SE-HJC Aérospatiale AS350 B1 Ecureuil c/n 1940 - Osterman Helicopter - heliport Emmen in Holland - 25 April 2009

The Eurocopter AS350 B2 is a single-engined utility helicopter that can accommodate up to 7 passengers. Development of the AS 350 Ecureuil started in the early 70s under the Aérospatiale banner. The first flight of an AvcoLycoming LTS101-powered machine took place on 27/06/1994. The second prototype was fitted with an Arriel 1A and took to the air on 14/02/1975. Certification (with a Turboméca Arriel 1B turboshaft powerplant) was achieved in October 1977. The single-engined AS 350B2, powered with a Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 engine was certified in April 1989. The AS 350 is marketed in North America as the AStar or SuperStar. The helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aerospatiale from France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group.

On 19 September 1986, the 1986-built Aérospatiale AS350 B1 Ecureuil c/n 1940 was registered first LN-OPB in Norway with Caseb Aviation as owner and A/S Morefly, Alesund, as operator. The Ecureuil was transferred to Helitrans, Trondheim. Registration LN-OPB was cancelled on 17 April 2007 and the next day the helicopter was registered SE-HJC in Sweden with Osterman Helicopter, Bradstad, as operator and SG Finans Norge, Sverige filial, as owner. On 24 May 2011, Osterman Helicopter i Göteborg, Save, was registered as operator of the Ecureuil. Osterman Helicopter was refurbished in the autumn of 2011 and AS350 B1 SE-HJC was registered with the new company Osterman Helicopter i Östersund AB on 16 November 2011. When seen at the Heli-Holland heliport near Emmen in the Netherlands, the OstermanHeli Ecureuil SE-HJC was equiped with the TopEye, an helicopter-based airborne topography scanner system.

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