Eurocopter EC175
Encyclopedia
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.
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 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.
First flown on the 4 December 2009 the prototype had an official maiden flight
on 17 December 2009 in Marignane
, France
. 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.
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. 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. The first EC175 airframe structure was delivered by HAIG to Eurocopter Marignane in November 2008.
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.
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. 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)
.
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.
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
.
The EC175 is expected to exceed EASA CS-29 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.
Z-15: Aircraft produced by HAIB for Chinese operators. The People's Liberation Army
also plans to take delivery of the Z-15 in the next decade to replace much of their existing fleet (older Mil Mi-8
, Sikorsky S-70
, Harbin Z-8
and Harbin Z-9
). The Z-15's performance and ruggedness will probably be improved, if it goes into PLA service. In March 1999, Agusta announced that it had signed a US$30 million initial contract with AVIC II and CATIC to develop the gear box and transmission components for the CMH.
China Aviation Industry Corporation II
China Aviation Industry Corporation II was a Chinese consortium of aircraft manufacturers. The consortium was created on July 1, 1999 by splitting the state-owned consortium China Aviation Industry Corporation into AVIC I and AVIC II...
. 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.
Development
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. The EC175 is being developed through close cooperation with existing operators, through a customer advisory team (CAT) approach.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
Bristow Helicopters
Bristow Helicopters is a British helicopter airline originally based at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland, part of the Bristow Group based in Houston, Texas, USA....
and the VIH Aviation Group During the Zhuhai Airshow
China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition
China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition or Airshow China is the largest airshow in mainland China . It has been held once every two years in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, China, since 1996....
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.
First flown on the 4 December 2009 the prototype had an official maiden flight
Maiden flight
The maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. This is similar to a ship's maiden voyage....
on 17 December 2009 in Marignane
Marignane
Marignane is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France.-Geography:It is a component of the metropolitan Marseille Provence Métropole, and the largest suburb of the city of Marseille...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Certification with the EASA
European Aviation Safety Agency
The European Aviation Safety Agency is an agency of the European Union with offices in Cologne, Germany, which has been given regulatory and executive tasks in the field of civilian aviation safety. It was created on 15 July 2002, and it reached full functionality in 2008, taking over functions...
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
Marignane
Marignane is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France.-Geography:It is a component of the metropolitan Marseille Provence Métropole, and the largest suburb of the city of Marseille...
plant, with a second Eurocopter assembly line to follow three or four years later.
Design
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
Catia
Catia may refer to*Catia - neighbourhood of Caracas*Catia La Mar - Venezuelan town*Catia - a family in Ancient Rome*Catia - type of butterfly*CATIA...
V5, a first for Eurocopter. 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. The first EC175 airframe structure was delivered by HAIG to Eurocopter Marignane in November 2008.
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.
The EC175 will be powered by two 1,325 kW (1,775 shp) class, Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC)
FADEC
Full Authority Digital Engine Control is a system consisting of a digital computer, called an electronic engine controller or engine control unit , and its related accessories that control all aspects of aircraft engine performance...
-equipped Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67E
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft engines in history, and is produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. The PT6 family is particularly well known for its extremely high reliability, with MTBO's on the order of 9000 hours in some models. In US military use, they...
turboshafts, with 5,000 hour time between overhaul (TBO)
Time between overhaul
One important measure of an aircraft engine's overall economics is how often it has to be overhauled, the so-called time between overhaul, typically seen as TBO or TBOH....
and on-condition maintenance. 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)
Auxiliary power unit
An auxiliary power unit is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft, as well as some large land vehicles.-Function:...
.
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.
The EC175's cockpit will feature four 6X8 inch multi-function LCD
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
displays, plus an optional central mission display. The EC175's state-of-the-art avionics are derived from those developed for the EC225
Eurocopter EC 225
The Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma Mk II+ is a long-range passenger transport helicopter developed by Eurocopter as the next generation in the civilian Super Puma family. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 24 passengers along with 2 crew and a cabin attendant, dependent on customer...
, and include a 4-axis dual duplex autopilot, linked to the aircraft's Flight Management System
Flight management system
A flight management system is a fundamental part of a modern airliner's avionics. An FMS is a specialized computer system that automates a wide variety of in-flight tasks, reducing the workload on the flight crew to the point that modern aircraft no longer carry flight engineers or navigators. A...
.
The EC175 is expected to exceed EASA CS-29 crashworthiness requirements, and will be certified for full Category A dual pilot operation. The aircraft will have Sea State
Sea state
In oceanography, a sea state is the general condition of the free surface on a large body of water—with respect to wind waves and swell—at a certain location and moment. A sea state is characterized by statistics, including the wave height, period, and power spectrum. The sea state varies with...
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.
Variants
EC175: Aircraft produced by Eurocopter for the European, American and international marketsZ-15: Aircraft produced by HAIB for Chinese operators. The People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
also plans to take delivery of the Z-15 in the next decade to replace much of their existing fleet (older Mil Mi-8
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
, Sikorsky S-70
Sikorsky S-70
The Sikorsky S-70 is a medium transport/utility helicopter family manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It was developed for the U.S. Army in the 1970s, winning a competition to be designated the UH-60 Blackhawk and spawning a large family in U.S. military service...
, Harbin Z-8
Aérospatiale Super Frelon
The Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon is a three-engined heavy transport helicopter produced by Aérospatiale of France. The helicopter is still in use in China where the locally produced version is known as the Z-8. "Frelon" is French for hornet....
and Harbin Z-9
Harbin Z-9
|-See also:-External links:* * *...
). The Z-15's performance and ruggedness will probably be improved, if it goes into PLA service. In March 1999, Agusta announced that it had signed a US$30 million initial contract with AVIC II and CATIC to develop the gear box and transmission components for the CMH.