The Airbus Helicopters EC155 B is a medium-weight multi-role utility twin engine helicopter accommodating up to 12 passengers and 2 crew. The EC155 B is a development of the AS365N Dauphin II, with 40% larger cabin area, a new five-bladed Spheriflex main rotor with an extremely low vibration level and 'glass cockpit'. The EC155 B1 is powered by a pair of Turbomeca Arrius 2C2 turbine engines. The new generation of Fenestron tail rotor takes part in the decrease in external noise level. This tail rotor has 10 blades spaced irregularly around the hub. Development of the EC-155, initially known as AS-365N-4 Dauphin started in September 1996. The development of the AS365 N4 wide body helicopter was announced at International Paris Airshow in June 1997. A mockup of the N4 was shown at the International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget and on 17 June 1997, the prototype EC155, F-WDFK, a rebuilt Dauphin, flew first at Marignane. The first pre-poduction EC155 B flew on 11 March 1998. The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) and the German Government Agencies (LBA) certification was awarded in December 1998 and the EC 155 got its single-pilot IFR certificate on 25 January 2000. The first three Eurocopter EC 155 Bs were officially handed over to the German Federal Ministry of the Interior / Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS) at the Bonn-Hangelaar base of the BGS on 16 March 1999. The EC155 B1 is a development of the EC155 B with more powerful engines and improved performance at high altitude and in hot temperature conditions. Deliveries of the EC 155B1 version began in September 2002. More than 170 EC155s have been sold. The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the EC155 helicopters is EC55. Since March 2015, Airbus Helicopters uses “H155” as marketing designation for EC155 helicopters.

As a result of the merger between the Eurocopter parents Aérospatiale-Matra; DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (DASA) and Construcciones Aeronàuticas Sociedad Anonima (CASA) in July 2000, the Eurocopter group became a division of the new formed EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space company). Taking off into 2014, EADS was rebranded as "Airbus Group". Uniting all its activities under a single brand, its helicopter division Eurocopter was rebranded as Airbus Helicopters on 8 January 2014.

In May 2000, Eurocopter France was permited to fly the 2000-built Eurocopter EC155 B s/n 6557 with test-registration F-WJFJ. In June 2000, registration F-GJFJ was allotted to Eurocopter France for the aircraft, but registration F-GJFJ was not taken up. The helicoptert was sold to Fireblade Investments Ltd. in South-Africa and delivered by the end of July 2000 to Air Hanson Engineering Ltd., Blackbushe, UK, for completion in a corporate vip configuration. At Air Hanson Engineering, the EC155 received a state of the art avionics system, and technology to allow various seat permutations: four or six club seats, and eight or 12 utility seats. On 3 October 2000, the Eurocopter EC155B was registered ZS-RLI in South-Africa with Fire Blade Investments Ltd., Marshalltown. In May 2007, Eurocopter EC155B ZS-RLI was ferried to Eurocopter Germany at Kassel-Calden via Milan and Stuttgart and offered for sale in Germany. Registration ZS-RLI was cancelled on 5 June 2007. Permit to fly issue for registration D-HLEW was given on 5 July 2007. The permit to fly issue was renewed on 17 September 2007. On 8 February 2008, the aircraft was seen at Kassel dual registered D-HLEW / VT-JUA as the aircraft should go to Jupiter Aviation & Logistics (JAL), Bangalore, India. Jupiter had signed a letter of intent with EADS for acquiring two Eurocopter EC155 helicopters to be used for fractional ownership and charter service venture. The sale fell through and EC155 B D-HLEW remained at the Eurocopter Germany facilities at Kassel-Calden. On 24 March 2010, Eurocopter EC155B D-HLEW was registered and transferred to Heli Aviation GmbH, Augsburg. In June 2010, EC155B Dauphin II D-HLEW was seen with large AVINCO titles during the ILA at Berlin-Schönefeld. At that time LGM Luftfahrt GmbH was given as operator. In July 2010, Heli Aviation GmbH, Wallerstein, began a co-operation with Northern HeliCopter GmbH, Emden, and EC155B D-HLEW entered service with NHC - Northern HeliCopter from Flugplatz Emden. As a result of the co-operation, Heli Aviation Gmbh acquired shares in Northern HeliCopter GmbH in August 2011. Registration D-HLEW was cancelled in January 2012 and Eurocopter EC155 B c/n 6557 was registered PH-EQR with Heli Holland Air Service B.V., Emmer-Compascuum, as holder, on 27 January 2012. Dauphin II PH-EQR was flown to Atyrau in Kazakhstan for offshore operations by Heli Holland Offshore in Kazakhstan until it was flown to Emmer-Compascuum for maintenance by Heli Holland Technics. On 16 June 2012, Eurocopter EC155 B PH-EQR landed for the first time at the Heli Holland heliport near Emmen after the delivery flight out of Kazakhstan. On 17 August 2012, registration PH-EQR was cancelled and the aircraft returned to Germany. On 23 August 2012, registration D-HOAT was reserved for the aircraft but ntu. On 16 November 2012, the EC155 B was restored to the German register as D-HLEW with NHC - Northern HeliCopter. On 28 April 2013, Eurocopter EC155 B Dauphin II D-HLEW was seen in back service with Heli Holland Offshore. On 24 May 2013, the EC155 B was restored to the Dutch register as PH-EQR with Heli Holland Aviation Service B.V., Emmer-Compascuum. On 8 August, the EC155 B flew back to Germany and registration PH-EQR was cancelled on 9 August 2013. Back in Germany, the Dauphin II was registered D-HAVY and is operated in Sudan by Heli Aviation on behalf of the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross).

►  aeroplanes index   helicopters index   EC120 - H120 productionlist   Micro Light Aeroplanes   European Airfields ◄