Eurocopter EC 155B

Eurocopter · France · first flew 1997 · helicopter

The EC 155 is a stretched, modernised development of the Dauphin family, a medium twin-turbine helicopter aimed at corporate transport, offshore and VIP work.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, rotary
E — Engines	2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	Sleek Dauphin-derived fuselage with retractable gear
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Enclosed Fenestron shrouded tail rotor
Sleek Dauphin-derived fuselage with retractable gear
Five-blade Spheriflex main rotor

Identify it by the shrouded Fenestron in the tall swept fin, retractable wheeled undercarriage and the smooth, slightly bulged Dauphin-lineage cabin.

Specifications

The Eurocopter EC 155B has a length of 12.71 m (42 ft).
It has a wingspan of 12.6 m (41 ft).
Its maximum speed is 324 km/h (201 mph).
Typical crew: 1-2.

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

History

A converted Dauphin airframe first flew in June 1997, with a widened cabin, five-blade Spheriflex rotor and glass cockpit. Certification followed at the end of the 1990s and the type later became the Airbus Helicopters H155.

Variants

The principal civil version was the EC 155B, refined into the B1 with uprated Arriel engines and higher weights. The airframe also underpinned parapublic and offshore fits with weather radar and floats.

Where you'll see it

Popular with offshore energy operators and executive charter firms across the North Sea and Europe, the type has appeared on UK corporate and support registers. Its quiet Fenestron tail made it a favoured VIP machine.

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