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| Aérospatiale Alouette III SA-316B | ||
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 South African Air Force Aérospatiale Alouette III | ||
| Description | ||
| Role: light utility/transport helicopter | ||
| Crew + passengers: 2 + 5 | ||
| Dimensions | ||
| Length: 12.54 m (42 ft 2 in) (main rotor to tail rotor) | ||
| Fuselage length: 10.03 m (32 ft 11 in) | ||
| Height: 3.09 m (10.14 ft) | ||
| Rotor diameter: 11.02 m (36.2 ft) | ||
| Weights | ||
| Empty: 1,108 kg (2,442 lb) | ||
| Maximum internal fuel: | ||
| Maximum take-off: 2,200 kg (4,850 lb) | ||
| Powerplant | ||
| Engines: 1 x Turbomeca Artouste IIIB turboshaft driving a three blade main rotor and three blade tail rotor | ||
| Power: 1 x 425 kW (570 shp) | ||
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed: 210 km/h (130 mph) | ||
| Combat range (internal fuel): 540 km (335 miles) | ||
| Ferry range (external fuel): | ||
| Service ceiling: | ||
| Maximum rate of climb: 270 m/min (885 ft/min) | ||
| Armament | ||
| Gun: | ||
| Missiles: | ||
The Aérospatiale Alouette III is a light utility helicopter originally manufactured by Aérospatiale of France. It was mostly used for military purposes, although civilian versions also flew.
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History
The Alouette (skylark) III is the successor to the Aérospatiale Alouette II, compared to which it is larger and has more seating. In turn, both of these helicopters can trace their ancestry back to the Sud-Est Aviation SE-3120 Alouette piston powered prototypes, the first of which flew for the first time on 31 July 1951.
The first version of the Alouette III, the SE-3160, first flew on 28 February 1959, powered by the Turboméca Artouste turboshaft. The SE-3160 remained in production until 1969, when it was replaced by the SA-316B.
The SA-316B had a strengthened transmission and a greater maximum takeoff weight, but retained the Turboméca Artouste turboshaft.
The SA-319B entered production in 1968, powered by the Turboméca Astazou XIV turboshaft, which had a better "hot and high performance" and improved fuel economy.
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 ICA in Romania, F+W Emmen in Switzerland and by Fokker and Lichtwerk in the Netherlands.
Production numbers are as follows:
- France: ca. 1500
- India: 300+ (Still in production.)
- Romania: 200
- Switzerland: 60
Users
- Albania (SA 319)
- Argentina (SA 316)
- Austria (SA 316)
- Austria (SA 319)
- Belgium (SA 319)
- Burundi (SA 316)
- Cameroon (SA 319)
- Chad (SA 316)
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the (SA 316)
- Congo, Republic of the (SA 316)
- Ecuador (SA 316)
- Ethiopia (SA 316)
- France (SA 316)
- France (SA 319)
- Ghana (SA 316)
- Greece (SA 319)
- Guinea-Bissau (SA 316)
- India (SA 319)
- Indonesia (SA 316)
- Iraq (SA 316)
- Ireland (SA 316)
- Jordan (SA 316)
- Lebanon (SA 316)
- Libya (SA 316)
- Malaysia (SA 316)
- Malta (SA 316)
- Mexico (SA 319)
- Pakistan (SA 316)
- Pakistan (SA 319)
- Peru (SA 319)
- Portugal (SA 319)
- Romania (SA 319)
- Rwanda (SA 316)
- South Africa (SA 316)
- Suriname (SA 316)
- Switzerland (SA 316)
- Tunisia (SA 316)
- Venezuela (SA 316)
- Zimbabwe (SA 316)
Versions
While the SA-316B has a 425 kW (570 shp) Turboméca Artouste IIIB turboshaft driving a three blade main rotor and three blade tail rotor, the SA-319B has a 450 kW (600 shp) derated Turboméca Astazou XIV turboshaft.
When used as an aerial ambulance, the Alouette III can accommodate a pilot, two medical attendants and two stretcher patients.
See also
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