The twin engine variant of the AS350 first flew September 27, 1979. The AS355 Twin Squirrel variants were marketed in North America as the TwinStar.
From 1992 produced by Eurocopter and from 2014 by Airbus. Production ended in 2016
AS355 ecureuil 2 News |
Brazilian Navy Antarctic Logistics Campaign
04-May-20 - Brazilian Navy helicopter squadron HU-1 deployed, as every southern summer, two Helibras HB355 (Aerospatiale AS355F) for the logistics campaign in the Antarctica. These helicopters are being replaced by H135 #Antarctica
New Zealand Police Switch to Bell 429
09-Jan-19 - New Zealand Air Support Unit in Auckland City has chosen a new undisclosed contractor to provide the helicopter service from July 2019. Will replace current 2 AS355 with 3 Bell 429 at new base at Auckland Heliport in Onehunga #NZPolice
Aero Asahi AS355 Inspection by Vector Aerospace
31-May-16 - Vector Aerospace, a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider, will perform a Japan Aero Asahi AS355F2 12-year major inspection, including wiring, refurbishment and exterior paint Derivatives & Versions of AS355 ecureuil 2 |
| Model | Year | History |
|---|---|---|
| AS355E TwinStar 1979 | 1979 | Powered by 2 Allison 250-C20F turboshaft engines, uses single hydraulics |
| AS355F Ecureuil 2 1979 | 1979 | Powered by 2 Allison 250-C20F turboshaft engines, uses dual hydraulics |
| HB355F2 Esquilo 1982 | 1982 | Assembled in Brazil by Helibras |
| AS355F1 Ecureuil 2 1984 | 1984 | Powered by 2 Allison 250-C20F turboshaft engines, increased max weight by 100kg / 220lb |
| AS355F2 Ecureuil 2 1985 | 1985 | Powered by 2 Allison 250-C20F turboshaft engines, increased max weight further 50kg / 110lb |
| AS555AN Fennec 2 1987 | 1987 | French Air Force variant. From 1992 listed under Eurocopter AS555AN |
 EC AS355 Ecureuil 2 1992 | 1992 | Twin engine variant of Ecureuil. Military variants known as AS555 Fennec 2. For early airframes see Aerospatiale. From 2014 manufactured by Airb ... |
List of Operators of AS355 ecureuil 2 |
| Years | Model | Org | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982/91 | HB355F2 Esquilo |  Helibras | |||||
| 1982- |  Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie | ||||||
| 1984- |  Armée de l'Air | ||||||
| 1985- | HB355F2 Esquilo | Força Aérea Brasileira | |||||
| 1985- | Douane | ||||||
| 1985/10 |  National Grid | ||||||
| 1987- | HB355F2 Esquilo | Força Aeronaval da Marinha do Brasil | |||||
| 1987/12 | Western Power Distribution | ||||||
| 1988- | AS355F2 Ecureuil 2 |  Guardia Nacional de Venezuela | |||||
| 1989/19 |  New Zealand Police | ||||||
| 1989/?? | AS355E TwinStar | UK Air Ambulances | |||||
| 1990- | AS355F2 Ecureuil 2 |  Polis Diraja Malaysia | |||||
| 1993/06 | Royal Air Force | ||||||
| 1997/05 |  Kustwacht Nederland | ||||||
| 2000/03 | AS355F2 Ecureuil 2 | Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia | |||||
| 2005- |  Aviacion Naval Uruguaya | ||||||
| |  McDermott Aviation | ||||||
| UK Police Forces | |||||||
Global Distribution of AS355 ecureuil 2 |
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