Aérospatiale Alouette III
| SA 316 / SA 319 Alouette III | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Role | Light utility helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Sud Aviation Aérospatiale |
| First flight | 28 February 1959 |
| Introduced | 1960 |
| Retired | 2004 |
| Status | Active duty in some nations |
| Primary users | French Armed Forces Indian Air Force Lebanese Air Force |
| Produced | 1961-1985 |
| Number built | 2,000+ |
| Developed from | Aérospatiale Alouette II |
| Variants | Aérospatiale Gazelle |
The Aérospatiale Alouette III (French for Skylark) is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation and later manufactured by Aérospatiale of France. The Alouette III is the successor to the Alouette II, being larger and having more seating. Originally powered by a Turbomeca Artouste IIIB turboshaft engine, the Alouette III is recognised for its mountain rescue capabilities and adaptability.
Contents |
Development
The first version of the Alouette III, the SE 3160 prototype, first flew on 28 February 1959. Production of the SA 316A (SE 3160) began in 1961 and remained in production until 1968, when it was replaced by the SA 316B.
Operational History
The Alouette III entered in service with the French Armed forces in 1960. From April 1964-1967, three machines were delivered from France for local assembly in Australia, and were used by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) at the Woomera Rocket Range for light passenger transport and recovery of missile parts after test launches at the Range.
Served in Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 when 2 planes of the PAF were lost in the war,[1] and the Portuguese Colonial War, during 60's and 70's with large utilization in Angola, Mozambique and Guinea, where it proved its qualities.
The SA 316B and the SA 319B both remained in series production up to the early 1980s, when the main production line in France was closed down. However, HAL of India continues to licence-build Alouette IIIs as the Chetak. Versions of the Alouette III were also either licence-built or assembled by IAR in Romania (as the IAR 316), F+W Emmen in Switzerland, and by Fokker and Lichtwerk in the Netherlands.
Production numbers are as follows:
- France: 1453
- India: 300+ (Still in production.)
- Romania: 230
- Switzerland: 60
In June 2004, the Alouette III was retired from the French Air Force after 32 years of successful service. It will be replaced by the Eurocopter EC 355 Ecureuil 2. In the same year, the Swiss Armed Forces announced the retirement of the Alouette III, from the front line by 2006, and entirely by 2010. Venezuelan Air forces retired their Alouette IIIs in the late 90s.
At Baldonnel 21 September 2007 the Alouette III was retired from the Irish Air Corps. During 44 years of successful service, the fleet amassed over 77,000 flying hours. As well as routine military missions, the aircraft undertook some 1,717 Search and Rescue Missions, saving 542 lives and flew a further 2,882 Air Ambulance flights. The oldest of the Alouettes, 195, is currently being kept in 'rotors running' condition for the Air Corps Museum.[1]
Variants
- The SA 316A was the first production version. Original designation SE 3160.
- The SA 316B is powered by a 425 kW (570 shp) Turboméca Artouste IIIB turboshaft engine, with strengthened main and tail rotor for greater performance. The SA 316B was built under licence in India as the HAL Chetak, and again under licence in Romania as the IAR 316.
- HAL Chetak : Indian production version of the SA 316B.
- IAR 316 : Romanian production version of the SA 316B.
- The SA 319B was a direct development of the SA 316B, it was powered with a 649 kW (870 shp) Turboméca Astazou XIV turboshaft engine, but it was derated to 447 kW (660 hp).
- The SA 316C was powered by a Turbomeca Artouste IIID turboshaft engine. The SA 316C was only built in small numbers.
- G-Car and K-Car : Helicopter gunship versions for the Royal Rhodesian Air Force. The G-Car was armed with two side-mounted Browning machine guns. The K-Car was armed with one 20mm Mauser cannon, fitted inside the cabin, firing from the port side of the helicopter.
- IAR 317 Skyfox: A Romanian helicopter gunship project based on the IAR 316. Only three prototypes were ever built.
- Atlas XH-1 Alpha: A Two-seat attack helicopter project. It was used in the development of the Denel AH-2 Rooivalk.
When used as an aerial ambulance, the Alouette III can accommodate a pilot, two medical attendants and two stretcher patients.
Operators
- People's Air and Air Defence Force of Angola About 20 former Portuguese aircraft[2]
- Argentine Navy 14 operated (3 x SE3160, 7 x SA316B and 4 x SA319B)[3]
- Royal Australian Air Force Three aircraft in Service from 1964 to 1967.
- Austrian Air Force 26 operated (12 x SE3160, 14 x SA316B) [4]
- Bangladesh Air Force Four HAL-built former Indian Air Force 316s[5]
- Belgian Navy 3 in active service23 in active service[6]
- Biafran Air Force operated few helicopters.
- 14 operated (13 x SE3160 and 1 x SE316B)[7]
- 4 operated (1 x SE3160 and 3 x SA316Bs)[8]
- Cameroon Air Force One SA319[8]
- Chad Air Force Ten former French SE3160s[9]
- Chilean Navy Ten SA319Bs, retired in 1991
- Congolese Air Force One SA316B[10]
- Côte d'Ivoire Air Force Four (3 x SE3160, 1 x SA316B)[11]
- Danish Navy Eight SE3160[12]
- Dominican Air Force One SE3160[13]
Ecuador (SA 316)
El Salvador
- El Salvador Air Force One SA316B[14]
- Ethiopian Air Force Five SE3160 and six Romanian-built SA316B[15]
- French Air Force 0 in active service, all retired[16]
- French Army Light Aviation 0 in active service, all retired[16]
- French Navy 23 in active service[16]
- Sécurité Civile Six (SA316)[17]
- Gabonese Air Force Five (1 x SE3160, 1 x SA316B, 3 x SA319B)[18]
- Ghana Air Force Four (SA316B)[19]
- Hellenic Navyal Aviation Four (SA319B)[20]
- Guinean Air Force One (SA316B)[21]
Guinea-Bissau (SA 316)
Hong Kong
- Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force Three (2 x SE3160, 1 x 316B)[22]
- Indian Air Force 87+ (55 x French-built SE3160 and SA316B, 32+ Indian-built SA319B Chetak)[23]
- Indian Navy 18+ (7 x French-built SE3160, 7 x French-built SA316B plus Indian built Chetaks)[24]
- Indonesian Army Seven (SE3160)[25]
- Iraq Air Force 44 (SA316C)[26]
- Irish Air Corps Eight SA 316 in service between 1963 and 2007 (3 x SE3160 and 5 x SA316B).[27]
- Jordanian Air Force 16 (SA316B)[28]
- Lebanese Air Force 13 (8 x SE3160, 5 x SA316B)[29]
- Libyan Arab Jamahiriyah Army Aviation 13 (SA316B), three later to Malta[30]
- Malagasy Air Force Two (SE3160, one former French Army)[31]
- Malawi Army Air Wing One (SA316)[31]
Malaysia (SA 316)
- Royal Malaysian Air Force 36 (26 x SE3160, 10 x SA316B)[32]
- Armed Forces of Malta Three (SA316B former Libyan Air Force)[33]
- Mexican Air Force Three (SE3160) [34]
- Mexican Naval Aviation Five (SA319B) [34]
- Royal Moroccan Gendarmie Air Squadron Two (SA316B)[35]
- Mozambique Air Force Four (SA316B former Portugal Air Force)[36]
- Nepal Royal Flight One (SE3160)[36]
- Air Battalion, 11th Brigade Royal Nepal Army At least 2 HAL Cheetak.[37]
- Royal Netherlands Air Force 4 in active service for VIP transport[38]
- Pakistan Air Force 13+ (7 x SE3160, 4 x SA316B, 2 x SA319B plus local production)[40]
- Pakistan Army 12+ (11 x SE3160, 1 x SA316B)[41]
- Pakistan Navy (SA 316, SA 319)
- Peruvian Air Force 12 (4 x SE3160, 8 x SA316C)[42]
- Peruvian Naval Aviation 6 (SA319B)[43]
- Portuguese Air Force 12 in active service[44]
- Rwanda Air Force Two SE3160[45]
- Royal Saudi Air Force Five (4 x SE3160, 1 x SA316B)[46]
- Republic of Singapore Air Force (12 x SA316B, retired in 1978 and was sold to Sri Lanka)
South Africa (SA 316)
- South African Air Force 120 (58 x SE3160, 40 x SA316B plus others)[47]
- Republic of Korea Navy (SA-319B)
- Spanish Air Force Five SA319B [48]
- Spanish Army Three SA319B [49]
Sri Lanka (SA 316)
Suriname (SA 316)
Switzerland
- Swiss Air Force 84 SE3160 (24 French-built, 60 licence-built)[50]
- Tunisian Air Force Eight (4 x SE3160, 4 x SA316B)[51]
- Upper Volta Air Force Two SA316B [52]
- Venezuelan Air Force 20 (SE3160)[53]
- SFR Yugoslav Air Force
- Special Helicopter Squad of 1st Corps of AF and AD used two SA 316 helicopters.
- ZAire Air Force 10 (SE3160 and SA316B)[54]
- Zambian Air Force
Zimbabwe (SA 316)
Civilian operators
- ALFA Helicópteros
Specifications (SA 316B)
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Capacity: 5 passengers
- Length: 10.03 m (32 ft 11 in)
- Main rotor diameter: 11.02 m (36 ft 2 in)
- Height: 3 m (9 ft 10 in)
- Main rotor area: 95.38 m² (1026 ft²)
- Empty weight: 1143 kg (2520 lb)
- Gross weight: 2200 kg (4950 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Turbomeca Artouste IIIB turboshaft, 649kW (870hp) derated to 425 kW (570 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 210 km/h (130 mph)
- Cruising speed: 185 km/h (115 mph)
- Range: 540 km (335 miles)
- Service ceiling: 3200 m (10,500 ft)
- Rate of climb: 4.5 m/s (950 ft/min)
References
- ^ New Wings for the Irish Air Corps
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 11
- ^ Andrade 1982, page 15
- ^ Andrade 1982, page 21
- ^ Andrade 1982, page 22
- ^ Belgian military aviation OrBat
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 35
- ^ a b Andrade 1982, Page 36
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 43
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 50
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 126
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 55
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 56
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 188
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 63
- ^ a b c French military aviation OrBat
- ^ Helicopters of the Securite Civile (in French)
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 77
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 91
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 94
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 95
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 98
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 102/103
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 103
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 106
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 111
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 61
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 139
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 147
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 149
- ^ a b Andrade 1982, Page 151
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 153
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 154
- ^ a b Andrade 1982, Page 157
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 159
- ^ a b Andrade 1982, Page 161
- ^ Air Combat Information Group - Nepal
- ^ Dutch military aviation OrBat
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 166
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 173
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 174
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 178
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 179
- ^ Portuguese military aviation OrBat
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 187
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 190
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 197
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 206
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 208
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 218
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 227
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 335
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 338
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 343
Bibliography
- Andrade, John (1982). Militair 1982. London: Aviation Press Limited. ISBN 0 907898 01 07.
External links
- Aerospatiale SA 316/319 "Alouette III"
- Aérospatiale SA 316B/ VSV/ SA 319B Alouette III
- GlobalSecurity.org SA 316/SA 319 Alouette III
- Sud Aviation SA 316/319 Alouette III
- The Virtual Aviation Museum - Aérospatiale SE 3160 Alouette III
See also
Related development
Related lists
- List of helicopters
- List of utility aircraft
|
||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
Why are we here?
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
This page is cache of Wikipedia. History