US Coast Guard - By March 2006, the fleet of HH65 C Dauphins converted into the Charlie variant had logged 10,000 flight hours and made 300 trouble-free rescues. More details on this successful collaboration below.

On 17 March 2006, the first HH65 C Dauphin to be re-engined on the American Eurocopter conversion line in Columbus, Mississippi, successfully performed its maiden test flight. “The key to success was the highly motivated teams and the excellent management. The supply process for the re-engining kits is now working perfectly,” points out Daniel Wittmann, the Eurocopter program manager. The 68th complete kit was delivered in mid-March, by which point 34 aircraft had already been delivered and 24 others were in layup.

New Missions and Opportunities for the USCG
The Arriel 2C2 re-engining of the HH65C, which was initially equippedd with Lycoming engines, has given this helicopter a new lease of life and its high performances now place it in the running for new missions. First of all, the aim of the NCRAD (National Capital Region Air Defense) mission is to defend/intercept light aircraft in the Washington DC area and deter any possible intrusion or attack. Since 11 September 2001, flying over Washington DC is strictly regulated. However, the Capitol has been evacuated several times due to the overflight of light aircraft and fears of a terrorist attack.

Preventing this type of accidental incursion, while offering armed intervention in case of attack, is the role that has been entrusted to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS groups together agencies such as the FBI or the Custom Border Patrol and has awarded the NCRAD mission to the USCG. “The USCG had to show the DHS that they were operationally capable of performing this mission economically,” explains Marc Chaffanet, the Eurocopter Commercial Manager in Washington. “And, in November 2005, a Eurocopter crew demonstrated that the HH65C could reach speeds of 205 knots at a much lower operational cost than the competition.”

Furthermore, the HITRON mission was also entrusted to the USCG by the Narcotic Bureau in 1999 as part of the fight against drug trafficking, which is particularly active around Florida. This mission consists in tracking and then stopping the very fast ‘offshore’ ships used by the drug smugglers, and requires long lateral pursuit flight, at relatively high speeds, during which the USCG gunner fires warning shots and then further rounds to halt the vessel.

New Horizons for the Dauphin
The Dauphin is already considered as the reference for SAR (Search and Rescue) missions by many operators because of its speed, extensive radius of action, simplified maintenance and its supreme adaptability to the nautical environment (deck landing capability, main blade folding, and use of composite materials). The re-engining has also made OEI (One Engine Inoperative) flight much safer, an asset that is greatly appreciated by pilots, especially for the most difficult hoisting operations during storms or at night.