Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin
Eurocopter · France · first flew 1975 · helicopter
A sleek, fast French twin-turbine medium helicopter, instantly identified by its Fenestron shrouded tail rotor and retractable landing gear.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Sleek streamlined fuselage with retractable tricycle landing gear |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Fenestron ducted tail rotor set into a swept vertical fin, with no exposed tail rotor
- Sleek streamlined fuselage with retractable tricycle landing gear
- Swept fin and tailplane carrying small endplate fins
The Fenestron, a tail rotor hidden inside a duct in the swept fin, is the signature. Combined with the smooth streamlined body, retractable gear and swept tailplane with endplate fins, it is hard to mistake.
Specifications
- The Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin has a length of 11 m (36 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.94 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 285 km/h (177 mph).
- Typical crew: 1-2 pilots; up to 12 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The twin-engine Dauphin lineage first flew in January 1975, developing the earlier single-engine Dauphin into a refined twin. The shrouded Fenestron anti-torque fan and clean retractable-gear airframe gave it speed and a low-noise signature.
Variants
The family runs through the SA365 and AS365 N, N1, N2 and N3 models to the military AS565 Panther and the stretched EC155, with the US Coast Guard operating the type as the HH-65 Dolphin.
Where you'll see it
Widely used for offshore oil and gas transport including North Sea work, plus search and rescue, air ambulance and police duties. It is a familiar civil twin in British skies though it has not been a frontline Royal Navy, Army or RAF type.
Related aircraft
- Eurocopter AS350 Ecureuil / AStar
- TAI/Eurocopter Cougar Mk I
- Eurocopter AS 355 Ecureuil 2 / AS 555 Fennec
- Eurocopter EC 120 B Colibri
- Aérospatiale AS365 Dauphin 2
- Aérospatiale SA 365 C Dauphin 2
- Boeing AH-64 Apache
- IAR 330
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