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The Eurocopter AS365 N Dauphin 2 is a twin-engined medium-weight transport helicopter powered by a pair of Turbomeca
Arriel 1C2 Turbine engines, accommodating up to 13 passengers and 2 crew. In 1973, the twin-engine SA.365 was developed by SNIAS
(Société Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale) out of the single-engine SA.360 Dauphin. SA.365 prototype F-WVKE, a
SA.360 fitted with 2 Turbomeca Arriel 1A Turboshafts, flew first on 24 January 1975. In 1977 production commenced with
the SA.365-C, with deliveries starting in 1978. An improved version of the SA 365C Dauphin 2, the SA.365N flew
first on 31 March 1979. The SA 365N differs from the SA365C in having Arriel 1C turbine engines, a
re-profiled fuselage, fully retractable undercarriage and increased fuel capacity in new under-floor tankage.
Deliveries of the production model began in 1982. Deliveries of the AS.365 N2, equipped with two Turboméca
Arriel 1C2 turboshafts, started in 1990. From 1984, SNIAS operated under the name of Aérospatiale.
The helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aerospatiale from France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter
Group. A new Eurocopter designation was added:
EC 155 B1, originally known as the AS 365 N4. The Dauphin 2 is in use
in several military and civilian roles. The AS 565 Panther is the military version of the Dauphin. The AS 366 G1,
powered by two Textron-Lycoming LTS.101-750B-2 turboshafts, is used by the United States Coast Guard under the
designation HH-65A Dolphin. The Dauphin 2 is manufactured under licence in China as the Harbin Z-9 Haitung and in
Brasil as the Helibras MH-1. Already over 900 AS 365/366/565 and EC155 versions have been produced. |
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Flotille 35F of the Aeronavale operates six SA365 N Dauphin (n°6017; 6019; 6024; 6081; 6091
and 6157). The helicopters are used on SAR-duties at the aircraft carriers of the French
Navy and in public SAR service in the SA.365SP configuration along the coast at the stations
La Rochelle; Hyères; Le Touquet and Cherbourg. Eurocopter SA.365N n°6091 was built in 1983, test flown
as F-WXFJ and operated as TF-SIF; F-WYME; F-GEDQ; OY-HMZ; F-GFBX; PT-HUD and F-GFBX before it
entered service with the Navy as the 91 of Flotille 32F in the SA.365SP configuration in February 1995.
The public SAR operations, including the SA.365N Dauphins, were transferred to Flotille 35F on
1 June 2001. Marine Nationale SA.365SP Dauphin "91" was photographed at the
SAR-station at the airport of Le Touquet on 16 June 1995. Flotille 35F
SA.365SP Dauphin "91" uses also registration F-XCGW. |
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