Airbus Helicopters H155

The Airbus Helicopters H155, formerly the Eurocopter EC155, is a long-range, medium-lift passenger transport helicopter that Eurocopter developed from its Dauphin family for civil use. Twin-engined, it carries up to 13 passengers with one or two crew and is marketed for passenger transport, offshore support, VIP corporate transport and casualty transport. Development began in September 1996 and the type was announced at the Paris Air Show in June 1997. A modified Dauphin airframe made the first flight on 17 June 1997 and the first pre-production EC155 B flew on 11 March 1998; certification followed in December 1998 and deliveries began in March 1999, with the German Federal Police as first operator. The EC155 B is powered by two Turbomeca Arriel 2C1 turboshaft engines. The type was renamed H155 in 2015 and succeeded in the line by the H160.