EC120 Colibri Eurocopter
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EC120 Colibri light helicopter
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The EC120 Colibri is a light single-engine helicopter jointly designed and developed by Eurocopter, China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC), Harbin Aviation Industries (Group) Ltd (HAI) and Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd (STAero) at Eurocopter France's Marignane facility, the EC120 B is assembled by Eurocopter in France and Australia. The first EC120 B was delivered in 1998 and by 2008, Eurocopter had already delivered more than 550 Colibris to various customers. In 2004, the United States Department of Homeland Security U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) selected the EC120 B to meet its Light Sign Cutter requirement, a program potentially involving 55 aircraft with a total value of US$ 75 million in then-year dollars. In January 2008, the French Defense Ministry selected the EC120 as the French Army's new lead-in rotary-wing trainer, replacing the Aérospatiale Gazelle. Since 2011 the EC 120 B has been used by the traffic police in Kurdistan, Iraq. |
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- EC-120 B Colibri: Standard designation (original designation during development was "P-120")
- HC-120: Chinese-built variant of the EC120 |
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The EC120 B is mostly built from composite materials and has a fenestron tail rotor, making it a particularly quiet helicopter (FAA Appendix J flyover noise signature = 78.7 dB SEL, 6.7 dB SEL below Stage 2 limits). Certified to FAR 27 standards, the EC120 B also features crash-resistant seats and a crash-resistant fuel system. The design of the Colibri's wide cabin makes it suitable for wide variety of civilian and parapublic missions, such as utility transport, offshore transport, training, law enforcement, casualty evacuation and corporate transport. In the casualty evacuation role, the helicopter can carry one pilot and one stretcher patient as well as one or two medical attendants. For cargo carrying, the Colibri can carry one pilot plus 2.94 cubic meters (103.9 cu. ft.) of total useful load volume (cabin and hold). The EC120's 0.8 cubic meter (28.3 cu. ft.) hold is accessible from the side and rear.
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The EC120b is powered by one Turbomeca Arrius 2F turboshaft engine , 376 kW (504 shp).The ARRIUS 2F is the latest engine generation of Arrius family (from TURBOMECA) which combines power (504 shp), simplicity (2 modules), low fuel consumption and benefits from the wide experience of the Arrius engine family. The turbine engine is mounted at the top of the rear structure, in a fireproof compartment. It is installed at the rear of the main gearbox, to which it is linked by a connecting shaft mounted between two blade-type flexible couplings.
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The avionics of the latest variant of EC120 Colibri, the B version includes, avionics master switch, one gyro-horizon, one gyro-compass, one horizontal Situation Indicator, one turn and bank indicator, 1 VHF/AM, 1 VHF/VOR/LOC/GS/GPS, one transponder (mode A+C), one altitude encoder, one 1 Emergency Locator Transmitter and one ICS + passenger interphone.
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In addition to its civilian roles, the Colibri is also used by the military for training, observation and light utility missions. In the latter role, it can carry a sling load cargo of up to 700 kg. The EC120 B is able to carry equipment such as FLIR cameras, spotlights and other useful tools. Some law enforcement agencies using the EC120 B include: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Edmonton Police Service, Calgary Police Service, the York Regional Police, and the Albuquerque Police Department. |
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