| EC175 | |
|---|---|
| Eurocopter EC175 at the Paris Air Show 2009. | |
| Role | Medium utility helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Eurocopter Harbin Aircraft Industry Group (HAIG) |
| First flight | 4 December 2009 |
The Eurocopter EC175 (also Avicopter Z-15) is a 7-ton class medium utility helicopter being developed by Eurocopter and AVIC. Formally launched at Heli-Expo in Houston on 24 February 2008, the EC175 is due to be certified in 2011, with Eurocopter aiming to sell approximately 800 to 1,000 EC175s over 20 years.[1][2]
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A development contract for the EC175 was signed on 5 December 2005, with Preliminary Design Review (PDR) completed on 5 December 2006 and Critical Design Review (CDR) completed on 5 December 2007. Development of the EC175 is expected to cost €600 million.[1] The EC175 is being developed through close cooperation with existing operators, through a customer advisory team (CAT) approach.[3]
Eurocopter booked a total of 111 purchase options from 13 customers during the EC175's former unveiling at Heli-Expo 2008, led by launch customers Bristow Helicopters and the VIH Aviation Group[4] During the Zhuhai Airshow in November 2008, a letter of intent for 5 Z-15s was signed between HAIG and Chinese domestic general-purpose aviation company Longken General Aviation Cooperation.[5]
First flown on the 4 December 2009[6] the prototype had an official maiden flight on 17 December 2009 in Marignane, France.[7] Certification with the EASA will take place in 2011, with initial deliveries in 2012.
An initial assembly line for the EC175 is expected to be established at Eurocopter's Marignane plant, with a second Eurocopter assembly line to follow three or four years later.[8]
The EC175 will be built for civilian and parapublic applications, its primary markets being support of the oil and gas industry and search and rescue missions. Other applicable roles include parapublic operations, homeland security, air medical services, utility missions and corporate transportation.
The EC175 will be extensively designed and built using computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM). The gears and the casing of the EC175's main gearbox (MGB) have, for example, been completely developed using Catia V5, a first for Eurocopter.[1] The use of CAD has allowed Eurocopter and HAIG to create a virtual mock-up, simplifying the task of coordinating between partners based 10,000 km apart.[9] The first EC175 airframe structure was delivered by HAIG to Eurocopter Marignane in November 2008.[10]
Eurocopter will have responsibility for the EC175's main gearbox, tail rotor, avionics, autopilot, hydraulic and electrical systems, doors and transparencies. Eurocopter will also be the technical lead and system integrator, and will build two of the three prototypes (the first and third). HAIG will be responsible for the airframe, tail and intermediate gearboxes, main rotor, fuel system, flight controls and landing gear.[11]
The EC175 will be powered by two 1,325 kW (1,775 shp) class, Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC)-equipped Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67E turboshafts, with 5,000 hour time between overhaul (TBO) and on-condition maintenance.[12] The aircraft will use a five-blade Spheriflex main rotor and a three-blade tail rotor. The EC175's main gearbox will incorporate two accessory gearboxes and will be de-clutchable, avoiding the cost and weight of an auxiliary power unit (APU).[13]
The EC175 will be offered with a 16-seat interior for oil and gas transport, with easy access through wide sliding doors, and will feature oversized jettisionable windows. The EC175 will feature a flat floor, and will omit any partition between the cockpit and the cabin. The aircraft will be offered with optional auxiliary fuel tanks under the cabin floor.[13]
The EC175's cockpit will feature four 6X8 inch multi-function LCD displays, plus an optional central mission display. The EC175's state-of-the-art avionics are derived from those developed for the EC225, and include a 4-axis dual duplex autopilot, linked to the aircraft's Flight Management System.[11][13]
The EC175 is expected to exceed EASA CS-29[14] crashworthiness requirements, and will be certified for full Category A dual pilot operation. The aircraft will have Sea State 6 capability, and will be equipped with two oversized 12-18 passenger liferafts. Eurocopter states that the EC175's noise signature will be "way below" International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirements.[13]
Data from {name of first source} Eurocopter website
General characteristics
Performance
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