MBB BO 105C

2,400kg flying on its head with ease? The BO 105 masters this feat – as one of many. It remains the only helicopter that is fully aerobatic. In 1963 MBB started considering construction of a helicopter in the two-ton class. The basic idea was fascinating: A revolutionary rotor system was to be developed – as the basis for a completely new helicopter concept.

In 1966 initial testing of the first hingeless rotor system began and proved promising. Innovative materials played a decisive role. For example, titanium was used for the rotor head and glass-reinforced plastic for the rotor blades. These blades have a virtually unlimited lifespan. Their enormously high elasticity made it possible to design a jointless rotor system that was easy to maintain, had a low vibration level, and guaranteed unsurpassed manoeuvrability.

The BO 105 was also the first light helicopter in the world to be equipped with two engines, dual hydraulics and dual electrical power supplies. Innovations that make aerobatics conceivable. This is because the BO 105 is still the only helicopter that can perform “real” aerobatics with almost all the maneuvers known from fixed-wing aircraft. The first flight took place in February 1967. The first helicopters were delivered to the Federal Armed Forces in 1978.

A total of 1,425 BO 105 helicopters were produced by 1997. Production was finally stopped in 2001. Today, the BO 105 flies in civil, paramilitary and military versions in more than 35 countries worldwide. It is particularly common in rescue operations and offshore operations. The Flying Bulls’ two BO 105s rolled off the assembly line in 1974 and ended up with the Flying Bulls in 2005 after their job as police helicopters.

MBB BO 105C