Airbus Helicopters H120

The Airbus Helicopters H120, formerly the Eurocopter EC120 Colibri, is a five-seat, single-engine light utility helicopter. Eurocopter, China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation, Harbin Aviation Industries and Singapore Technologies Aerospace designed and developed it jointly at the Eurocopter France facility in Marignane, and Eurocopter assembled the EC120B in France and Australia. The type began as the P120 proposal by Aérospatiale to replace the Gazelle and the SA 315B Lama. The first prototype made its maiden flight on 9 June 1995 and the first EC120B was delivered in 1998. Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation builds it in China as the HC120, where the People's Liberation Army and several police forces bought it. By 2008 more than 550 had been delivered.