Heli ID

Question 1

Answer 1

Airbus H145
This Eurocopter EC145 with a shrouded tail rotor and no large outer vertical stabiliser looks much similar to the smaller EC135/H135. The H145 has three cabin windows on each side (after the cockpit door) and no small hub on top of the main engine/gear box housing.

Question 2

Answer 2

Eurocopter EC130 / Airbus H130
Essentially the EC130 is an EC120 with a wider cabin, visible at the front, with a wider and longer middle front window, and an additional square window at the bottom. The vertical stabiliser of the EC130 is low and ventral fin almost non existent. Finally, the exhaust is curved, but centered with respect to the tail boom.

Question 3

Answer 3

Eurocopter EC135 / Airbus H135
The EC135/H135 has two engines, with air intakes and exhausts in the top of and flush with the streamlined fuselage. Furthermore, the EC135 has a ‘standard’ tube skids, a four blade main rotor and a small gear box hub.

Question 4

Answer 4

MD Helicopters MD520N & MD600N
The MD520N and larger MD600N have a fan in the tail boom that blows out air at the end to counter the torque of the main rotor. For the rest they are similar to the Hughes 369 family, with the egg shaped fuselage ending in the exhaust of the engine.

Question 5

Answer 5

Aérospatiale AS350/AS355 & Airbus H125
The Écureuil is one of the most common helicopters. It comes in single and twin engine versions. Characteristic are the narrow tail boom with the tail rotor drive shaft on top, curved underside of the fuselage and the cabin window pattern, especially the windows at the feet of the crew.

aka the squirrel

Question 6

Answer 6

Bell 204/205/212/214/412 & UH-1
The famous Bell UH-1 Huey family consists of many members, but all with a similar fuselage and tail, and all with skids. Most have a two blade main rotor on a long axis, and a two blade tail rotor at the top of the vertical stabiliser. The Bell 412 variants have a four blade main rotor though. At about a third from the end of the tail boom there are horizontal stabilisers on both sides.

Question 7

Answer 7

Bell 206/406/407 & OH-58
The window arrangement with the two large curved front windows and large ‘feet’ windows is a typical feature of the Bell 206 family, as is the long visible rotor mast, with the control rods next to it. Another characteristic is the pointed bent in the rear fuselage. It comes in versions with two or four main rotor blades.

Question 8

Answer 8

Bell 47
The large bubble canopy and the open frame tail boom are very distinctive recognition points of this helicopter. This version has a two blade main and tail rotor. It comes in different versions though, including ones with a covered tail boom and/or a wheeled gear.

Question 10

Answer 10

Bell 505 Jet Ranger X
The Bell 505 has a very similar rotor system and tail boom as the Bell 206 family. The fuselage has a rounded rear and cockpit windows that curve from the front to the sides. Also typical are eight rectangular cooling intakes around the main air intake of the engine and the horizontal stabilisers attached underneath the tail boom.

Question 11

Answer 11

Hughes 269/Schweizer 300
This small helicopter has a small fuselage with an engine in the rear. In most versions the engine is not covered. Behind is a strut braced tail boom with a two blade tail rotor at the end. There is a single fin pointing up under 45 degrees, and on some versions a ventral fin down.

Question 12

Answer 12

Hughes 369 & MD500 family
This helicopter is easily recognisable by its egg-shaped fuselage with a rounded front and engine placed in the pointed rear, which ends in the exhaust. Also typical is the narrow tail boom with a large fillet between the fuselage and tail boom. The skids are quite towards the front. The tail configuration differs per subtype. There is also a version without tail rotor, described separately.