Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin

what is it?

The Eurocopter, later Airbus Helicopters AS365 Dauphin, originally known as the Aérospatiale SA 365 Dauphin 2, is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter produced by Airbus Helicopters. It was originally developed and manufactured by French firm Aérospatiale, which was merged into the multinational Eurocopter company during the 1990s, and since 2014 Eurocopter was renamed Airbus Helicopters. Since entering production in 1975, the type has been in continuous production for more than 40 years, with the last delivery in 2021.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 turboshaft engines · 11.9 m main rotor

base stats

• speed 306 km/htop speed
• seats 12passengers
• size 4,300 kgmax take-off weight
• built 1,098made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 51 years ago, in 1975.
• 🏎️Top speed is 2.4× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Rotor of 11.9 m: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.

turboshaft: A turbine that turns a shaft, usually a helicopter rotor.

spec sheet

first flight

1975-01-24

introduced

1989

status

still flying

number built

1,098

role

medium utility helicopter

origin

🇫🇷 France

makers

Airbus Helicopters

engines

2× Turboméca Arriel 2C

crew

1

passengers

12

length

13.7 m

rotor diameter

11.9 m

height

4.1 m

max take-off weight

4,300 kg

top speed

306 km/h

range

—

ceiling

5,865 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

family