I’m wondering why Airbus Helicopters formerly Eurocopter formerly Aerospatiale hasn’t fully developed the H120 formerly EC120b?
AFAIK the H120/EC120 was envisioned to replace the Gazelle and Squirrel although it seems to have stopped short of replacing the H125/AS350 variants. Is there any particular reason for this? If an operator seeks more useful load or hot and high flexibility they’re stuck with a Squirrel, not saying stuck in a bad way necessarily but seemingly less technologically advanced.
There aren’t even options such as fixed floats, spray, fire suppression, hi-pressure cleaning systems available for the Colibri. Is it a lack of power, fuselage strength integrity, tail rotor authority, what? With its smaller footprint and fenestron you would think it an extremely popular alternative to replace the venerable Squirrel but yet it has not. Of course there’s the H130 which is certainly larger and more powerful and utterly hideous from the front with the operative word being “larger”. Would it not be possible to use the more powerful Arriel in the Colibri?
The H120 is a very good looking ship although I personally think it needs the option of two sliding rear doors instead of just the left/port side. I believe it could seriously affect the sales of JetRanger's, MD500’s, R44/66’s etc if Airbus made it more competitive on the utility end of the spectrum. Perhaps the Colibri was only designed to be an entry level single turbine for training, LE and transport purposes???