Eurocopter’s participation at the 2012 Farnborough Airshow will highlight the capabilities of the company’s growing rotorcraft family – including the new EC175, a new seven metric ton-category helicopter which is setting the standard for cabin size, mission payload and range performance.

For its appearance in the biennial UK industry event, the EC175 is to be exhibited on the static display at Farnborough Airport beginning July 9, and will join daily flying presentations during the week.

Designed to offer superior mission versatility, Eurocopter’s twin-engine EC175 sets the standards for medium-class helicopters in offshore oil and gas operations, search and rescue, VIP/corporate airlift and other missions. Deliveries will start following the certification planned at the end of this year with the EC175 in the oil and gas configuration.

“With its enhanced performance, state-of-the-art technology and high safety standards, the EC175 represents the best in Eurocopter’s application of innovation as we expand our helicopter product line,” said Eurocopter President & CEO Lutz Bertling.

The EC175’s baseline payload/radius-of-action capacity with 16 passengers at 135 nautical miles for offshore oil and gas missions out-performs any medium-lift helicopter on the market in terms of competitiveness. For longer-range missions, the EC175 can transport 12 passengers to a radius-of-action of 190 nautical miles. Eurocopter has also launched an 18-passenger configuration option with a 100 nautical mile radius-of-action.

For search and rescue applications, EC175 operators will benefit from a comprehensive range of state-of-the-art equipment, including an integrated mission system that provides crew members with high-resolution sensor images at a cabin-installed mission console display and on a central instrument panel mission display in the cockpit.

The EC175’s search and rescue configuration has an electro-optic sensor turret with large sensor ball installed under the helicopter’s streamlined nose. The weather/search radar is located in the nose, and a side-mounted high intensity searchlight – complemented by under-fuselage lights – delivers superior illumination of the search area.

For rescue missions, the EC175’s dual high-speed hoist installation at the right-hand sliding door provides SAR operators a high level of efficiency and safety. The helicopter’s unobstructed, flat-floored cabin offers the largest volume of any medium helicopter. Sized at more than 3.8 meters long and 2.1 meters wide, it is designed to accommodate a comprehensive medical installation, the operator console, crew and passenger seats – all while preserving room to man oeuvre stretchers from the hoist through very large sliding doors.

Also contributing to the EC175’s capabilities is its 4-axis dual-duplex digital automatic flight control system (DAFCS), derived from the Eurocopter EC225 – providing pilots with unique level of stabilization, precision, assistance and flight envelope protection in the most complex search and rescue situations. Fully integrated into the helicopter’s avionics systems, the DAFCS controls ground speed down to zero knots and offers improved SAR upper modes, including search patterns and hoistman hovering authority.

Eurocopter will support EC175 operators for an easy entry into service, facilitated by such on-board maintainability- and reliability-enhancing features as a monitoring system with an on-ground maintenance reporting capability to facilitate troubleshooting, HUMS (health and usage monitoring system), along with 3D technical publications, full-flight simulators, optimized scheduled maintenance through MSG-3, and a continuous maintenance review board process incorporating input from operators.

Eurocopter’s exhibit presence at the 2012 Farnborough International Airshow will be incorporated within the dedicated pavilion of its EADS parent company (#OE13), with the company displaying 1/5 scale models of the EC175 and X3 high-speed hybrid aircraft – the latter of which is currently undertaking an historic U.S. demonstration tour for military, parapublic and civilian operators.

EADS press release