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Eurocopter marks pedigree of the Ecureuil

29th June 2011 - 15:00 GMT | by Tony Osborne in Le Bourget

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When flight test engineer Bernard Certain flew on the first flight of Aerospatiale AS350 Ecureuil in June 1974 he wasn't entirely convinced it was going to be a success.

'At the beginning, the engine didn't work properly, it was unstable in flight and I remember the cabin was too short. I had to make my own modifications to ensure that the pilot, Daniel Bauchart, would be able to sit comfortably,' said Certain, who is regarded by many as the 'father of the Ecureuil'.

He was speaking to Shephard at the Paris Air Show, where Eurocopter held a get-together for owners

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Author

Tony Osborne

Tony was deputy editor of Defence Helicopter and Rotorhub magazines before joining Aviation Week in …

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