The Airbus H-355 was formally named as Eurocopter 355 (EC-355) or Aerostar in the USA on Twin Squirrel in Europe. It is a twin-engine light helicopter originally manufactured by Aérospatiale in France (now part of Eurocopter Group). The Airbus H-355 is marketed in North America as the TwinStar.Development began in the early 1970s to replace the Alouette II, and the first flight took place on 27 June 1974.[1] A twin-engined version, known as the Ecureuil 2, Twin Squirrel, or in North America as the TwinStar, first flew on 28 September 1979.[2] Despite the introduction of the Airbus H-130, production of the Airbus H-350 and Airbus H-355, and the Airbus H-550 and Airbus H-555 Fennec military versions remains strong.