The EC120 Colibri has its origins in the P120, a proposal by French helicopter manufacturer
Aérospatiale that was intended to replace both their
Aérospatiale Gazelle and
Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama single engine helicopters. During the 1980s, Aérospatiale sought international partners with which to co-produce the P120, these included aerospace companies in China, Singapore, and Australia. In the aftermath of the Chinese Government's crackdown on the
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, the exclusion of Chinese involvement in the project was speculated. On 20 October 1992, a contract for the joint development contract of the new helicopter was signed by the three principle partners of the project, the newly formed
Eurocopter,
China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) and
Singapore Aerospace Ltd (STAero). Development of the rotorcraft allowed Eurocopter to extend its range to include rotorcraft. By February 1996, the prototype had accumulated 60 flight hours, a second prototype joined the test program later that year. In February 1997, the EC120 Colibri was formally launched at the
Helicopter Association International (HAI) show in
Anaheim, California; by June 1997, more than 50 orders had been received for the type. By October 1998, more than 100 orders had been received for the type, leading Eurocopter to increase the production rate from four helicopters per month to six. In 2002, Eurocopter was in the process of establishing a second assembly line for the EC120 at Australian Aerospace's facility in
Brisbane,
Australia. In September 2003, Eurocopter and
China Aviation Industry Corporation II (AVIC II) expanded their partnership agreement to include a co-production arrangement with AVIC II-subsidiary
Harbin Aircraft Industry Group (HAIG). On 11 June 2004, a final production agreement was signed; under the agreement, CATIA and HAIG received exclusive market rights in China, and Eurocopter agreed to stop selling French-built EC120s in mainland China. In June 2014, the
People's Liberation Army of China became the launch customer for the Harbin-produced HC120, reportedly placing an order for eight of the type with options for fifty more.
Diesel demonstrator Within the Green Rotorcraft European
Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative environmental research program started in 2011, a H120 Technology demonstrator equipped with a HIPE AE440 high-compression
aircraft diesel engine, running on
jet fuel, first flew on 6 November 2015. The powerplant trialed was a
liquid-cooled,
dry sump lubricated 4.6-liter 90°
V8 engine with an
common rail direct injection, fully machined aluminum blocks, titanium connecting rods, steel pistons and liners, one
turbocharger per cylinder bank. The rotors were driven via the existing transmission, the faster-turning
Turbomeca Arrius turboshaft was replaced with a multiplier
gearbox. The
brake specific fuel consumption was 200 g/kW⋅h. Torque oscillations were reduced through a light torsional shaft and vibrations are damped by Silent blocs. It was manufactured by Teos Powertrain Engineering—a joint venture between
Mecachrome and D2T (IFPEN group)—for the mechanical design, engine main parts manufacturing, assembly and testing and
Austro Engine for the dual-channel
FADEC and harness, fuel system, airworthiness. ==Design==