EC135 - how good is it, really?

[Jackonicko]

The EC135 is claimed to be Eurocopter's top seller and the best-selling light twin-engined helicopter worldwide.

Why is that?

What do those who have flown it think?

Have EC sorted the 'patchy' support that has handicapped some of the company's other platforms?

[Helinut]

It rather depends what you want to do with your light twin hele, which makes certain characteristics more important than others. Horses for courses really. If you look at most of them, they are used in the police, paramilitary and HEMS role. Relatively few are used for public transport/corporate, although some are.
To answer your specific question about why it has sold so well, I think that it has been carefully focussed at the multi-unit market where major nations buy them in bulk for state operations. However, they probably have to cut the price for large orders.
The cabin layout is particularly suitable for the parapublic role - less so for comfy VIP transport. The ride is not wonderful in the back (it is much better with the autopilot fitted) when compared with other ships, for example the AS355. The rigid rotorhead is a limiting factor in that respect but has other advantages.
My experience wouldn't really support the "bad support" argument for the 135. I am not saying they or the support are perfect, but they compare favourably with much of the competition. No helicopter manufacturer provides support that even appraches that provided by a car manufacturer, for example.
The 135 did have problems in the early years - IMO, because EC is large and government backed, and because they sold so many, EC has been able to invest in fixes. By comparison with some other competitors, it is well sorted and most of the post-production development inevitably associated with civil helicopters has now been completed.
I personally like the glass cockpit and autopilot - a great help for SPIFR. However, it is my first experience of this generation of helicopter, so others may be as good.

[Jackonicko]

Many thanks, H'nut,

I'm familiar with the advantages of the rigid rotor when fitted to the Bo105, but is the 135 anything like as agile?

Presumably the fenestron makes the cabin quiet for those in the back?

[Helinut]

I very rarely sit in the back :) , so I may not be the best person to give views about that. I think though that the beneficial effects of the MODERN fenestron are felt/heard mainly by those outside rather than in the helicopter.
In the cruise, the external noise from an EC135 is pretty good for a hele. It does get noisier in the OGE hover/slow orbit/ or descent though. On a noise basis I imagine that overall the MD 900/902 has the EC135 beaten..........

[Jackonicko]

and how about the rigid rotor, H'nut?

[MightyGem]

Well, we have no complaints with ours. Availability/serviceability is up in the high 90%s. Spares via McAlpines/EC have never really been a problem. I can't really recall us being gounded for more than a day or two on possibly two occasions over 5 years. Servicing costs are getting cheaper as servicings are now only every 400/800 hours, apart from a few 100hr checks, and EC are looking at doing away with the 400.

[Brilliant Stuff]

From the pilot point of view the T2 is a dream to fly since it's so benign and save thanks to all that power and duplicate systems. For corporate it's a bit rough with that rigid rotorhead but I know of one former owner who was reluctant to let his go.
But this is only the 4ht type I have been flying seriously so my experience is a bit limited. All I can say converting onto the EC135 is not as mind boggeling as one would expect due to it's "simplicity".

Ours is on it's thrid gearbox though two went because of input driveshaft metal entering the box. I think that is what it was. In any case we found metal shavings in the MGB oil. We have also had a great number of ARIS pods fail on us but this has been resolved now.