One of the primary changes was the adoption of a Fenestron anti-torque device in place of a conventional tail rotor. It was launched and produced by the Eurocopter Group, which would later be rebranded as Airbus Helicopters. The EC130 is a single engine helicopter. It uses an automatically-varying three-bladed Starflex main rotor which is matched to an enclosed tail fan anti-torque device, known as a Fenestron, the latter feature replacing the traditional tail rotor found on the older AS350. The Fenestron has unevenly spaced blades to reduce noise generation by 50% compared to a tail rotor. The EC130 uses the Turbomeca Arriel 2D turboshaft engine; the performance of this powerplant has led to the type having been described as possessing "better power margins and range than competing models, particularly in hot and high conditions". The EC130 T2's enhanced Arriel engine is equipped with Full Authority Digital Engine Controls; a dual hydraulic system derived from the Eurocopter AS355 was also adopted. For more detail on the development, design, opertational history and variants, click here. Specifications below are for the EC130 B4 model.
