Eurocopter AS355 Écureuil 2

The Eurocopter AS355 Écureuil 2, also called the Twin Squirrel and marketed in North America as the TwinStar, is a twin-engine light utility helicopter developed and originally manufactured by Aérospatiale in France. It was derived directly from the single-engine AS350 Écureuil, and the twin-engined version first flew on 28 September 1979 and entered service shortly afterwards. Development began in the early 1970s as a replacement for the Alouette II under Chief Engineer René Mouille, with the aim of an economic and cost-effective aircraft. After Aérospatiale merged its helicopter interests into Eurocopter in the 1990s production continued, including licence assembly from kits overseas, and the group ended production of the Écureuil 2 in 2016, shortly after the rebranding as Airbus Helicopters.