Airbus Helicopters to showcase EC175 in Norway

Airbus Helicopters, formerly known as Eurocopter, reveals that it is planning to showcase its brand new 7-metric-ton class EC175 on a North Sea Tour, which includes a stop in Norway.

In conjunction with the North Sea Tour, Airbus plans to announce a 300-kg increase in the EC175’s maximum take-off weight, boosting it to 7 800 kg. The higher MTOW will offer the capacity to carry additional payload or to extend the range by roughly 40NM. The certification of the enhanced take-off weight is planned before the end of 2016, following a flight test campaign next year.

The EC175’s demonstration tour brings it to Norwich, England on 19 May; Aberdeen, Scotland on 20-22 May and Stavanger, Norway, on 23 May.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certified the helicopter in January this year, and roughly 15 airframes are now being produced in the final assembly line. The medium-sized 16-seat rotorcraft is powered by twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 (C67E) engines and it features a new avionics suite in order to reduce pilot workload. Approximately 64 helicopters are on order, with the first delivery expected this year.