Eurocopter EC 120 B Colibri

Eurocopter · France · first flew 1995 · helicopter

The EC 120 Colibri is a five-seat single-turbine light helicopter, the product of a Eurocopter, CATIC and Singapore consortium aimed at training and private owners.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, rotary
E — Engines	1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	9.6 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Single-engine light helicopter with Fenestron tail
Three-blade Spheriflex main rotor
Large glazed cabin with skid landing gear

Note the single engine deck, the shrouded Fenestron in a tall fin, skid gear and a roomy forward-glazed cabin on a compact airframe.

Specifications

The Eurocopter EC 120 B Colibri has a length of 9.6 m (31 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10 m (33 ft).
Its maximum speed is 278 km/h (173 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The first prototype flew on 9 June 1995 from Marignane, combining a single Turbomeca Arrius with a Fenestron tail to cut noise and maintenance. Production deliveries began in the late 1990s.

Variants

The main model was the EC 120B, later marketed as the Airbus H120, with only detail refinements over its life. Police and training fits added specialist avionics and searchlights.

Where you'll see it

It became a common flight-school and private helicopter across Europe, including UK training and self-fly-hire operators. Its low noise footprint suited it to city and residential operations.

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