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This helicopter carries tourists from Pockara to Annapurna Base Camp and fly all along the Modi Khola river valley until the ABC (4200m).
The picture is taken just at the entrance of the camp. The giant face on the background is Annapurna I, the highest summit of the massif, 8,091 m (26,545 ft) , the one which was famously climbed by the french team in 1950.
Annapurna is famous for having been the first 8000m summit to be climbed by human (Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal, in heroic and crazy conditions). Today this area attracts the most trekkers since the lanscape is the most impressive of Nepal. This comes from the fact that the difference of heigh beetween the different summits and the ground basis very high. Based on that criteria, the valley betwwen Annapurna and Dhaulagiri is the deepest in the world. The main ethnic group who live today in this area are the Gurung.
PKR 31.10.1999 - 9N-ADP crashed at Everest base camp on 28 May 2003 while in service with Simrik Air (slide scan)
Simrik Air's Ecureuil coming in to land at TIA, Kathmandu after covering a mountain flight from a nearby location of Kathmandu.
L'Aérospatiale AS 350 Écureuil (scoiattolo), poi Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil e ora Airbus Helicopters H125 è un elicottero leggero utility monomotore, progettato dalla società francese Aérospatiale divenuta parte del gruppo Eurocopter dal gennaio 1992. Ne esiste una versione per il mercato USA, motorizzata con una turbina Lycoming e commercializzata con il nome AStar. È stata anche sviluppata una versione bi-turbina rinominata AS355 Ecureuil 2 (Twin Squirrel nel Regno Unito, Twin Star negli USA) e una militare che prende il nome di Fennec. Dall'AS 350 è stata sviluppata una versione dotata di rotore di coda di tipo fenestron denominata Eurocopter EC 130.Le versioni mono e bi-turbina dell'Écureuil sono state anche costruite su licenza in Brasile dalla Helibras con il nome Helibras HB.350 Esquilo e hanno fornito il modello al Changhe Z-11 cinese.Lo sviluppo dell'Écureuil iniziò nei primi anni settanta con lo scopo di rimpiazzare l'Alouette II. Il sostituto dell'Alouette sul mercato militare fu l'Aérospatiale SA 341 Gazelle, ma gli uffici tecnici pensarono ad un successore diverso per il mercato civile, ponendo l'accento su tre punti: diminuzione del costo di esercizio, rumore e vibrazioni. In base a questi concetti, il nuovo elicottero fu progettato per affrontare la concorrenza rappresentata dal Bell 206. Il risultato fu un prodotto molto semplice, ma molto affidabile, realizzato con largo uso di materiali compositi come per la testa del rotore in Starflex, il rotore di coda in fibra di vetro ed elementi della fusoliera e della trave di coda.Considerato come appartenente alla quarta generazione di elicotteri costruiti in Francia, dopo l'Alouette II, l'SA 330 Puma e l'SA 365 Dauphin, la produzione fa ricorso a tecniche di produzione di grande serie derivate da quelle dell'industria automobilistica.L'architettura è di tipo classico, con cabina di pilotaggio dimensionata per ospitare due piloti su seggiolini individuali e 3 o 4 passeggeri su di un sedile posteriore, sebbene sono possibili numerosi diversi altri allestimenti.Il primo volo ebbe luogo il 27 giugno 1974 con il prototipo AS.350-001 [F-WVKH] con ai comandi i collaudatori Daniel Bauchart e Bernard Certain. Il prototipo era equipaggiato con una turbina Avco-Lycoming LTS 101 da 592 shp ed utilizzava per la prima volta il rotore di nuova progettazione Starflex. Seguì il 14 febbraio 1975 il volo dell' AS.350-002 [F-WVKI] con motore Turboméca Arriel 1B da 641 shp, sviluppato appositamente per gli elicotteri leggeri. La versione con l'Arriel fu certificata il 27 ottobre 1977.Il 28 novembre 2005, la Eurocopter ha consegnato alla polizia sudafricana il 3000° Écureuil monomotore costruito, un AS.350B3. Nell'occasione l'azienda ha annunciato di aver venduto 3 719 Écureuil tra le varie versioni, che hanno totalizzato 15 milioni di ore di volo venendo utilizzati da 1531 operatori in 91 paesi. Il progetto si è ulteriormente evoluto in una nuova versione dal nome Eurocopter EC130, ma malgrado l'introduzione del nuovo modello, viene ancora prodotta in gran numero la versione Eurocopter AS350. Il modello realizzato completamente a mano in Italia dalla ditta Piazzai Models di Arona, Novara, è in plastica con pattini di atterraggio in ottone e in scala 1:32
The Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil (Squirrel) is a single-engine light helicopter originally designed and manufactured in France by Aérospatiale then Airbus Helicopters and now Airbus Helicopters H125. In North America, the AS350 is marketed as the AStar. The AS355 Ecureuil 2 is a twin-engine variant, marketed in North America as the TwinStar. The Eurocopter EC130 is a derivative of the AS350 airframe and is considered by the manufacturer to be part of the Écureuil single-engine family. In the early 1970s, Aérospatiale decided to initiate a new development program to produce a suitable replacement for the aging Aérospatiale Alouette II. While the Aérospatiale Gazelle, which had been developed in the 1960s and 1970s, had been met with numerous orders by military customers, commercial sales of the type had been less than anticipated, thus the need for a new civil-orientated development was identified.The development of the new rotorcraft, which was headed by Chief Engineer René Mouille, was focused on the production of an economic and cost-effective aerial vehicle, thus both Aérospatiale's Production and Procurement departments were heavily involved in the design process. One such measure was the use of a rolled sheet structure, a manufacturing technique adapted from the automotive industry; another innovation was the newly developed Starflex main rotor. It was also decided that both civil and military variants of the emergent helicopter would be developed to conform with established military requirements. On 27 June 1974, the first prototype, an AS350 C powered by a Lycoming LTS101 turboshaft engine, conducted its maiden flight at Marignane, France; the second prototype, powered by a Turbomeca Arriel 1A, following on 14 February 1975. The Arriel-powered version, the AS350B, intended for sale throughout the world except for North America, was certified in France on 27 October 1977, while the Lycoming powered AS350C (or AStar) was certified by the US Federal Aviation Administration on 21 December 1977. In March 1978, deliveries to customers began for the AS350B, deliveries of the AS350C began in April 1978. Over time, the AS350 Écureuil/AStar has received further development; while the aircraft's design remains broadly similar, various aspects and systems such as the rotor system, powerplants, and avionics have been progressively improved. On 6 February 1987, a prototype AS350 B2 flew with a fenestron tail-rotor in the place of its normal conventional counterpart. On 1 March 1997, the first AS350 B3, equipped with an Arriel 2B engine, performed its first flight.[3] Various conversion programs and addons for AS350s have been produced and are offered by multiple third-party 'aftermarket' aerospace firms in addition to those available directly from the type's prime manufacturer. New variants of the Arriel-powered AS350B, the AS350 B1, AS350 B2, and AS350 B3, were progressively introduced; the later B3 differing from preceding models by the increasing use of digital systems, such as the Garmin-built G500H avionics suite and FADEC engine control system. Prior to 2013, the type had been manufactured principally at Eurocopter's Marignane facility, near Marseille, France; Eurocopter opted to, as part of a move to disperse its helicopter production activities, begin AS350 production and final assembly activities at its factory in Columbus, Mississippi for deliveries to U.S. commercial helicopter market. The Astar has been Eurocopter's biggest-selling product in the US commercial market, at one point selling roughly one AS350 every business day. In March 2015, the first Columbus-assembled AS350 B3e received its FAA certification. In December 2015, Airbus Helicopters reported their intention to double the rate of AS350 production at Columbus in 2016 over the previous year, and that the facility is capable of producing up to 65 AS350s per year. The AS350 is a single engine helicopter, powered either by a Lycoming LTS101 or Turbomeca Arriel powerplant (for twin-engined variants, see Eurocopter AS355), that drives a three-blade main rotor, which is furnished with a Starflex rotor head. The type is well known for its high-altitude performance and has seen frequent use by operators in such environments. Both the main and tail rotors make use of composite material and are deliberately designed to minimize corrosion and maintenance requirements. The AS350 was also developed to comply with the stringent noise requirements in place in locations such as national parks; the in-cabin noise levels are such that passengers may also readily converse during flight. The aircraft can also be quickly started up and shut down, which is often useful during emergency medical services roles. It is equipped with hydraulically-assisted flight controls; these controls remain operational, albeit operated with greater physical difficulty, in the event of a hydraulic failure. Much of the AS350's avionics are provided by Garmin, such as the GI 106A course-deviation indicator, GNS 430 VHF/VOR/localizer/glideslope indicator/Global Positioning System receiver, GTX 327 Mode A and C transponder, and GMA 340H intercom. The Vehicle and Engine Multifunction Display (VEMD) and the First Limit Indicator (FLI) both serve to increase the aircraft's safety during flight, reducing the number of gauges that need to be monitored by the pilot and thereby reducing their workload. For increased smoothness in flight, which positively affects passenger comfort as well as safety, stability augmentation systems can be installed. Later-production aircraft feature new avionics and systems such as the integration of an Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) and autopilot, a glass cockpit featuring three liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) and digital avionics, such as the synthetic-vision terrain mapping system and Airbus's Multibloc center console upon which various radios may be mounted.
The AS350 has proven popular in a wide range of roles; as such, multiple cabin configurations can be used, between four and six passengers in a typical seating configuration, and large sliding doors can be fitted to either side of the cabin. In some operators' fleets, the furnishings of the cabin has been designed to enable the internal space and/or equipment fit-out to be rapidly reconfigured to enable aircraft to be switched between diverse operational roles. Public service operators, such as those in law enforcement, often have forward looking infrared (FLIR) cameras and other mission systems installed on their aircraft. Other optional equipment on offer to operates had included real-time data links, rescue hoists, underslung cargo hooks, electrical external mirrors, search lights, tactical consoles, night vision goggle-compatibility, moving-map system, internal cabin tie-downs, second battery kit, sand filters, wire strike protection system, 4-channel radio, tail rotor arch, cabin floor windows, and removable seats. The model made entirely by hand in Italy by the company Piazzai Models of Arona, Novara, is made of plastic with landing skids of brass and 1:32 scale
L'Aérospatiale AS 350 Écureuil (scoiattolo), poi Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil e ora Airbus Helicopters H125 è un elicottero leggero utility monomotore, progettato dalla società francese Aérospatiale divenuta parte del gruppo Eurocopter dal gennaio 1992. Ne esiste una versione per il mercato USA, motorizzata con una turbina Lycoming e commercializzata con il nome AStar. È stata anche sviluppata una versione bi-turbina rinominata AS355 Ecureuil 2 (Twin Squirrel nel Regno Unito, Twin Star negli USA) e una militare che prende il nome di Fennec. Dall'AS 350 è stata sviluppata una versione dotata di rotore di coda di tipo fenestron denominata Eurocopter EC 130.Le versioni mono e bi-turbina dell'Écureuil sono state anche costruite su licenza in Brasile dalla Helibras con il nome Helibras HB.350 Esquilo e hanno fornito il modello al Changhe Z-11 cinese.Lo sviluppo dell'Écureuil iniziò nei primi anni settanta con lo scopo di rimpiazzare l'Alouette II. Il sostituto dell'Alouette sul mercato militare fu l'Aérospatiale SA 341 Gazelle, ma gli uffici tecnici pensarono ad un successore diverso per il mercato civile, ponendo l'accento su tre punti: diminuzione del costo di esercizio, rumore e vibrazioni. In base a questi concetti, il nuovo elicottero fu progettato per affrontare la concorrenza rappresentata dal Bell 206. Il risultato fu un prodotto molto semplice, ma molto affidabile, realizzato con largo uso di materiali compositi come per la testa del rotore in Starflex, il rotore di coda in fibra di vetro ed elementi della fusoliera e della trave di coda.Considerato come appartenente alla quarta generazione di elicotteri costruiti in Francia, dopo l'Alouette II, l'SA 330 Puma e l'SA 365 Dauphin, la produzione fa ricorso a tecniche di produzione di grande serie derivate da quelle dell'industria automobilistica.L'architettura è di tipo classico, con cabina di pilotaggio dimensionata per ospitare due piloti su seggiolini individuali e 3 o 4 passeggeri su di un sedile posteriore, sebbene sono possibili numerosi diversi altri allestimenti.Il primo volo ebbe luogo il 27 giugno 1974 con il prototipo AS.350-001 [F-WVKH] con ai comandi i collaudatori Daniel Bauchart e Bernard Certain. Il prototipo era equipaggiato con una turbina Avco-Lycoming LTS 101 da 592 shp ed utilizzava per la prima volta il rotore di nuova progettazione Starflex. Seguì il 14 febbraio 1975 il volo dell' AS.350-002 [F-WVKI] con motore Turboméca Arriel 1B da 641 shp, sviluppato appositamente per gli elicotteri leggeri. La versione con l'Arriel fu certificata il 27 ottobre 1977.Il 28 novembre 2005, la Eurocopter ha consegnato alla polizia sudafricana il 3000° Écureuil monomotore costruito, un AS.350B3. Nell'occasione l'azienda ha annunciato di aver venduto 3 719 Écureuil tra le varie versioni, che hanno totalizzato 15 milioni di ore di volo venendo utilizzati da 1531 operatori in 91 paesi. Il progetto si è ulteriormente evoluto in una nuova versione dal nome Eurocopter EC130, ma malgrado l'introduzione del nuovo modello, viene ancora prodotta in gran numero la versione Eurocopter AS350. Il modello realizzato completamente a mano in Italia dalla ditta Piazzai Models di Arona, Novara, è in plastica con pattini di atterraggio in ottone e in scala 1:32
The Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil (Squirrel) is a single-engine light helicopter originally designed and manufactured in France by Aérospatiale then Airbus Helicopters and now Airbus Helicopters H125. In North America, the AS350 is marketed as the AStar. The AS355 Ecureuil 2 is a twin-engine variant, marketed in North America as the TwinStar. The Eurocopter EC130 is a derivative of the AS350 airframe and is considered by the manufacturer to be part of the Écureuil single-engine family. In the early 1970s, Aérospatiale decided to initiate a new development program to produce a suitable replacement for the aging Aérospatiale Alouette II. While the Aérospatiale Gazelle, which had been developed in the 1960s and 1970s, had been met with numerous orders by military customers, commercial sales of the type had been less than anticipated, thus the need for a new civil-orientated development was identified.The development of the new rotorcraft, which was headed by Chief Engineer René Mouille, was focused on the production of an economic and cost-effective aerial vehicle, thus both Aérospatiale's Production and Procurement departments were heavily involved in the design process. One such measure was the use of a rolled sheet structure, a manufacturing technique adapted from the automotive industry; another innovation was the newly developed Starflex main rotor. It was also decided that both civil and military variants of the emergent helicopter would be developed to conform with established military requirements. On 27 June 1974, the first prototype, an AS350 C powered by a Lycoming LTS101 turboshaft engine, conducted its maiden flight at Marignane, France; the second prototype, powered by a Turbomeca Arriel 1A, following on 14 February 1975. The Arriel-powered version, the AS350B, intended for sale throughout the world except for North America, was certified in France on 27 October 1977, while the Lycoming powered AS350C (or AStar) was certified by the US Federal Aviation Administration on 21 December 1977. In March 1978, deliveries to customers began for the AS350B, deliveries of the AS350C began in April 1978. Over time, the AS350 Écureuil/AStar has received further development; while the aircraft's design remains broadly similar, various aspects and systems such as the rotor system, powerplants, and avionics have been progressively improved. On 6 February 1987, a prototype AS350 B2 flew with a fenestron tail-rotor in the place of its normal conventional counterpart. On 1 March 1997, the first AS350 B3, equipped with an Arriel 2B engine, performed its first flight.[3] Various conversion programs and addons for AS350s have been produced and are offered by multiple third-party 'aftermarket' aerospace firms in addition to those available directly from the type's prime manufacturer. New variants of the Arriel-powered AS350B, the AS350 B1, AS350 B2, and AS350 B3, were progressively introduced; the later B3 differing from preceding models by the increasing use of digital systems, such as the Garmin-built G500H avionics suite and FADEC engine control system. Prior to 2013, the type had been manufactured principally at Eurocopter's Marignane facility, near Marseille, France; Eurocopter opted to, as part of a move to disperse its helicopter production activities, begin AS350 production and final assembly activities at its factory in Columbus, Mississippi for deliveries to U.S. commercial helicopter market. The Astar has been Eurocopter's biggest-selling product in the US commercial market, at one point selling roughly one AS350 every business day. In March 2015, the first Columbus-assembled AS350 B3e received its FAA certification. In December 2015, Airbus Helicopters reported their intention to double the rate of AS350 production at Columbus in 2016 over the previous year, and that the facility is capable of producing up to 65 AS350s per year. The AS350 is a single engine helicopter, powered either by a Lycoming LTS101 or Turbomeca Arriel powerplant (for twin-engined variants, see Eurocopter AS355), that drives a three-blade main rotor, which is furnished with a Starflex rotor head. The type is well known for its high-altitude performance and has seen frequent use by operators in such environments. Both the main and tail rotors make use of composite material and are deliberately designed to minimize corrosion and maintenance requirements. The AS350 was also developed to comply with the stringent noise requirements in place in locations such as national parks; the in-cabin noise levels are such that passengers may also readily converse during flight. The aircraft can also be quickly started up and shut down, which is often useful during emergency medical services roles. It is equipped with hydraulically-assisted flight controls; these controls remain operational, albeit operated with greater physical difficulty, in the event of a hydraulic failure. Much of the AS350's avionics are provided by Garmin, such as the GI 106A course-deviation indicator, GNS 430 VHF/VOR/localizer/glideslope indicator/Global Positioning System receiver, GTX 327 Mode A and C transponder, and GMA 340H intercom. The Vehicle and Engine Multifunction Display (VEMD) and the First Limit Indicator (FLI) both serve to increase the aircraft's safety during flight, reducing the number of gauges that need to be monitored by the pilot and thereby reducing their workload. For increased smoothness in flight, which positively affects passenger comfort as well as safety, stability augmentation systems can be installed. Later-production aircraft feature new avionics and systems such as the integration of an Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) and autopilot, a glass cockpit featuring three liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) and digital avionics, such as the synthetic-vision terrain mapping system and Airbus's Multibloc center console upon which various radios may be mounted.
The AS350 has proven popular in a wide range of roles; as such, multiple cabin configurations can be used, between four and six passengers in a typical seating configuration, and large sliding doors can be fitted to either side of the cabin. In some operators' fleets, the furnishings of the cabin has been designed to enable the internal space and/or equipment fit-out to be rapidly reconfigured to enable aircraft to be switched between diverse operational roles. Public service operators, such as those in law enforcement, often have forward looking infrared (FLIR) cameras and other mission systems installed on their aircraft. Other optional equipment on offer to operates had included real-time data links, rescue hoists, underslung cargo hooks, electrical external mirrors, search lights, tactical consoles, night vision goggle-compatibility, moving-map system, internal cabin tie-downs, second battery kit, sand filters, wire strike protection system, 4-channel radio, tail rotor arch, cabin floor windows, and removable seats. The model made entirely by hand in Italy by the company Piazzai Models of Arona, Novara, is made of plastic with landing skids of brass and 1:32 scale
#himalayafilm on the ground and in the air - here @thenorthface athlete @David_goettler moves in tricky terrain high in the laingtang Himalaya a couple days ago with @timkemple and @renan_ozturk shooting with @hilareeoneill out of frame. The ground team is preparing to come out and connect with @ansonfogel and @freddiewilkinson to move to the Khumbu for phase 2. The heavy snow currently is not helping. #Simrikair @shotovercamera @fstopgear @phaseonephoto @thenorthface @jauntvr - climbing