MBB Bo 105

what is it?

The Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo 105 is a light, twin-engine, multi-purpose helicopter developed by Bölkow of Ottobrunn, West Germany. It was the first light twin-engine helicopter in the world, and the first rotorcraft that could perform aerobatic maneuvers such as inverted loops. The Bo 105 features a hingeless rotor system, a pioneering innovation in helicopters when it was introduced into service in 1970.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 turboshaft engines · 9.8 m main rotor

base stats

• speed 242 km/htop speed
• range 657 kmwithout refuelling
• seats 4passengers
• size 2,500 kgmax take-off weight
• built 1,640made 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 59 years ago, in 1967.
• 🏎️Top speed is 1.9× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Rotor of 9.8 m: about 2 cars parked nose to tail.

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

spec sheet

first flight

1967-02-16

introduced

1970

status

still flying

number built

1,640

role

light utility helicopter

origin

West Germany

makers

Bölkow, Airbus Helicopters, Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm

engines

2× Allison 250-C20B

crew

1

passengers

4

length

11.9 m

rotor diameter

9.8 m

height

3 m

max take-off weight

2,500 kg

top speed

242 km/h

cruise speed

204 km/h

range

657 km

ceiling

5,182 m

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