EUROCOPTER IS studying an advanced medium-twin helicopter in the 5.5-6t class to succeed the Dauphin.
The helicopter, known as the EC165, is planned to become available as the worldwide fleet of some 520 AS365s/565s reaches the end of its life over the next 20 years. It will incorporate technology from the company's Government-supported Helicopter 2010 technology programme, now under way.
Discussions have taken place between the manufacturer and MTU Turbom,ca Rolls-Royce (MTR) over using the engine manufacturer's MTR390 - developed for the Eurocopter Tiger combat helicopter - in the new airframe.
Eurocopter believes the total potential market for a new helicopter in this class to be close to 1,000.
The MTR390 won military type certification from German procurement agency BWB on 9 May. Thirty have been built, and have undergone 11,600h of test runs, with some 3,000 flight hours in the five Tiger prototypes and the Panther flying testbed. Development is due to be completed by December.
Source: Flight International
