Aerospatiale AS-355 Ecureuil 2
The Aerospatiale (later Eurocopter) AS355 Ecureuil 2, marketed in North America as the TwinStar, is the twin-engine derivative of the single-engine AS350 Ecureuil, sharing its Starflex rotor hub and composite main rotor blades but adding two smaller turboshafts for extra safety margin over water, mountains and urban areas. First flown in September 1979, later AS355N models were re-engined with Turbomeca Arrius powerplants for improved single-engine performance. Its twin-engine layout distinguishes it from the far more numerous single-engine AS350, making it a common choice for police, EMS and offshore operators requiring engine-out redundancy.
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Did you know?
The twin-engine Ecureuil, with two turboshafts where the far more numerous single-engine AS350 has one, a common police and EMS choice.
Specifications
| Length | 10.9 m (36 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 3.3 m (11 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 10.7 m (35 ft) |
| Persons on board | 6 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 2.6 t |
| Range | 335 NM (620 km) |
| Maximum speed | 140 kt (259 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 18,000 ft (5,486 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 11,000 ft (3,353 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,300 ft/min (6.6 m/s) |
| Fuel capacity | 730 l |
| Engines | 1x Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
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