Eurocopter EC145 The Eurocopter EC145 is a twin - engine light utility helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter . Originally referred to as the " BK 117 C2 " , the EC145 is based upon the MBB / Kawasaki BK 117 C1 , which became a part of the Eurocopter line - up in 1992 when the company was formed through the merger of the Messerschmitt - Bölkow - Blohm helicopter division of Daimler - Benz and the helicopter division of Aérospatiale - Matra . The EC145 is a twin - engine aircraft and can carry up to nine passengers along with two crew , depending on customer configuration . The helicopter is marketed for passenger transport , corporate transport , emergency medical services ( EMS ) , search and rescue , parapublic and utility roles . Development . Origins . The EC145 was a joint development between Eurocopter and Kawasaki Heavy Industries on the basis of their successful prior jointly - produced BK 117 C1 . Rather than developing an entirely clean sheet design , the forward cockpit and modern avionics of Eurocopter ' s EC 135 were adopted in combination with the proven BK 117 ' s rear section ; Flight International described the new helicopter , originally designed as BK 117 C2 , as being " 90 % a combination of these two aircraft [ The EC135 and BK 117 C1 ] " . However , there were significant areas of redesign , advantages held by the EC145 over its predecessor include possessing a greater range and payload capacity , a considerably increased and uninterrupted cabin area , reduced vibration and noise emissions , and measures to simplify maintenance and minimize operational costs . The new model was type - certificated as the BK 117 C2 ; in December 1997 , it was selected by the French Defense and Civil Guard for air rescue mission , 31 EC145s were ordered to replace their fleet of aging Aérospatiale Alouette III in a deal costing $ 170 million . The first EC145 completed its maiden flight at Donauwörth , Germany on 12 June 1999 ; Eurocopter conducted a major publicity event for the emerging type at the US Helicopter Association International Show in February 2000 . Safety certification of the EC145 was awarded by the German " Luftfahrt - Bundesamt " and Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau in December 2000 ; and by the United States Federal Aviation Administration in early 2002 . Eurocopter and Kawasaki have an agreement under which both firms independently manufacture and market the aircraft , while working collaboratively on updates and further development projects . In practice , Kawasaki uses the designation BK 117 C2 for the type and sells / produces the aircraft in the Asian market ; Eurocopter sells the type globally under the EC145 designation . In November 2004 , with the termination of production of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries ' MH2000 , the BK 117 C2 became the only civil helicopter in production in Japan . Further development . In 2011 , Eurocopter officially launched an upgraded model of the EC145 , designed EC145 T2 , unveiling the new type at Heli Expo 2011 . The EC145 T2 is designed to significantly increase the aircraft ' s performance , featuring new Arriel 2E turboshaft engines , dual - digital Full Authority Digital Engine Controls ( FADEC ) , Eurocopter ' s " Feneston " shrouded tail rotor design , and upgraded tail and main rotor gear boxes . Considerable differences and improvements have been introduced to the cockpit and aircraft subsystems , including the adoption of increasingly digital avionics and a fully modular approach to these systems , amongst the biggest changes is a more sophisticated 4 - axis autopilot . Starting in 2011 , Eurocopter has been developing an optionally piloted vehicle ( OPV ) variant of the EC145 . Test flights of the EC145 OPV , including unmanned flights , began in 2013 . The system , designed to plug into the EC145 ' s existing avionics , has the capability to operate autonomously , or alternatively be controlled by human operators either via the cockpit or from a ground control station . The technology , which is reported to be compatible of a number of Eurocopter ' s range of helicopters , is intended to for both civil and military applications . In an emergency situation , such as systems failure , the EC145 OPV is programmed to enter into an automated hover - to - land procedure to safely land the aircraft . Design . The EC145 features a larger cabin space than the older BK 117 C1 helicopter with internal space increased by 46 cm ( 18 in ) in length and 13 cm ( 5 in ) in width , increasing cabin volume by 1 . 0 m³ ( 35 ft³ ) to 6 . 0 m³ ( 211 ft³ ) . Other improvements over the BK 117 include an increased maximum take - off weight and greater range , achieved partially by the adoption of composite rotor blades , which were derived from the smaller EC135 . The EC145 has a hingeless rotor system with a monolithic titanium hub ; the helicopter was originally powered by a pair of Turboméca Arriel 1E2 turboshaft engines , later aircraft are powered by the upgraded Turboméca Arriel 2E engine . A key feature of the aircraft is the variable rotorspeed and torque matching system ( VARTOMS ) , derived from the BK 117 , which Eurocopter has attributed as making the EC145 " the quietest helicopter in its class " . The EC145 is fitted with an all - glass cockpit , consists of a Thales Avionics MEGHAS Flight Control Display System with active matrix liquid crystal displays ( LCDs ) ; it can be piloted by either one or two pilots . A number of systems are independently redundant , including the autopilot system , hydraulic boost , transmission lubrication , and some of the onboard sensors . The EC145 T2 features additional and newer avionics systems , such as a full 4 - axis autopilot and dual - channel Full Authority Digital Engine Control ( FADEC ) ; three large LCD primary displays were also introduced to control these systems . The type is fully capable of Category A operations ; in November 2008 , an EC145 performed the first medical transport flights under instrument flight rules ( IFR ) in Europe ; the type is able to fly entirely under GPS navigation from takeoff to final approach when required . The EC145 is also the first civil helicopter to be fitted with night vision - compatible cockpit instrumentation and lighting straight off the production line . Typical cabin arrangements allows for eight passengers in a club seating configuration , or nine passengers in a high density seating configuration , passenger seating is designed for quick rearrangement based upon current demands . The cabin can be accessed either through sliding doors in either side of the aircraft or via large clamshell doors at the rear of the cabin ; in combination with the high mounted tail boom , the clamshell doors are designed to provide safe clearance for loading and unloading activities even while the rotors are turning . In an EMS / casualty evacuation arrangement , the EC145 can carry up to two stretchered patients with three accompanying medical staff . The helicopter can be fitted with emergency floats , rescue hoist , search light , load hook and specialist equipment for other operational requirements . Operational history . The French " Sécurité Civile " ( Civil Guard ) , French " Gendarmerie " and the " Landespolizei " ( State Police ) of Hesse , Germany became the first operators of the EC145 when they received initial deliveries of the helicopter in April 2002 . Two of the " Sécurité Civile " helicopters have crashed since delivery , with one being lost during a mountain rescue operation on Mount Arbizon in the French Pyrenees on 20 July 2003 and the other crashing during a police rescue exercise near Garvarnie in the Pyrenees on 5 June 2006 with the loss of three lives . In 2008 , the " Gendarmerie " reportedly stated that the EC145 has a per aircraft availability rate of roughly 90 percent . In 2006 , the " UH - 145 " , a military variant of the EC145 , was selected for the United States Army ' s Light Utility Helicopter Program , beating three other helicopters . The deal , valued at $ 3 billion , involved the supply and servicing of 345 helicopters , with options for additional aircraft . The variant was designated UH - 72 Lakota by the U . S . Department of Defense ; the first UH - 72A was delivered to the U . S . Army in December 2006 . In April 2012 , Eurocopter announced that the 500th EC145 had been delivered . In June 2013 , the German Federal Ministry of Defence announced plans to acquire 15 EC145s in a military configuration for special forces operations . The 15 aircraft , designated EC645 T2 , are reportedly to be armed and equipped with an electro - optical reconnaissance system and troop deployment fittings . On 11 June 2013 , EADS announced that Germany had ordered 15 EC645 T2 helicopters for the Kommando Spezialkräfte . Deliveries are to take place from 2015 to 2017 . Operators . As of September 2012 , the EC145 is in service with a total of 100 customers in 34 countries .