Rotorcraft Nicknames

[Whimlew]

I need help figuring out some rotorcraft official names (or the nickname most closely associated with it)... (e.g., Bell 429 (GlobalRanger), Sikorsky S300 (Sausage), Airbus HH-65 (Dolphin)....

These are the airships I need help with...

Airbus EC130/H130
Airbus EC145/H145
Agusta Westland AW109
Agusta Westland AW139
Bell 407
Bell 427

[311kph]

GlobalRanger?!? Never heard that one before...
I always thought, regarding its issues, it's called: THE FAT RANGER !!!!!

[HeliHenri]

GlobalRanger is the official name, not a nickname.

[rrekn]

Hi Whimlew,


The base AW109 has no marketing title or nickname, but the 109E was marketed as the 'Power' and in US Coast Guard Service it was designated the 'Stingray'. The 109S was marketed as the 'Grand'
The AW139 has no marketing title or nickname.


Many of these names are used by the OEM marking departments, and no where else. Good example is the S-92 'Helibus' which no-one in the industry ever, ever uses.

[Camp Freddie]

Slightly off topic but I really like the name I once heard for the R66 in the style of a NATO reporting name.

The R66 'Goat" 😋

[Tango and Cash]

Naming helicopters seems to have fallen out of favor. Just like in the automotive industry, we seem to prefer a collection of numbers/letters instead of names like "JetRanger" or "AStar".

EC130: No official name, but at least a couple operators use the name "EcoStar" in advertising (I believe Blue Hawaiian started this)
EC145: No official name, but the predecessor BK117 was the "Starship" in some circles. Not sure if that was an official OEM name or someone's marketing department.
Bell 407 and 427 likewise have no official names.

Bell seems to be bringing back the name thing, at least for the 505 "Jet Ranger X". We'll see if it sticks.

[skadi]

EC145: No official name, but the predecessor BK117 was the "Starship" in some circles. Not sure if that was an official OEM name or someone's marketing department.

AFAIC "Starship" was only one BK with special paintjob

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Visschedijk/2715L-3.jpg

skadi

[wrench1]

Whim:
I can't help much with nicknames for your list, but you may be interested to know some of the model numbers you list are actually marketing designations rather than the actual aircraft ID numbers. And some changed over time.

The EC130B4 and EC130T2 would be the "official" designation. The H130 is purely a catchy marketing number like the rest of the Airbus "Hs". The EC130B4/T2 are model variants of the original AS350 series in which the AS350C and D models had an official (TCDS) name of Astar and the AS350B series official name was Ecureuil.

EC145 and H145 are marketing numbers. Official models are MBB-BK-117 C-1 or 2 and MBB-BK-117 D-2 respectively.

AW109SP starts the "AW" designator with all previous 109s listed as A109, etc.

It was AB139 first until a certain serial number then AW139.

Bell usually used only one model number like 427 and 407.

Just a couple tidbits that fell out while racking my brain over nicknames.

Good luck.
W1

[krypton_john]

H130 - 'FatStar'.

I suspect that's not the 'official' one however!

[treadigraph]

In the 1970s the Agusta 109 was marketed as the Hirundo, or "Swallow".

[Whimlew]

wrench1 , Thank you so much! Your info really helps.

[MightyGem]

Gazelle: Chickenleg.

[Ascend Charlie]

Enstrom ; "Piece of ****"

[Sloppy Link]

Lynx AH9 - Wheelie Bin
Wildcat AH1 - Sidrat (I can explain if required)

[RMK]

I’ve always loved that in the US they call AS350’s “A Stars”. Always seemed to me they were going out of their way to not really admit they’re sitting in a French helicopter.

Of course, they could just call them Squirrels like the rest of the planet, but then some other American would ask “why is it called a Squirrel?” to which they’d be forced to reply - it’s actually an AS350 Ecureuil; which is French for squirrel.

[John Eacott]

The US AS350 was re-engined with the LTS-101, hence the name change. But due to unreliability it soon became known as the Falling Star.

Further to the Gazelle mentioned earlier, I always heard it as the Whistling Chickenleg.

The Westland Sea King was often referred to as the King Dipper in its early days in the RN.

[newfieboy]

Yes John
I have a few hours in the Falling Star. If you didn't lose the Donk, you had no time on the Fcking thing. All our Astars now BA,B2 and BA+ with one old D mod,with the LTS engines, fine engine now.The old D, fastest ship out of all our 350,s.
Hows about "piece of crap" for the Notar.....I know got a few hours on the bloody things....:{:ugh:

[wrench1]

The reason I remember for the different names and engines on the AS350 was because in order to import a foreign built helicopter into the US, it had to have a certain percentage of its parts manufactured in the US. And the easiest way was to use a US made engine. Hence the use of the LTS-101 in the Astar. Same for the USCG Dauphins I think.

Eventually the law went away and I can remember getting the 1st AS350B into the shop. We were intrigued the engine lasted so long.

As for the "falling star" name, it actually started with the sun gear issues in the main xsmn. However, after the fleet wide fix of the gear the 101s started to puke turbine disks regularly and the nickname came back with a vengeance.

I think between the all the 222s and 350Ds we operated then, there was a LTS-101 being changed every other day for awhile.

W1

[westhawk]

The USCG HH-65 DOLPHIN is not a Dauphin in much the same way that a USCG HU-25 is not a Falcon 20 or 200. They are derivatives of the original type designs though, and share significant parts commonality. In both cases the USCG has been well served. The distinctive sound of the Dolphin can be heard in the vicinity of LAX to this day. I've always thought of it as "a herd of runaway hoover vacuum cleaners". I tend to prefer the sound (or lack thereof) of the later ABH fenestrons though. Glad they got that figured out.

[wrench1]

Westhawk:

Maybe you can answer this. I don't speak Dauphin/Dolphin/365/155 but a number of years ago a friend ran across a number of parts that I identified as Aerospatiale in origin. Through the process we ran across a model number of SA366 or something.... was this the Aerospat ID for the HH-65?

I recall from other times there was no separate civil/military production lines for aircraft and once completed the model number was determined then between military and civilian use.

Thanks.
W1

[rotornut]

Hughes 300 - Pissquick: Cabover chainsaw

[Lude-og]

Apparently the Irish Air Corps was given the honour and named it the 'Wolfhound' as it was the first military user in around 2006.

Perhaps a current or ex IAC member can confirm this one.

Seems this one didn't catch on either.

[212man]

Slightly off topic but I really like the name I once heard for the R66 in the style of a NATO reporting name.

The R66 'Goat" 😋

If it was in the style of NATO reporting names, that would make it a surface to air missile!

[noflynomore]

Interesting to hear the Gaz called a chicken leg. Having first flown them in 1983 this is the first time I've ever heard that name. How would that be used? "Oh, he arrived in a whistling chicken leg" or "Lets go in the whistling chicken leg" -not exactly catchy, is it? I never heard it called anything but Gaz or Gazelle. Never heard a SeaKing called anything but a SeaKing either. Ditto Dauphin.
Goat sounds about right (Surface to Air missile! Other way around, surely?) but what would a R22 be on that basis? A Toad? Or should there be ur in the middle of that instead of oa? After all it is a Crapinson.
Even if numbers seem a bit more prosaic than names we are at least spared the idiotic names car manufacturers bestow on their output. Best kept that way, I reckon.

BTW, Enstroms are mighty fine helicopters as all who have flown them much well know. The begrudgers seldom seem to have much if any Enstrom time. Funny thing, that. (a bit like me and Flimsycopters, bit that's a different matter altogether)

[TOMMY1954]

A pilot I knew used to call the Bell 222 the "good for nothing". I love the 222!

[[email protected]]

Noflynomore - I'm pretty sure it was mainly the Army Air Corps who referred to the Gazelle as the 'whistling chicken leg' or 'whistling sperm' due to its shape and fenestron whine.:ok:

[tistisnot]

wrench1

Sud Aviation joined Nord Aviation in 1970 to form SNI Aeropspatiale - this maybe where your 'SA' derivative comes from?

And I always thought the American name for the 365 was the "Doe' feeeeeen" ?!

[pitch horn]

Am I right in thinking that when the S76A was first introduced it was called the "S76 Spirit" but there were some legal complications ?

[treadigraph]

Not sure if there were problems for Sikorsky with Spirit but around the same time Cessna introduced the 303 Clipper, to which Pan Am objected via their lawyers as Clipper was their callsign. The 303 became the Crusader instead.

[Fareastdriver]

The name 'Spirit' apparently upset the South Americans on some religious note. Our engineers called it the Plastic Pig.

[S76Heavy]

I remember reading an article at the time about the S92 being developed from the UH60 and as such in keeping with the "Hawk" theme like Blackhawk, Sea Hawk, Nighthawk it was called the "Fat Hawk"...:E

[outofwhack]

I've never understood:


Why some people think the Enstroms are rubbish when to me they appear to be properly over-engineered, safe and attractively designed helicopters - specially the 280 series.
Why some people appear to denigrate the Jetranger by calling it a Jetbox when it has to be the most classic and timeless and most successful design ever. If they built them new I would buy one. The new 505 is a retrograde step IMO.
Why most people are so quiet about what must be the second ugliest and most suspect helicopter of all - the lanky Robinson. The ugly top spot must surely be the Brantly.


OOW

[megan]

One name that has been applied to all types of helicopters at some stage has been "Hallelujah". Some folk, such as crab, are employed solely to fly Hallelujahs.

[John Eacott]

Never heard a SeaKing called anything but a SeaKing either.

I did say 'in the early days'. Indeed there was a sticker produced (similar to the Fly Navy one) extolling the King Dipper, I'll find it and post here when I have the time (and inclination).

OOW, I always thought the term Jetbox to be one of affection, not a disparaging one. I had no issues with my Jetboxes nor with anyone calling them that!

[[email protected]]

Megan - is that because it is what the pax say when I somehow manage to get them back on land safely?;)

[westhawk]

Through the process we ran across a model number of SA366 or something.... was this the Aerospat ID for the HH-65?

I'm not an expert on the type, I've just always admired it. Enough so that I took the time to engage a coastie crew at a heli-expo display one day. Between that and some reading, I've learned a few things about the Dolphin. Very few it seems to me, since I've never flown or wrenched on one. I was a UH-60 wrench in a previous life.

A little reading reveals that AS-365 and SA-366 are both designations for the French Dauphin. The HH-65 is based on that design but was built in Texas and used different engines, among other equipage not common to the Dauphin. It seems the later C model upgrades are still in progress and include scrapping the LTS engines of the A and B models in favor of much newer Ariels of vastly superior power output and fuel specifics, new fenestron and improved gearboxes among other things.

I think it's always been a highly capable helicopter for it's intended mission, but suffered from weight creep, compounded by inadequate LTS engines. With new engines, it now has the power, range and speed it lacked before.

Here's something else pertinent to the thread title: It seems that some people may have referred to the Dolphin as Tupperwolf! (Plastic helicopter?)

[Impress to inflate]

Offshore, the S61 was The Queen Of The Sky's and the S76 was The Plastic Pig

[tistisnot]

Westhawk fyi

Principal versions 365: (omitting the Chinese Harbin made under licence)

SA.365 Dauphin 2
SA.360 fitted with two 650shp Turbomeca Arriel 1A turboshafts Prot. F-WVKE FF 24 Jan. 1975. Second prot. F-WVKD used for testing retractable u/c.

SA.365C Dauphin 2
Civil production version of SA.365 with 3382kg TOGW.

SA.365C1 Dauphin 2
SA.365C with 667shp Arriel 1A1 turboshafts.

SA.365C2 Dauphin 2
SA.365C with 670shp Arriel 1A2 turboshafts, 3480kg TOGW and modified transmission system.

SA.365N Dauphin 2
SA.365C with retractable tricycle u/c, lengthened cabin with max 11 pax separated from crew, pointed nose, composite rotors new air intakes and redesigned under-floor fuel tanks. 710shp Turbomeca Arriel IC turboshaft, 3977kg TOGW. FF 31 Mar. 1979. Prot. F-WZJD.

SA.365N1 Dauphin 2
SA.365 with 724shp Arriel 1C1 turboshafts, 4076kg TOGW and recontoured lower tail section eliminating ventral fin.

AS.365N2 Dauphin 2
SA-365N with two 763shp Turbomeca Arriel 1C2 turboshafts, new gearbox, 4226kg TOGW.

AS.365N3 Dauphin 2
AS.365N with quiet tail rotor and two Arriel 2C turboshafts. Prot. FF Oct. 1996.

AS.365N4
AS.365N3 with wide 12-passenger fuselage, five-blade main rotor and improved avionics suite. Prot. FF 16 Jun. 1997. Redesignated EC-155.

SA.365F Dauphin 2
Navalised SA.365N for Saudi Arabia etc. With pointed radar nose and either under-nose radar dish or antisubmarine missile system and 700shp Arriel 1M turboshafts. Prot. F-WZJD FF in this form 22 Feb. 1982.

SA.365M Dauphin 2
Army light tactical version of SA.365N1 with 12-troop capacity. Powered by two 913shp Turbomeca TM.333-1M turboshafts. 4077kg TOGW. Prot. F-WZJV FF 29 Feb. 1984. Later named Panther.


AS.365K Panther
SA.365M with 748shp Arriel 1M1 turboshafts. Redesignated AS.565.

X.380 Dauphin
SA.365N with combined composite rotor hub/mast, 5-blade rotor with swept tips, and 837shp Turbomeca Arriel IX turboshafts.

AS.366G / HH-65A Dolphin
Three-seat SA.365N for US Coast Guard short-range recovery tasks with internal stretcher fittings, rescue hoist, pop-out flotation bags etc. 4027kg TOGW. Powered by two 680shp Textron-Lycoming LTS.101-750A-1 turboshafts. Prot. USCG.4101 FF 23 Jul. 1980. Four built.

AS.366G1 Dolphin
Production AS.366G with LTS.101-750B-2 turboshafts and 4036kg TOGW. 92 built.

[noflynomore]

Offshore, the S61 was The Queen Of The Sky's (sic) and the S76 was The Plastic Pig

And what must be the ultimate fugly and unloved helo, the horrible Wobbly 30.

ps. Seconded that Jetbox is in no way disparaging.

[[email protected]]

I believe the first USCG Dolphins were horribly underpowered. My comment is based on a USCG exchange pilot who came to the RAF in 1990 who was my student at SARTU.

We had to complete a winch weight check prior to our first sortie which involved a vertical climb to 300' and back whilst winching out and in a 600lb weight.

At the end he commented on how impressed he was with the aircraft and I asked if it was just because the USCG didn't do much high hovering. His reply was that the aircraft was so heavy and gutless that they didn't do very much low hovering either!:ok:

[Democritus]

In the very early days of the Wessex HAS3 around 1966/7 it became the Camel due to the radar hump on the aft fuselage. Not sure the name stuck for very long though. Our Trials Unit tie, which I still have, was dark blue emblazoned with gold coloured dromedaries.

[MightyGem]

Never heard a SeaKing called anything but a SeaKing either.
Not heard of the Jolly Green Giant of Vietnam fame?
Sikorsky HH-3E Jolly Green Giant Search and Rescue (SAR) Helicopter (http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=129)

[John Eacott]

I can't stitch the scans together, but you get the idea!

We also had such gems as "Happiness is Wren shaped", "Around the world with the Royal Navy", etc. Very droll....

[megan]

is that because it is what the pax say when I somehow manage to get them back on land safely?Seeing video of some of the rescues you guys in the UK have done, and the weather in which they are undertaken, they probably do crab, but it would be the second one so uttered. :ok:

[QTG]

Slightly off topic, but talking of car stickers - anybody remember:

"FLY NAVY DIG ARMY EAT CRAB"?

[noflynomore]

Not heard of the Jolly Green Giant of Vietnam fame?

That might be because a Jolly Green Giant is a Jolly Green Giant, albeit a derivative but hardly a Sea King?

[OttoRotate]

S76A "Spirit"

Named by Adolph Plennenfish Jr., the winner of a company-wide contest to
name the S-76 held around 1978. Use of the name was discontinued by October 1981
due to religious sensitivities in some South American countries and a lawsuit by Spirit
Airways of California claiming trademark infringement. All official references to the
name Spirit were purged from the field. S-76 logo stickers were provided to operators
to affix to their maintenance manual and IPC binders, covering the old Spirit logo.

[Sevarg]

Re Seaking, known as 'Sticky Bun' from 61. 76 as 'Plastic Pig' can't think why!!!!

[Three Lima Charlie]

BV 234 or CH-47 "Chinook" aka "Sh*thook" and described as "Two palm trees having sex with a fat sausage."

[megan]

"Two palm trees having sex with a fat sausage"Used to absolutely love sitting between the two palm trees and having the result of their coupling hanging below.

Salute to your Comrades SAS.