Photograph:
Eurocopter EC-130T2 VH-WVV (c/n 8103) at Avalon, VIC in March 2017 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
France
Description:
General purpose helicopter
Power Plant:
One 632 kw (847 shp) Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 turboshaft
Specifications:
- Main rotor diameter: 10.69 m (35 ft 0¾ in)
- Length: 12.64 m (41 ft 5½ in)
- Height: 3.61 m (11 ft 10¼ in)
- Main rotor disc area: 89.75 m² (966.1 sq ft)
- Max speed: 235 km/ h (146 mph)
- Max rate of climb at sea level: 698 m/min (2,290 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 7,010 m (23,000 ft)
- Hovering ceiling in ground effect: 5,875 m (19,280 ft)
- Hovering ceiling out of ground effect: 5,320 m (17,460 ft)
- Range: 640 km (398 miles)
- Empty weight: 1,360 kg (3,000 lb)
- Loaded weight: 2,400 kg (5,291 lb)
History:
In early 2001, at Heli-Expo, Eurocopter announced a new helicopter had been added to its range, this being the EC-130 series based on the AS 350B3 but with a larger cabin and baggage area, and including the doors and windshield from the EC-120 Colibri series. The Fenestron shrouded tail rotor was taken from the larger EC-135, and the power plant and dynamics systems came from the AS 350B3, together with the Starflex main rotor and gearbox. The extra cabin area permitted the installation of an extra seat, making capacity a pilot and seven or eight passengers. The prototype (F-WQEV) was registered in May 2000, the second prototype (F-WQES) later joining the test program.
Deliveries of the EC-130 series commenced in September 2001 but prior to this a few examples were placed with operators to accumulate operational and reliability experience, one of these operators being Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. Production was initially set at 45 aircraft per year. Fuel capacity was 540 litres (119 Imp gals) in a single tank.
In late 2002 local distributor, Eurocopter International Pacific, delivered three examples of the EC-130B4 to Advanced Flight Ltd based at Ardmore, New Zealand, these machines becoming ZK-HEA (c/n 3596), ZK-HSW³ (c/n 3267), which was exported as N407MH in January 2001, and ZK-HXW4 (c/n 4080), which was exported as N640LH in June 2006. Since then further examples have been imported to New Zealand, including ZK-HXV (c/n 4084) for Objective Aviation, and ZK-IUP (c/n 4118) for Over the Top Ltd.
Australian EC-130B4s have included: VH-BAA (c/n 4042), VH-CTC (c/n 3596), VH-EHY (c/n 4224), VH-EUR (c/n 4626), VH-IXX (c/n 4051), VH-LYS (c/n 4322), VH-NXX (c/n 4761), VH-OSA (c/n 3968), VH-RLU (c/n 3990), VH-TIH (c/n 4104), VH-VRD (c/n 3762), VH-YHS (c/n 4080), VH-ZVA (c/n 7332), and VH-ZVX (c/n 4903).
Australian EC-130T2s have included: VH-HQT (c/n 7797), VH-HRL (c/n 8133), VH-JBQ (c/n 7762), VH-WYV (c/n 2299), VH-ZVB (c/n 7727), VH-ZVC (c/n 7947), VH-ZVD (c/n 8131), VH-ZVE (c/n 8269), VH-ZVO (c/n 8186), and VH-ZVY (c/n 7939). Operators have included Microflite Pty Ltd, Skyhook Helicopters, Whitsunday Air Services, and Nautilus Aviation Helicopters.