The MBB Eurocopter BO 105 is a pilot's favorite. The small helicopter is fast, highly maneuverable, light weight, and solid. It is favored by military pilots especially when used at tree top altitudes for support of infantry and ground units. The helicopter is also used as a police vehicle, air ambulance, rescue helicopter, and for utility operations.

Doors under the tail boom in the rear of the BO 105 cabin open to allow up to 1,918 lbs. of cargo to be easily loaded on board. While not hauling cargo, there is room for up to six passengers. For medical use the helicopter can accommodate up to two paramedics and two patients.

BO 105 pilots enjoy user friendly instrumentation and controls plus superior downward visibility through the lower cockpit windows. The military version of the helicopter can be equipped with a radar mast and targeting system to allow tree top level missions. Infrared sights, doppler radar, spotlights, cameras, cockpit armor, and guided missiles are carried by the helicopter. Its twin engines and dual redundancy systems add extra safety to bring its crew back to base safely.

A great deal of the agility of the BO 105 can be attributed to its one piece titanium hingeless main rotor head. It enables any control input from the pilot to be acted upon by the rotor head in about 0.2 seconds. In contrast, helicopters such as the American Apache use an articulated rotor head. The BO 105 was the first production helicopter to use such a system. Its primary drawback is expense.

Helicopters throughout the years have used an articulated rotor system and most continue to do so today. In the system each blade is hinged and operates independently of the other. They can move vertically, forward and back horizontally, and are controllable in pitch movements.

The hingeless rotor uses motion and vibration control components rather than hinges for greater control of horizontal and vertical movements. Vibrations are greatly lessened and input response lag time is much improved.

In some cases rotor oscillation can happen so fast and become so extreme that airframe damage can not be avoided. This effect is known as ground resonance. The danger of strong vibrations and shock from the landing gear passing through the fuselage causing an imbalance in the turning rotors of the helicopter while on the ground are greatly diminished with a hingeless rotor system.

Over 1,500 MBB Eurocopter BO 105 helicopters have been built and sold in some forty countries around the world.

Specifications
Primary Function:     Crew:     Engines:     Horsepower:     Length:     Height:     Rotor Diameter:     Weight Empty:     Max. Weight:     Cruise Speed:     Max. Speed:     Initial Climb:     Ceiling:     Range:     First Flight:     Year Deployed:	utility one or two Allison 250-C20B 2 x 419 h.p. ea. 38' 9" 9' 9" 32' 2" 2,815 lbs. 5,511 lbs. 127 mph 150 mph 1,870 fpm 17,000 feet 360 miles 2/16/67 1970