Airbus Helicopters Ec175

Twin Rotorcraft

The Airbus Helicopters EC175 is a medium twin-engine helicopter purpose-built for offshore oil and gas operations, where it has become the dominant next-generation platform replacing aging Super Pumas and S-76s on North Sea and Australian continental shelf routes. Launched in 2009 as a joint venture between Airbus and what was then AVIC (China's state aerospace conglomerate), the EC175 entered service in 2014 and quickly carved out a niche transporting rig crews in the harshest maritime environments. Its twin Pratt & Whitney PT6C turboshafts deliver exceptional single-engine performance and hot-and-high capability, critical when operating from pitching helidecks 200 nautical miles offshore. What sets the EC175 apart is its clean-sheet design optimized for passenger comfort and dispatch reliability in commercial transport roles rather than utility or EMS work. The spacious cabin seats up to 16 passengers in airline-style comfort with stand-up headroom, large windows, and active vibration control, a stark contrast to the utilitarian interiors of earlier offshore workhorses. The cockpit features a fully integrated Helionix avionics suite with four-axis autopilot and advanced weather radar, enabling single-pilot IFR operations in conditions that would ground older types. Maximum cruise speed reaches 160 knots with a range exceeding 400 nautical miles, and the type's never-exceed speed of 155 knots provides ample margin for North Sea crossings. The EC175 has captured significant market share in Australia, Norway, and the UK, where operators prize its dispatch reliability (consistently above 98 percent) and lower direct operating costs compared to legacy medium twins. Airbus claims the type has the lowest vibration levels of any helicopter in its class, a selling point for crew fatigue on multi-sector offshore shuttle runs. SkyMeter has tracked 310 flights across 37 airframes and 3 operators, with OFFSHORE SERVICES AUSTRALASIA PTY LTD the largest observed operator.