Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma

The Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma Mk II+ is a long-range passenger transport helicopter developed by Eurocopter as the next generation in the civilian Super Puma family. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 24 passengers along with 2 crew and a cabin attendant, dependent on customer configuration. The helicopter is marketed for offshore support and VIP passenger transport duties, as well as public service missions.

Development
The EC225 development was announced by Eurocopter in June 1998, with the first prototype performing its maiden flight on 27 November 2000. It received safety certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency in July 2004.

Design
The EC225 is based on the Eurocopter AS332L2 Super Puma, improving upon the design with a five-blade main rotor incorporating a new airfoil shape to reduce vibration levels. The helicopter is powered by two Turbomeca Makila 2A1 turboshaft engines mounted over the cabin, which feature a dual-channel Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system and anti-icing system to enable it to operate in very cold climates. Other improvements include a reinforced main rotor gearbox and a full glass cockpit with Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Displays.

There are currently 4 configurations designed by Eurocopter for the EC225. The passenger transport version has seating arrangements for 19 passengers with a high-density seating arrangement accommodating up to 24 passengers. The VIP transport version has a large VIP lounge with seating for 8 passengers and a cabin attendant. The Emergency Medical Service (EMS) configuration has medical units for 6 stretchers and 4 seats for medical workers. Finally, the SAR configuration allows for Search & Rescue equipment with an operator seat, hoistman seat and up to 8 rescue seats and 3 stretchers.

Operational history
Algeria became the first country to use the EC225 when the Algerian Ministerial Air Liaisons Group (GLAM) received one in December 2004 for VIP transport duties.

Variants

 * EC225 LP
 * An improved variant of the AS332 L2.


 * EC225 Firefighting/SAR
 * EC225 with water bombing kits, FLIR, and all-weather radar for search, rescue, and firefighting operations.

Operators

 * Ministerial Air Liaisons Group
 * CHC Helicopter
 * Ministry of Transport
 * Citic Offshore Helicopter Co.
 * Guangdong Public Security Bureau
 * French Naval Aviation
 * Air Greenland (2 on order)
 * Japan Defense Agency
 * Japan Coast Guard
 * Tokyo Fire Department (2 on order)
 * MHS Aviation
 * CHC Norway
 * Republic of China Air Force
 * National Police Corps of Spain
 * Spanish Maritime Safety Agency
 * Bond Offshore Helicopters
 * Bristow Helicopters
 * Southern Flight Service Company
 * Vietnam People's Navy
 * CHC Norway
 * Republic of China Air Force
 * National Police Corps of Spain
 * Spanish Maritime Safety Agency
 * Bond Offshore Helicopters
 * Bristow Helicopters
 * Southern Flight Service Company
 * Vietnam People's Navy
 * Bristow Helicopters
 * Southern Flight Service Company
 * Vietnam People's Navy
 * Vietnam People's Navy

Competitions

 * EC225 is a candidate for the Norwegian All Weather Search and Rescue Helicopter (NAWSARH) that is planned to replace the Westland Sea King Mk.43B of the Royal Norwegian Air Force in 2015. The other candidates for the NAWSARH contract of 10-12 helicopters were AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin, Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, NHIndustries NH-90 and Sikorsky S-92, however the V-22 was eliminated from the competition in 2012. On july 9th 2013, the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police announced that it had eliminated the Sikorsky S-92 and the NHI NH-90 from the competition, leaving the AugustaWestland AW101 and the Eurocopter EC225/725 Super Puma. A contract is expected to be signed before the end of 2013.
 * The EC225 was also competing with Sikorsky S-92 to become the future UK Search and Rescue — Helicopter (SAR-H Programme)
 * The EC225 was also competing with Sikorsky S-92 to become the future UK Search and Rescue — Helicopter (SAR-H Programme)
 * The EC225 was also competing with Sikorsky S-92 to become the future UK Search and Rescue — Helicopter (SAR-H Programme)

Notable accidents and incidents

 * 18 February 2009. G-REDU, an EC225 LP operated by Bond Offshore Helicopters. During a night visual approach to the ETAP platform, the helicopter descended and impacted the surface of the sea. The crew’s perception of the position and orientation of the helicopter relative to the platform during the final approach was erroneous. All 18 people onboard survived the controlled flight into terrain (water).


 * 10 May 2012 The crew of the helicopter G-REDW an EC225 LP carried out a controlled ditching following indications of a failure of the main gearbox (MGB) lubrication system and, subsequently, a warning indicating failure of the emergency lubrication system. Subsequent investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has identified a 360° circumferential crack in the bevel gear vertical shaft in the main gearbox, in the vicinity of a manufacturing weld, causing disengagement of the drive to both mechanical oil pumps.


 * 22 October 2012. G-CHCN an EC225 LP of CHC Scotia ditched in the north sea 32 miles south west of Shetland whilst en route from Aberdeen to the West Phoenix drilling rig. All 19 on board were rescued. A special bulletin issued by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said the main and standby oil pumps were not working. The AAIB bulletin said a 360 degree crack was found on the bevel gear vertical shaft of the helicopter. This crack prevented the oil pump gears from being driven.

Following the 22 October crash, which initial investigation indicated was the result of a gearbox failure, the major North Sea Super Puma operators, CHC Helicopter, Bond Offshore Helicopters and Bristow Helicopters decided to ground all AS 332 and EC225 Super Puma helicopters.

In both incidents although the main gearbox lubrication system had failed, the backup system was working correctly but displaying an erroneous warning light which lead to the pilots ditching their helicopters. This was due to an incorrect specification of a pressure switch.

On 25 October 2012 it was announced that the problem was suspected to relate to the main gearbox vertical shaft. The AS 332 L1 and L2 versions of the Super Puma can be refitted with an older design, allowing them to resume flying. On 8 November 2012 some Super Pumas of Bond Offshore Helicopters began to fly again.