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The Eurocopter EC155, now Airbus Helicopters H155, is a long-range medium-lift passenger transport helicopter developed by Eurocopter from its Dauphin family for civil aviation use. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 13 passengers along with 1 or 2 crew, depending on customer configuration. The helicopter is marketed for passenger transport, offshore support, VIP corporate transport and casualty transport duties. In 2015, the EC155 was formally renamed to the H155, in line with Eurocopter's corporate rebranding as Airbus Helicopters.〔("VIDEO: Meet the H Generation." ) ''Airbus Helicopters'', 3 March 2015.〕 ==Development== Originally designated AS365 N4, the EC155 was developed from the Eurocopter AS365 N3 Dauphin 2 with the aim of significantly increasing the cabin space of the Dauphin. Development began in September 1996 with the helicopter officially announced by Eurocopter at the Paris Air Show in June 1997. The first EC155 helicopter, a modified Dauphin airframe, made its maiden flight at Marignane on 17 June 1997 and the first pre-production EC155 B flew on 11 March 1998. The aircraft received safety certification by the French & German Civil Aviation Authorities on 11 December 1998 and went into production soon after, with a price tag of US$7–8 million depending on installed equipment. Deliveries of the EC155 B began in March 1999, with the German Federal Police becoming the first operator. The EC155 B1 was developed with more powerful engines and has improved performance at high altitude and in hot temperature conditions. This derivative also features a higher maximum take-off weight (10,846 lb vs. 10,580 lb). Deliveries of this model began in November 2002 with the Hong Kong Government Flying Service becoming the first operator. Several major elements of the EC155, such its rotor system (albeit modified to operate at slower rotational speeds), were used in the Eurocopter X3, an experimental high-speed compound helicopter which set an unofficial speed record of in 2013.〔Nelms, Douglas. "(Aviation Week Flies Eurocopter's X3 )" ''Aviation Week & Space Technology'', 9 July 2012. Accessed: 10 May 2014. (Alternate link ) (Archive )〕〔Paur, Jason. "(X3 Helicopter Sets Speed Record At Nearly 300 MPH )" ''Wired'', 11 June 2013. Accessed: 17 June 2014. (Archived ) on 31 March 2014〕 In 2015, a EC155 was also been used by Airbus Helicopters as a flying testbed for new aerodynamic features, such as the rotor blades, biplane stabilizer and canted fenestron, for the developing Airbus Helicopters H160 helicopter. In 2015, Airbus Helicopters and Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) formed an agreement to transfer principle manufacturing activity for the EC155 to South Korea, KAI shall become the sole manufacturer of the type after 2018; both firms shall be jointly involved in the international marketing and further development of the type. The EC155 is to serve as the basis for KAI's Light Civil Helicopter (LCH) and Light Armed Helicopter (LAH); these shall feature numerous changes, including a new cockpit, improved gearbox and rotor blades, the (LAH) shall be armed with a chin-mounted 20mm cannon and side-mounted guided rockets. The LCH is to enter service in 2020 to replace the MD Helicopters MD 500, the LAH shall follow in 2022 to replace the Bell AH-1 SuperCobra.〔Waldron, Greg. ("PICTURES: KAI signs key LCH/LAH contracts." ) ''Flight International'', 25 June 2015.〕 In 2018, the EC155 is to be replaced in Airbus Helicopter's product range by its newly developed H160.〔Waldron, Greg.("ADEX: Airbus Helicopters eyes international market for LAH." ) ''Flight International'', 23 October 2015〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Eurocopter EC155」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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