Arriel 2H engine receives EASA certification

Safran Helicopter Engines has announced that it has received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) engine type certification for its Arriel 2H engine, installed in the Avicopter AC312E. AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic), selected the Arriel variant in 2015 to power this helicopter type. The AC312E made its maiden flight in July 2016.

“Type certification is an important milestone for the Arriel engine program,” commented

 Nicolas Billecocq, Safran Helicopter Engines Vice President Light Helicopter Engines Program. “It emphasises that the Arriel remains a very robust and high-performance engine solution for new rotorcraft. We now look forward to the next steps in the development of the AC312E.”

The engine was developed from the Arriel 2+, and the company says that it is one of the most powerful Arriel engine variants, and has a take-off power rating of 986 shp.