for Airbus Helicopters' low-noise instrument approach initiative utilizing satellite-enhanced navigation to reduce noise impact.

As of May 2015, the H175 held certification for single-pilot operation under visual flight rules (VFR). Research into single-pilot operations under instrument flight rules (IFR) continued but was not prioritized due to limited market demand.

Design

Airbus Helicopters acts as the primary technical integrator for the H175, overseeing key components such as the main gearbox, tail rotor, avionics suite, autopilot system, hydraulic and electrical networks, doors, and transparencies. It was responsible for constructing two out of the three prototype units. Meanwhile, HAIG manages the airframe structure, tail and intermediate gearboxes, main rotor assembly, fuel delivery system, flight control mechanisms, and landing gear. Marketing initiatives, customer service, and certification processes are independently handled by both organizations.[1] The development and manufacturing phases heavily relied on CAD/CAM technology, allowing for virtual mock-ups that enhanced collaboration among partners separated by a distance of 10,000 km.[2]

The H175 models produced by Airbus Helicopters are equipped with twin 1,325 kW (1,775 shp) FADEC-controlled PT6C-67E turboshaft engines, which feature a 5,000-hour time between overhaul (TBO) supported by on-condition maintenance protocols.[3] Chinese variants designated AC352 utilize dual 1,800 shp modular FADEC Turbomeca Ardiden 3C/WZ16 powerplants jointly developed by Turbomeca and AVIC Engine.[4][5] Both engine configurations power a five-blade Spheriflex main rotor along with a three-blade tail rotor. The EC175’s main gearbox incorporates two accessory gearboxes and is designed to be de-clutchable, thereby removing the necessity for an auxiliary power unit (APU). Its gears and casing were engineered using CATIA V5 software—a first for Airbus Helicopters.[6]

Engineered to surpass EASA CS-29 crashworthiness criteria,[7][8] the H175 supports full Category A dual-pilot operations and is capable of operating in Sea State 6 conditions. It can be outfitted with two large 18-passenger life rafts along with an emergency flotation system. Airbus Helicopters emphasizes that its noise footprint is substantially lower than the limits set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).[9][10]

Aiming primarily at civil and parapublic sectors, the H175 targets core markets such as oil and gas transportation support as well as search and rescue tasks; other applications include homeland security operations, air medical services, utility work, and corporate travel.[8] The helicopter offers adaptable interior layouts: accommodating up to 18 passengers in an oil and gas configuration; seating 9–12 in executive arrangements; and housing 6–8 in VIP configurations. It features wide sliding doors for effortless entry and exit plus oversized jettisonable windows designed for emergency evacuation. The flat floor design without a cockpit-to-cabin partition allows for flexible interior arrangements.[8] Additional fuel tanks or storage compartments can be installed beneath the cabin floor with internal access; some variants provide large luggage bays accessible externally from both sides.[9][8]

The H175 incorporates the Helionix avionics suite derived from technology used in the Eurocopter EC225, featuring a 4-axis dual-duplex Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) integrated with the Flight Management System.[1][9][8] The cockpit includes four 6x8-inch multi-function LCD screens with an optional central mission display and supports night vision goggle compatibility. Optional equipment includes a sensor operator’s console within the cabin as well as a chin-mounted electro-optical sensor system.[8]

Operational history

The initial production H175 helicopters designated for the oil and gas industry commenced operations in December 2014 with Belgian operator Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen (NHV), supporting activities in the North Sea. By August 2015, two of these aircraft had accumulated 1,000 flight hours across more than 750 sorties, ferrying approximately 11,000 passengers while maintaining a dispatch reliability exceeding 90%. NHV placed an order for a total of 16 H175 units.

The People's Liberation Army is reportedly intending to procure a substantial fleet of AC352 helicopters within the next ten years to modernize its inventory by replacing aging models such as the Mil Mi-8, Sikorsky S-70, Harbin Z-8, and Harbin Z-9.

In March 2015, Bristow Group emerged as the largest customer at that time by ordering 17 H175 helicopters dedicated to offshore oil and gas operations; this order was subsequently increased by five units in 2017. Nevertheless, Bristow canceled its entire 22-unit order by January 2020 amid Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Leasing company Milestone Aviation Group expanded its commitment to the H175 with an order totaling 28 units in June 2015. Meanwhile, Russian operator UTair initially ordered 15 H175s in 2011 but suspended the remainder of its order in June 2015 due to falling oil prices and international sanctions imposed on Russia.

In September 2015, the Hong Kong Government Flying Service was announced as the launch operator for the H175’s Search and Rescue (SAR) variant.

Operators

Template:China

  • Transportes Aereos Pegaso (9 units on order)
  • UTair (15 units on order)

Variants

EC175
Initial designation under Eurocopter prior to rebranding.
H175
Updated EC175 model equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 engines, configured for missions including search and rescue, oil and gas transport, and VIP travel.
H175M
Military adaptation proposed for the UK's Royal Air Force New Medium Helicopter (NMH) program.
Z-15
Original Chinese designation for the helicopter.
AC352
Chinese-manufactured version powered by WZ-16 engines.

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AvWeek
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Rotor66
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AIN
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named engine first run
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named avweekzhuhai
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Rotor75
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named easa
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named broch 2015
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named EC175 trifold
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named easa2015n
Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Airbus_Helicopters_H175&oldid=33551"