Brazil's Centre of Rotorcraft Manufacturing
Helibras — Helicópteros do Brasil S.A. is Brazil's helicopter manufacturer and the South American subsidiary of Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter). Founded in 1978 and based in Itá jna, Minas Gerais, Helibras assembles and delivers Airbus Helicopters rotorcraft for both civil and military customers across Brazil and the broader Latin American market.
Helibras occupies a unique position in Brazilian aerospace: it is the only helicopter manufacturer operating in the country, and its products serve an extraordinarily diverse range of operators — from offshore oil and gas platforms and emergency medical services to the Brazilian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The company's most iconic product, the Esquilo (AS350 series), has become the definitive Brazilian utility helicopter, operating in conditions ranging from Amazon jungle to high-altitude Andean approaches.
Civil Helicopters
EC120 Colibri
The EC120 Colibri (Hummingbird) is a five-seat single-engine light helicopter developed jointly by Eurocopter, CATIC (China), and Singapore Technologies. Assembled by Helibras for the Brazilian market, the Colibri serves training schools, private operators, and light utility roles. Its fenestron tail rotor, low noise signature, and economical operation made it a popular choice for Brazilian civil operators seeking a modern light helicopter.
AS350 B2 Esquilo
The AS350 B2 Esquilo (Squirrel) is one of the most widely operated helicopters in Brazil and the backbone of Helibras's civil production. A single-engine, six-seat utility helicopter of exceptional versatility, the B2 variant is powered by the Turboméca Arriel 1D1 engine and serves offshore support, aerial work, law enforcement, emergency medical services, and executive transport roles across Brazil. The Esquilo's ability to operate in Brazil's extreme environments — from humid Amazon conditions to high-altitude Andean approaches — has made it the definitive Brazilian utility helicopter.
AS350 B3 Esquilo
The AS350 B3 Esquilo is the high-performance variant of the Esquilo family, powered by the Turboméca Arriel 2B engine for superior hot-and-high performance. The B3 holds the record for the highest helicopter landing ever achieved — on the summit of Mount Everest in 2005 — demonstrating the exceptional performance envelope of this variant. In Brazil, the B3 serves demanding roles where the standard B2's performance margins are insufficient.
AS355 Esquilo II
The AS355 Esquilo II is the twin-engine development of the Esquilo family, offering enhanced safety margins for operations over water, urban environments, and other single-engine-critical missions. The twin-engine configuration made the AS355 the preferred choice for offshore oil and gas operators and law enforcement agencies requiring the additional safety of engine redundancy.
EC130
The EC130 (now H130) is a single-engine light utility helicopter optimised for passenger transport, tourism, and aerial work. Its wide cabin, low noise signature, and Fenestron tail rotor make it particularly suited to urban and tourist operations. Helibras delivers the EC130 to Brazilian civil operators in the tourism and executive transport segments.
EC135
The EC135 (now H135) is a twin-engine light helicopter widely used in emergency medical services, law enforcement, and offshore support. Its Fenestron tail rotor, bearingless main rotor, and spacious cabin make it one of the most capable light twins in its class. In Brazil, the EC135 serves SAMU (emergency medical services) and police aviation units in major metropolitan areas.
Military Helicopters
AS532 Cougar
The AS532 Cougar is a medium twin-engine military transport helicopter serving the Brazilian Armed Forces in troop transport, search and rescue, and utility roles. The Cougar's robust construction and powerful twin-engine configuration make it suited to the demanding operational environments of Brazil's vast territory, including Amazon jungle operations and maritime search and rescue.
AS550 Fennec
The AS550 Fennec is the military single-engine variant of the Esquilo family, serving the Brazilian Army and Air Force in light attack, reconnaissance, and training roles. The Fennec can be armed with machine guns, rocket pods, and anti-tank missiles, providing Brazilian ground forces with an agile and cost-effective light combat helicopter.
AS555 Fennec
The AS555 Fennec is the twin-engine military variant, offering enhanced safety and performance for naval and demanding military operations. The Brazilian Navy operates the AS555 in shipborne utility and search and rescue roles, where the twin-engine configuration provides the safety margins required for over-water operations.
EC635
The EC635 (now H135M) is the military variant of the EC135, serving in light attack, reconnaissance, and training roles. Its advanced avionics, weapons integration capability, and twin-engine reliability make it a versatile platform for modern military operations. Brazil operates the EC635 in military training and light utility roles.
EC725 Super Cougar
The EC725 Super Cougar (now H225M Caracal) is the most capable and strategically significant helicopter in the Helibras military portfolio. A large twin-engine military transport helicopter, the EC725 was selected by Brazil under the H-XBR programme — one of the largest military helicopter contracts in South American history — to equip all three branches of the Brazilian Armed Forces. The EC725 serves in troop transport, combat search and rescue, special operations support, and presidential transport roles. A significant portion of the EC725s delivered to Brazil incorporate locally manufactured components, making the programme a cornerstone of Brazil's defence industrial development strategy.
Helibras Helicopter Summary
Civil
| Model | Type |
|---|---|
| EC120 Colibri | Single-engine light helicopter |
| AS350 B2 Esquilo | Single-engine utility helicopter |
| AS350 B3 Esquilo | Single-engine high-performance utility helicopter |
| AS355 Esquilo II | Twin-engine utility helicopter |
| EC130 | Single-engine light utility/tourism helicopter |
| EC135 | Twin-engine light helicopter (EMS/law enforcement) |
Military
| Model | Type |
|---|---|
| AS532 Cougar | Medium twin-engine military transport |
| AS550 Fennec | Single-engine light military helicopter |
| AS555 Fennec | Twin-engine light military/naval helicopter |
| EC635 | Twin-engine light military helicopter |
| EC725 Super Cougar | Large twin-engine military transport/CSAR |
Legacy
Helibras represents Brazil's most sustained and successful integration into the global rotorcraft industry. Through its partnership with Airbus Helicopters, Brazil has developed genuine helicopter manufacturing capability — not merely assembly, but progressive localisation of components and systems that has built a domestic supply chain and engineering expertise base.
The Esquilo's dominance of the Brazilian civil helicopter market, the EC725's role as the centrepiece of Brazil's military aviation modernisation, and Helibras's position as the sole helicopter manufacturer in South America's largest economy all speak to a company of enduring strategic importance to Brazilian aerospace.
Primary-source documentation covering Helibras and the broader Brazilian aviation manufacturing heritage is held in the Online Aviation Library archive as part of the Brazilian Aviation collection.
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