The Aer Lualdi L.55 was a prototype Italian helicopter, a development of the Lualdi-Tassotti ES 53 featuring a far more powerful 134 kW (180 hp) Lycoming O-360. While the ES 53 had been purely experimental, the L.55 was Lualdi's first step towards a marketable aircraft.

The Aero Eli Servizi Yo-Yo 222 (sometimes written YoYo) is an Italian helicopter designed and produced by Aero Eli Servizi of L'Aquila. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.

The Yo-Yo 222 was initially designed for a higher gross weight of 495 kg (1,091 lb), but later versions were lightened to allow a gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb) to qualify under the European Class 6 microlight helicopter rules. The aircraft features a single main rotor and tail rotor, a two-seats-in side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, skid landing gear and an American-made four-cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke 172 hp (128 kW) Lycoming O-320 engine.

Greatly resembling the Robinson R22, reviewer Werner Pfaendler, describes it as "obviously the result of a close look at the world's bestselling two-seater helicopter, the R22."

For lightness the aircraft fuselage is made with extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer and fibreglass. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of 7.66 m (25.1 ft). The initial version of the aircraft has a typical empty weight of 322 kg (710 lb) and a gross weight of 495 kg (1,091 lb), giving a useful load of 173 kg (381 lb). With full fuel of 68 litres (15 imp gal; 18 US gal) the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage is 124 kg (273 lb).

The aircraft is supplied as complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

Some sources refer to the AK1-3 as the Sanka or San'ka while others do not.

The aircraft features a single main rotor with a tail rotor, a two-seats-in side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, skid-type landing gear and a four-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke, 156 hp (116 kW) Subaru EJ25 automotive engine.

The aircraft's 6.84 m (22.4 ft) diameter three-bladed Starflex rotor has a chord of 15 cm (5.9 in) and employs a unique torsion bar blade mounting that allows blade movement to produce pitch angle changes, flapping, as well as lead and lag. The main transmission consists of belt drives, with the tail rotor driven by a solid shaft. The aircraft has an empty weight of 380 kg (838 lb) and a gross weight of 650 kg (1,433 lb), giving a useful load of 270 kg (595 lb). With full fuel of 75 litres (16 imp gal; 20 US gal) the payload is 216 kg (476 lb).

In 2009 Aerokopter (DB Aercopters) was acquired by the Perla Group of companies Perla Aviation division, with the stated intention of moving the assembly line of the AK1-3 to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

By December 2020 the company reported 102 helicopters had been delivered.

Variants

Aerokopter ZA-6 San'ka
Original design forming the basis of the AK1, with a five-bladed main rotor and powered by a 119 kW (160 hp) Subaru EJ22 converted automobile engine.
Aerokopter AK1-5
A development prototype modified from a ZA-6 with a five-bladed main rotor. Registered as GL-0478 and displayed at the 2002 Kiev Manufacturing and Security Exhibition.
Aerokopter AK1-3
A second stage of development resulted in the AK1-3 with a three-bladed rotor, (also displayed incomplete at the 2002 Kiev exhibition). Other changes included a tailplane with end-plate fins and tail rotor transferred to the right side of the tail boom.

It was the first production helicopter powered by a gas turbine engine instead of the heavier conventional piston powerplant.

On 12 March 1955, the prototype SE 3130 performed its maiden flight. The Alouette II was a widely used type and popular with operators, with over 1,300 rotorcraft eventually being constructed between 1956 and 1975. The type was predominantly used for military purposes in observation, photography, air-sea rescue, liaison and training, but it has also carried anti-tank missiles and homing torpedoes. As a civilian helicopter, the Alouette II has been used for casualty evacuation (with two external stretcher panniers), crop-spraying and as a flying crane, with a 500-kilogram (1,100 lb) external underslung load.

A high-altitude derivative, the SA 315B Lama, was developed and entered operational service in July 1971. The Alouette II also was further developed into the larger and more powerful Alouette III. In 1975, production of the type was terminated, having been effectively succeeded by these newer rotorcraft. Despite it being long out of production, considerable numbers of Alouette II were still in service at the start of the 21st century.

For details of the development, design, operational history and variants of the Alouette II, click here.

During its production life, it proved to be a relatively popular rotorcraft; including multiple licensed manufacturers, in excess of 2,000 units were constructed.

The Alouette III was developed as an enlarged derivative of the earlier and highly successful Alouette II. Sharing many elements with its predecessor while offering an extra pair of seats and other refinements, it quickly became a commercial success amongst both civil and military customers. Further variants were also developed; amongst these was a high-altitude derivative, designated as the SA 315B Lama, entered operational service during July 1971. The Alouette III was principally manufactured by Aérospatiale; the type was also built under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in India as the HAL Chetak, by Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR) in Romania as the IAR 316 and F+W Emmen in Switzerland.

Similar to the Alouette II, in military service, it was used to perform missions such as aerial observation, photography, air-sea rescue, liaison, transport and training; it could also be armed with anti-tank missiles, anti-shipping torpedoes, and a fixed cannon.

For details of the development, operational history (including Australia), and variants, click here.

It is powered by a single Turbomeca Astazou turbine engine and was the first helicopter to feature a fenestron tail instead of a conventional tail rotor. It was designed by Sud Aviation, later Aérospatiale, and manufactured in France and the United Kingdom through a joint production agreement with Westland Aircraft. Further manufacturing under license was performed by SOKO in Yugoslavia and the Arab British Helicopter Company (ABHCO) in Egypt.

Since being introduced to service in 1973, the Gazelle has been procured and operated by a number of export customers. It has also participated in numerous conflicts around the world, including by Syria during the 1982 Lebanon War, by Rwanda during the Rwandan Civil War in the 1990s, and by numerous participants on both sides of the 1991 Gulf War. In French service, the Gazelle has been supplemented as an attack helicopter by the larger Eurocopter Tiger, but remains in use primarily as a scout helicopter.

For details of design, development, operational history and variants, click here.

The Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama is a French single-engined helicopter. It combines the lighter Aérospatiale Alouette II airframe with Alouette III components and powerplant. The Lama possesses exceptional high altitude performance.

The helicopters have been built under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in India, known as the Cheetah; HAL later developed an upgraded variant, powered by the Turbomeca TM 333-2M2 engine, which is known as the Cheetal. An armed version, marketed as the Lancer, was also produced by HAL. It was also built under licence by Helibras in Brazil as the Gavião.

The SA 315B Lama was originally designed to meet a Nepalese Army Air Service and Indian Air Force requirement for a rotorcraft capable of undertaking operations at hot and high conditions. Both countries possessed extreme mountain ranges in the form of the Himalayas in which even relatively powerful medium-sized helicopters could not be effectively operated within, thus there was an expressed desire for an aerial vehicle capable of operating in this challenging environment. To achieve the desired performance, Aerospatiale elected to combine elements of two existing popular helicopters in their inventory, the Aérospatiale Alouette II and the Aérospatiale Alouette III to produce a new rotorcraft specialised for high altitude performance. Specifically, the new helicopter, named Lama, was equipped with the Alouette III's Turbomeca Artouste turboshaft powerplant and its dynamic systems, and was furnished with a reinforced version of the Alouette II's airframe.

On 17 March 1969, the first SA 315B, powered by an Artouste IIB engine, undertook its maiden flight. On 30 September 1970, the type received its airworthiness certificate, and it was introduced to operational service in July 1971. Due to its favourable high altitude performance, the Lama quickly became popular with operators worldwide, often being deployed within mountainous environments. As with the Alouette series, the type can be fitted for various roles, such as light passenger transport, agricultural tasks, oil-and-gas exploration, aerial firefighting, and other specialised duties. The military variants of the Lama include liaison, observation, photography, air/sea rescue, transport and ambulance duties. The SA315B is particularly suited to mountainous areas due to its performance and can carry underslung loads of up to 1000 kg (2,205 lb). By December 1976, 191 Lamas had been ordered by 68 operators.

A large proportion of all SA 315B Lamas to be manufactured were produced under licence in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), under the name Cheetah. More than three decades after production in India began, HAL was still receiving export orders for the original Cheetah. Along with the Alouette III, the Cheetah was a key product for HAL; experience from manufacturing the type aided in the later development of more advanced indigenous helicopters such as the HAL Dhruv. During the 1990s, HAL developed an armed light attack helicopter based upon the Cheetah, which was given the name Lancer.

In 2006, HAL proposed a modernised variant to the Indian Army, designated as Cheetal, the principal change of which was the adoption of a modern, more powerful Turbomeca TM 333-2M2 powerplant in the place of the Artouste; HAL promoting the Cheetal's capabilities for operating in high altitude environments, such as the Siachen Glacier. Other improvements include new warning indicates, a cockpit voice recorder, flight monitoring system, artificial horizon, and modernised electronics. In 2006, an initial 10 Cheetals were ordered by the Indian Air Force. In February 2013, it was announced that the Indian and Nepalese Armies had signed a 300 crore (~US$55 million) contract for the urgent procurement of a further 20 Cheetals.

For operational history and 5 variants, click here.

The Agusta A109 was renamed the AW109 following the July 2000 merger of Finmeccanica S.p.A. and GKN plc's respective helicopter subsidiaries Agusta and Westland Helicopters to form AgustaWestland.

The rotorcraft had the distinction of being the first all-Italian helicopter to be mass-produced.

Developed as the A109 by Agusta, it originally entered service in 1976 and has since been used in various roles, including light transport, medevac, search-and-rescue, and military roles. The AW109 has been in continuous production for 40 years. The AgustaWestland AW119 is a derivative of the AW109, the main difference being that it is powered only by a single engine.

For full details of the A109 and its variants, Click here.

The AgustaWestland AW119 Koala, produced by Leonardo since 2016, is an eight-seat utility helicopter powered by a single turboshaft engine produced for the civil market. Introduced as the Agusta A119 Koala prior to the Agusta-Westland merger, it is targeted at operators favoring lower running costs of a single-engine aircraft over redundancy of a twin.

The AW119 is a single-engine multirole helicopter. AgustaWestland promote the type as possessing excellent flight qualities with high levels of controllability, maneuverability and inherent safety. The design of the rotorcraft is derived from Agusta's earlier and highly successful A109 helicopter, differing primarily by being equipped with a single engine (as the A109 was originally designed), a Pratt & Whitney PT6B-37A turboshaft engine, and using fixed skids in place of the A109's retractable wheeled landing gear arrangement. The AW119 shares the same cockpit and cabin of the AW109, along with commonality with various other systems, while costing roughly half of the latter's price tag. According to Flight International, the AW119 is competitively priced and provides good levels of accessibility, maintainability, comfort, noise levels, and speed.

The AW119 employs a four-bladed fully articulated main rotor; the composite rotor blades are designed to produce maximum lift with minimum noise, and feature tip caps to reduce noise and elastomeric bearings with no lubrication requirements. Aluminium honeycomb structural panels are used throughout the airframe, which absorb both noise and vibration, thus requiring no additional vibration absorption systems to be employed. The PT6B-37A powerplant of the AW119, located in the same area as the AW109's engines, is capable of providing high power margins along with generous speeds and endurance. According to AgustaWestland, the AW119 retains the system redundancy of dual engine helicopters, such as the hydraulics and the dual independent stability augmentation systems. The gearbox has a 30-minute dry run capability. US FAA certification was awarded in February the following year. Customer deliveries began soon thereafter, the first commercial example was delivered to Australian logistics company Linfox (serial 14007, registration VH-FOX). The AW119 is also operated by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. and the NRMA Careflight.

For more information on the design,development,operational history and variants, click here.

It is marketed at several different roles, including VIP/corporate transport, offshore transport, fire fighting, law enforcement, search and rescue, emergency medical service, disaster relief, and maritime patrol. In addition to AgustaWestland's manufacturing facilities in Italy and the United States, the AW139 is produced in Russia by HeliVert, a joint venture between AgustaWestland and Russian Helicopters.

The AW139 was originally designed and developed jointly by Agusta and Bell Helicopters and marketed as the Agusta-Bell AB139, being redesignated AW139 when Bell withdrew from the project. Since entering service in 2003, the AW139 has become one of AgustaWestland's most influential products; it has been subsequently developed into the enlarged medium-lift military-orientated AW149.

The AW139 is a conventional twin-engine multi-role helicopter. It has a five-bladed fully articulated main rotor with a titanium hub and composite blades and a four-bladed articulated tail rotor. It is fitted with retractable tricycle landing gear, the two aft wheels retracting into external sponsons which are also used to house emergency equipment. It is flown by a crew of two pilots, with up to 15 passengers accommodated in three rows of five. The AW139 had been aimed at a vacant niche in the market, sitting below larger types such as the Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma and Sikorsky S-92, and above smaller ones like the Bell 412 and Eurocopter EC155. Rotor & Wing has described the AW139's flying attitude as 'docile and predictable'.

For more details of the development, design, operational histpry and eight variants, click here.

The AgustaWestland AW189 is a twin-engined, medium-lift helicopter manufactured by Leonardo S.p.A. (formerly AgustaWestland, merged into Leonardo-Finmeccanica since 2016). It is derived from the AW149, and shares similarities with the AW139 and AW169.

On 20 June 2011, development of the eight-tonne twin-engine AW189 was formally announced by AgustaWestland at the Paris International Air Show; at the time, the company planned to have the new rotorcraft certified by 2013 and in service in 2014. The AW189 is a civil-orientated version of the military AW149, which in turn is an enlarged development of the AW139; in 2011, AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini stated that: "The AW139 and the AW189 are two very different aircraft but they both share the same general concept in architecture". AgustaWestland stated it aimed to sell the AW189 for offshore helicopter support, search and rescue (SAR), and passenger transport roles.

The AW189 is a medium-sized twin-engined helicopter with a five-bladed fully articulated main rotor, a four-bladed tail rotor and a retractable tricycle landing gear. It is powered by two General Electric CT7-2E1 turboshaft engines. AgustaWestland refer to the AW189 as being a "super-medium class" helicopter, emphasizing its suitability for long-range operations. During development, the AW189 was designed to comply with the latest international regulatory safety requirements EASA/FAA Part 29, JAR OPS 3/EU-OPS. Of particular importance to the type's use for offshore operations, such as search and rescue and services to the oil and gas industries, the main gearbox has been designed to provide for a 50-minute run-dry capacity, in excess of requirements and a unique feature to the AW189. Aspects of the AW189 are deliberately similar to the AW139 and AW169; these helicopters share similar flight performance characteristics, safety features, and design philosophies. Areas of the aircraft's operation, such as maintenance and the layout of the cockpit, also continue this concept, which reportedly makes operations more cost effective.

The cockpit features high levels of external visibility and advanced situational awareness technologies, and is designed to reduce crew workload and enhance safety. Avionics on the AW189 are fully integrated and include four color LCD panels, a four-axis dual-duplex digital automatic flight control system, autopilot, search/weather radar, cockpit voice recorder, flight data recorder, night vision goggle-compatibility, health and usage monitoring system, moving map system, SATCOM, synthetic vision system, emergency locator system, helicopter terrain avoidance system (HTAWS), traffic collision avoidance system II (TCAS II), direction finder, forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera, and VHF/UHF radio. The avionics were designed to use an open architecture, making customer-specified upgrades and additions easier and enabling additional options.

Dependent on the configuration, the AW189's cabin can accommodate up to 19 passengers and two crew members on crashworthy seats. According to AgustaWestland, the AW189 possesses the largest cabin in its class, which is accessed via large sliding doors on either side of the fuselage; a separate externally accessed baggage compartment is also present.

For more details of development, design and operational history, click here.

 It is capable of landing vertically like a helicopter while having a range and speed in excess of conventional rotorcraft. The AW609 is aimed at the civil aviation market, in particular VIP customers and offshore oil and gas operators.

The AW609 is a tiltrotor aircraft capable of performing vertical landings whereas conventional fixed-wing aircraft cannot, allowing the type to serve locations such as heliports or very small airports, while possessing twice the speed and the range of any available helicopter. AgustaWestland promotes the type as "...combining the benefits of a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft into one aircraft". The AW609 appears to be outwardly similar to the military-orientated V-22 Osprey; however, the two aircraft share few components. Unlike the V-22, the AW609 has a pressurised cabin. As of 2013, multiple cabin configurations have been projected, including a standard nine-passenger layout, a six-to-seven-passenger VIP/executive cabin, and a search and rescue model featuring a hoist/basket and four single seats; medevac and patrol/surveillance-orientated variants has also been proposed. For increased passenger comfort, the cabin is both pressurised and equipped with soundproofing. Access to the cabin is via a 35-inch-wide (89 cm), two-piece clamshell door center-set into the fuselage underneath the wings.

The AW609 is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67A turboshaft engines, which each drive a three-bladed proprotor. These engines possess roughly twice the horsepower of the similarly sized AgustaWestland AW169 helicopter. Both of the engine and proprotor pairs are mounted on a load-bearing rotatable pylon at the wing's ends, allowing the proprotors to be positioned at various angles. In helicopter mode, the proprotors can be positioned between a 75- and 95-degree angle from the horizontal, with 87 degrees being the typical selection for hovering vertically. In airplane mode, the proprotors are rotated forward and locked in position at a zero-degree angle, spinning at 84% RPM. The flight control software reportedly handles much of the complexity of the transitioning between helicopter and airplane modes; automated systems also serve to guide pilots to the correct tilt angle and air speed settings.

When flying in airplane mode, the majority of lift is produced by the AW609's wings, which are slightly forward-swept. Both the wing and the main fuselage are made largely of composite materials. The 34-foot-long (10 m) wings feature flaperon control surfaces which are normally automatically controlled; in vertical flight, the flaperons drop to a 66-degree downwards angle to reduce the wing area being encountered by downwash from the proprotors. A high-mounted rudderless vertical stabiliser is attached the rear of the fuselage to stabilise flight while in aircraft mode.

Bristow Helicopters intends to order 10 or more. Michael Bloomberg, the U.S. billionaire businessman and politician, is "near the top" of the list of buyers who have put a deposit down on the AW609 tiltrotor aircraft.

To read more about the origins and devvelopment of the AW609, click here.

Developed as a joint venture between Westland Aircraft in the UK and Agusta in Italy (now merged as Leonardo), the CH-149 is a medium-lift helicopter for military applications.

The Canadian government placed a C$4.4 billion order in 1987 for 48 (later 42) EH101s to replace the Canadian Forces's Sikorsky CH-124 Sea Kings and Boeing Vertol CH-113 Labradors. These were to be assembled in Canada under the designations CH-148 Petrel (33 originally, reduced to 28) and CH-149 Chimo (15) in the anti-submarine warfare and air-sea rescue roles respectively. The replacement programme was cancelled, however, after a change of government in 1993, leading to the payment of $157.8 million in cancellation penalties.

In 1998, the Canadian government announced that the CH-113s would now be replaced by a new scaled down search-and-rescue variant of the EH101, carrying the designation CH-149 Cormorant. Unlike the Petrel/Chimo contract, these 15 aircraft were to be built entirely in Europe. The first two aircraft arrived in Canada in September 2001 and entered service the following year.

When it became obvious that the Sea Kings were in need of immediate replacement, the EH101 was again part of a Canadian competition (Maritime Helicopter Project), against a variant of the Sikorsky H-92, for a total price tag of C$5 billion. The Sikorsky entry won the competition on July 23, 2004, with the first six delivered June 2015.

For more information, click here.

The Air & Space 18A is a gyroplane that was manufactured in the central United States between 1965 and 2000.

The Air & Space 18A is one of the last three gyroplanes issued a Standard Airworthiness Certificate (September 1961) by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Raymond E. Umbaugh, a manufacturer of agricultural fertilizer, founded Umbaugh Aircraft Corporation in Ocala, Florida, in 1957 to develop a gyroplane based on experience he acquired while modifying single-seat Bensen Gyrocopters. Gilbert Devore commenced the design of Umbaugh's tandem two-seat jump-takeoff gyroplane in 1958, basing the rotor system on that of the Sznycer Omega BS-12 helicopter. The prototype Umbaugh U-17, built by Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation of Hagerstown, Maryland, flew in August 1959. Further test flights were conducted by chief pilot Ken Hayden and former Pitcairn Autogiro Company pilot Slim Soule. The majority of the testing of the aircraft was done at Bartow Air Base in Bartow, Fl. The prototype exhibited stability problems due to its single rudder and minimal T-tail horizontal stabilizer positioned on a boom behind the pusher propeller. The second prototype, named Umbaugh U-18, was fitted with a V-tail which also proved inadequate. The third empennage tested, also unsuccessfully, was a T-tail with two large vertical end plates on the horizontal tail plane. Sufficient stability was finally achieved by the use of two fixed vertical fins with a centrally mounted all-flying rudder, all mounted on a horizontal stabilizer. Umbaugh had by this time concluded an agreement for Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation to undertake final development and mass production of the U-18 as the “Flymobil.”

Fairchild built five development gyroplanes during 1960, one of which was used to gain FAA Approved Type Certificate 1H17 in September 1961. Umbaugh established a large network of dealers and distributors in the United States, upon whom he imposed minimum sales quotas to generate a large order backlog, but he experienced difficulty filling the orders due to inadequate manufacturing capability at Fairchild. Under pressure from the dealers, Umbaugh Aircraft Corporation ceased operations in 1962 and the agreement with Fairchild was terminated.

The 18A is a metal semi-monocoque construction with a tube frame supporting the transmission and engine. It has an enclosed cockpit with two tandem seats and a fixed tricycle landing gear. A 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming O-360-A1D horizontally opposed carbureted engine is fitted behind the cockpit driving a two or three-bladed Hartzell pusher propeller. A three-bladed fully articulated rotor is mounted above and behind the cockpit. A hydraulically actuated clutch and a transmission are provided to permit the engine to drive the rotor briefly while on the ground to obtain the rotor speed necessary for takeoff. The clutch is released immediately prior to takeoff, and the rotor is not engine-driven in flight. The rotor can be pre-spun up to 370 rpm on the ground with the blades in flat pitch to store energy for take-off (flight rpm typically being in the low 200s). When the blades are released to flight pitch the aircraft can perform a "jump" or zero-roll take-off (aircraft load and density altitude permitting) using the excess energy in the blades.

Click here for Youtube video of a Jump Takeoff in the 18A

The Airbus Helicopters H140 is a light twin-engine utility helicopter developed by Airbus Helicopters. Formally launched at VERTICON in Dallas, Texas on 11 March 2025, it is intended primarily as a medical helicopter. It is planned to enter service in 2028.

The Airbus Helicopters H140 was publicly unveiled in March 2025. 

The H140 incorporates several design elements from the Airbus Helicopters fleet, including a fenestron tail rotor, a five-blade bearingless main rotor, Helionix avionics with a four-axis autopilot, dual-channel FADEC and a rear clamshell door for patient and cargo loading. A notable addition is a T-tail-shaped tail boom, which Airbus claims provides 80 kg of additional lift in forward flight compared to the H135 and was first used on the Airbus Bluecopter Demonstrator.

The H140 is powered by dual Safran Arrius 2E engines, a variant of those used in the H135, producing a combined output of 1,400 shp—approximately 6% more power than the H135 T3. Airbus has identified helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) as the primary market for the H140, citing improvements in cabin vibration and noise reduction due to the new rotor system.

Additional features include built-in medical lighting in the cabin roof and an increase of approximately 1 cubic meter in cabin space compared to the H135. The tail boom has been raised slightly from the H135. at the rear, providing improved access to the rear doors for patient and cargo loading, as well as increased ground clearance for the fenestron, enhancing operational safety.

No performance spec yet on Airbus website.

The Airbus Helicopters H145 (formerly Eurocopter EC145) is a twin-engine light utility helicopter developed and manufactured by Airbus Helicopters. Originally designated as the BK 117, the H145 is based upon the MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 C1, which became a part of the combined Eurocopter line-up in 1992 with the merger of Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm's helicopter division of Daimler-Benz into Eurocopter. The helicopter was initially named EC145; an updated version, EC145 T2, was renamed H145 in 2015. The helicopter was significantly updated in the 2020s with first a fenestron replacing the traditional tail rotor, followed later by a 5-blade main rotor head.

The H145 is a twin-engine aircraft and can carry up to nine passengers along with two crew, depending on customer configuration. The helicopter is marketed for passenger transport, corporate transport, emergency medical services (EMS), search and rescue, parapublic and utility roles.

Military variants of the helicopter have also been produced under various designations, such as H145M or UH-72, and have been used for training, logistics, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, light attack, and troop-transport operations. Noted military users in terms of numbers include the United States which operates nearly 500 with National Guard, and Germany where it is used for SAR, Special Operations, and more.

Over 1600 of the H145 family had been produced by June 2023.

The EC145 features a larger cabin space than the older BK 117 C1 helicopter with internal space increased by 46 cm (18 in) in length and 13 cm (5 in) in width, increasing cabin volume by 1.0 m3 (35 cu ft) to 6.0 m3 (210 cu ft). Other improvements over the BK 117 include an increased maximum take-off weight and greater range, achieved partially by the adoption of composite rotor blades, which were derived from the smaller EC135. The EC145 has a hingeless rotor system with a monolithic titanium hub; the helicopter was originally powered by a pair of Turboméca Arriel 1E2 turboshaft engines, later aircraft are powered by the upgraded Turboméca Arriel 2E engine. A key feature of the rotorcraft is the variable rotorspeed and torque matching system (VARTOMS), derived from the BK 117, which Eurocopter has attributed as making the EC145 "the quietest helicopter in its class".

For more details of development, design, operational history and 13 variants, click here. 

The Airbus Helicopters H160 (formerly X4) is a medium utility helicopter developed by Airbus Helicopters. Formally launched at Heli-Expo in Orlando, Florida on 3 March 2015, it is intended to replace the AS365 and EC155 models in the firm's lineup. In June 2015, the first test flight took place. It received its EASA type certification in July 2020, and first deliveries were in December 2021.

The Airbus Helicopters H160 was first revealed to the public in 2011, at which point it was referred to by company representatives by the designation X4—a designation which implied it to be a follow-on from the Eurocopter X3, a high-speed hybrid helicopter technology demonstrator. Speaking in early 2011, Eurocopter (later renamed as Airbus Helicopters) chief Lutz Bertling declared that the X4 would be a "game changer", contrasting significance of the innovations it would feature with Airbus' development of fly-by-wire controls. Early features alluded to include Blue Edge active tracking rotor blades, advanced pilot assistance functionality, and reduced vibration to "near-jet" levels of smoothness.[2] The X4 was also described as having a "radically different" cockpit, Bertling stating that "The cockpit as we know it today will not be there". It was also announced that the X4 would be introduced in two stages: an interim model in 2017 with some of the advanced features absent, and a more advanced model following in 2020.

The development program for the X4 cost €1 billion ($1.12 billion). Cutting-edge features, including proposed highly advanced control systems, were toned down or eliminated as too risky or costly. On 3 March 2015, the X4 was formally unveiled under the H160 designation. It has been marketed as a successor to the company's existing Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin and competes with the AgustaWestland AW139, Sikorsky S-76, and Bell 412; Guillaume Faury, Airbus Helicopters Chief Executive, referred to the H160 as being "the AW139 killer". The H160 began Airbus Helicopter's re-branded naming convention; starting 1 January 2016, helicopters in the same range shall bear the 'H' designation, resembling how Airbus names their commercial aircraft.

The Airbus Helicopters H160 takes advantage of several advanced manufacturing technologies and materials in order to produce a lighter, more efficient design. One weight-saving measure was the replacement of conventional hydraulic landing gear and brakes with electrical counterparts, the first helicopter in the world to do so; according to Airbus the elimination of hydraulic components makes the rotorcraft both lighter and safer. In 2015, Airbus claimed that the all-composite H160 would deliver the same basic performance as the rival AgustaWestland AW139 while being 1 tonne lighter, having a lower fuel consumption and offering 15–20% lower direct operating costs. The composite fuselage also provided for greater design freedom of the rotorcraft's external styling. During the aircraft's development features such as full de-icing equipment and a fly-by-wire control system were deemed too heavy or costly for the benefits they would deliver and were eliminated.

The H160 is the first rotorcraft to feature the Blue Edge main rotor. The main rotor has five blades which incorporate a double-swept shape that reduces the generation of blade–tip vortices. The resulting reduction in Blade-vortex interactions, a phenomenon which occurs when the blade impacts a vortex created at its tip, allows for a 3–4 dB noise reduction and raises the effective payload by 100 kg (220 lb) compared with a scaled Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin rotor design. The main rotor is also tilted 4° forward to reduce excessive pitching in forward flight and 2° to the right to compensate for translating tendency from the tail rotor's thrust. Aerodynamic innovations include a biplane tailplane stabiliser for greater low speed stability, and a quieter canted fenestron which combined produce an extra 80 kg of lift. The H160 is the first civilian helicopter to utilise a canted fenestron anti-torque tail rotor. The H160 will be powered by two Safran Arrano turboshaft engines; a second engine, the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210E, was to be offered as an alternative option, but this was eliminated due to insufficient power output and to reduce design complexity. A redundant backup for the gearbox lubrication system enables in excess of five hours of flight following a primary failure without causing mechanical damage.

For more details of desvelopment, design, flight testing and variants, click here.

In China, the H175 is produced by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) as the Avicopter AC352. Originally launched as the Eurocopter EC175 and the Harbin Z-15, it has been referred to as being a 'super-medium' helicopter.

Airbus Helicopters-built H175s are powered by two 1,325 kW (1,775 shp) class, Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC)-equipped Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67E turboshaft engines, which provide for a 5,000-hour time between overhaul (TBO) and on-condition maintenance.

The H175 is built for civilian and parapublic applications, its primary markets being support of the oil and gas industry and search and rescue missions. Other applicable roles include parapublic operations, homeland security, air medical services, utility missions and corporate transportation.

For more details, click here.

The Alpi Syton AH 130 is an Italian helicopter that was developed from the RotorWay Exec and is produced by Alpi Aviation of Pordenone.

The RotorWay Exec was developed into a turbine-powered version in 1996 by AvioTecnica of Italy and marketed as the AvioTecnica ES-101 Raven. In 2008 the Raven design was acquired by Alpi and further developed.

The AH 130 externally resembles the RotorWay Exec. It features a single main rotor, a two-seats-in side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, skid-type landing gear and a 130 hp (97 kW) Solar T62 auxiliary power unit employed as a turboshaft engine. Its 7.63 m (25.0 ft) diameter two-bladed rotor has a chord of 20 cm (7.9 in). The aircraft has an empty weight of 290 kg (639 lb) and a gross weight of 580 kg (1,279 lb), giving a useful load of 290 kg (639 lb). With full fuel of 90 litres (20 imp gal; 24 US gal) the payload is 225 kg (496 lb).

The American Sportscopter Ultrasport 496 is an American helicopter that was designed and produced by American Sportscopter of Newport News, Virginia. Now out of production, when it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

The Ultrasport 496 is a two-seat trainer development of the Ultrasport 254 and, like that model, is named for its empty weight in pounds. The aircraft was designed to comply with the US Experimental - Amateur-built aircraft rules. It could also have been registered as a FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules exemption trainer. It features a single main rotor, a two-seats in side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit with optional doors, skid-type landing gear and a four-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air-cooled, two-stroke, dual-ignition 95 hp (71 kW) Hirth F-30 engine.

The aircraft fuselage is made from composites. Its 23.00 ft (7.0 m) diameter two-bladed rotor employs an ATI 012 (VR-7 mod) airfoil at the blade root, transitioning to an ATI 008 (VR-7 mod) airfoil at the tip. The dual controls include cyclic controls mounted from the cockpit ceiling, but are otherwise conventional. The tail rotor is ring-mounted and the horizontal tailplane mounts end-fins for directional stability. A ballistic parachute was a factory option.

The aircraft has an empty weight of 495 lb (225 kg) and a gross weight of 1,085 lb (492 kg), giving a useful load of 590 lb (268 kg). With full fuel of 16 U.S. gallons (61 L; 13 imp gal) the payload for crew and baggage is 494 lb (224 kg).

The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 60 hours.

In June 2014 one example was registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration, although a total of seven had been registered at one time.

It was introduced at the 2011 Aero show in Friedrichshafen. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

The Cavalon is a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration development of the tandem-seating AutoGyro Calidus. It features a single main rotor, an enclosed cockpit with a complete aerodynamic cockpit fairing, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants and a four-cylinder, air and liquid-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912 engine or turbocharged 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 or 135 hp (101 kW) Rotax 915iS engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft fuselage is made from composites and is a faired teardrop shape to ensure smooth airflow over the variable pitch pusher propeller. Its 8.4 m (27.6 ft) diameter rotor has a chord of 20 cm (7.9 in). The aircraft has a gross weight of 450 kg (990 lb). The design incorporates vibration dampers that greatly reduce the level of main rotor vibration transmitted to the cockpit.

The design was developed into the AutoGyro eCavalon electric aircraft in 2013.

By October 2019, 50 examples had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration, all of them in the Experimental - Amateur-built category.

The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

The MT-03 was approved in the United Kingdom in 2007 in a modified form as the RotorSport UK MT-03.

The MT-03 features a single main rotor, a two-seats in tandem open cockpit with an optional partial cockpit fairing, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants and a four-cylinder, air and liquid-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912 engine or turbocharged 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft fairing is made from composites. Its 8.4 m (27.6 ft) diameter rotor has a chord of 20 cm (7.9 in). The aircraft has an empty weight of 245 kg (540 lb) and a gross weight of 450 kg (990 lb), giving a useful load of 205 kg (452 lb).

The MT-03 was developed into the MTOsport and the fully enclosed AutoGyro Calidus.

The MT-03 was flown on a world record-setting distance flight in Australia of 1,263 km (785 mi).

An AutoGyro MT-03 was used by Norman Surplus in his nine-year global circumnavigation that ended in 2019; the first to be done in an autogyro.

Variants.

AutoGyro MT-03
Base model for the European and North American market. No longer in production.
RotorSport UK MT-03
Modified model for the United Kingdom market, imported assembled and modified by RotorSport UK.
AutoGyro MTOsport
Improved model for the European and North American market. This model offers a choice of three different rotor systems, two different propellers, two engine choices (Rotax 912S or 914) and floats.
AutoGyro MT0-Free
Version of the MTOsport, with no cockpit fairing fitted. This leaves the pilot out in the open air and has the benefit of eliminating the need for rudder input when turning, as the fairing acts as a destabilizer.

The Avicopter AC313 (also known as the Changhe Z-8F-100) is a civilian helicopter built by Avicopter (AVIC Helicopter Company). It is a development of the earlier Harbin Z-8, itself a locally produced version of the Aerospatiale Super Frelon.

The AC313 is an updated design based on the earlier Harbin Z-8, itself a development of the Aérospatiale Super Frelon. The prototype first flew at Jingdezhen, Jiangxi on 18 March 2010. It is designed to carry 18 passengers, has a reported maximum range of 1,050 kilometres, and a maximum takeoff weight of 13 tonnes.

It is equipped with three Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-67A engines, the AC313 is a single-rotor helicopter with tail rotors, side-by-side pilot seating, and a non-retractable landing gear. Although based on a 1960s design, the AC313 has been developed to use composite materials for the rotor blade and titanium main rotor. Composite materials are used on 50% of the helicopter and titanium is used for the remainder. The interior comes equipped with a modern integrated digital avionics system and has a cabin height of 1.83 m and 23.5 m3 in space. Designed to carry 27 passengers and two crew in the transport role, it has also been designed to be used for VIP transport, medical evacuations, and for search and rescue operations. In terms of cargo, it can carry up to 4 tonne internally or 5 tonnes on a sling. AC313 is equipped with electronic flight instrument system.

The AC313 is only the second helicopter to be able to operate in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, first being Sikorsky S-70C Black Hawk. The flight testing period for the 13-tonne AC313 was conducted in Hulunbuir City, Inner Mongolia, starting in January where it was tested to operate in extremely low temperatures as low as minus 46C marking the scope of Asia's largest tonnage helicopter meeting the mission requirements of the cold climate and the Earth's polar regions. The helicopter also set its speed record of 336 km per hour during the testing period. The AC313 became the first China-made aircraft authorized by China's civil aviation authority in January to fly in high-altitude regions of over 4,500 meters above the sea level.

The AC313 has recently received a Type Certificate issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

Following Chinese certification, the first five AC313 are to be delivered to Flying Dragon Special Aviation, in 2011, but no aircraft have been delivered yet. Avicopter has plans to certify the AC313 for sales in Europe and the United States. Xu Chaoliang, the chief designer of the helicopter, said the company has so far received 32 orders from national and international customers.

Equipped with advanced instrument landing system, the helicopter can be used for disaster relief even in blizzard weather in plateau regions.

CAIH, a wholly owned subsidiary of the China Aviation Industry Corp, is expected to produce 300 helicopters annually by 2015, making it one of the major helicopter suppliers in the world. Headquartered in Tianjin, the company is mainly engaged in the research and development, production, maintenance and sales of helicopters and other aircraft and aviation components.

Variants

AC313
Commercial helicopter model derived from Changhe Z-8F.
AC313A
Improved AC313 with significant structural redesign, with enlarged internal load area similar to that of Changhe Z-8L. Maiden flight on 17 May 2022.

Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, it was not selected by the Army. Bell redesigned the airframe and successfully marketed the aircraft commercially as the five-place Bell 206A JetRanger. The 206B had an upgraded Allison 250-C20 engine. The new design was eventually selected by the Army as the OH-58 Kiowa. Bell also developed a seven-place LongRanger, which was later offered with a twin-engined option as the TwinRanger.

For details of the development and variants, click here.