AS350 Ecureuil

The single-engine AS350 is a lightweight utility helicopter that first flew on June 27, 1974 and the first delivery happened in April 1978. 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. The 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. 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.

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