Aérospatiale Alouette III

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SA 316 / SA 319 Alouette III
An Alouette III of the 22S wing of the French Navy on the landing pad of Lanvéoc base
Type	Light utility helicopter
Manufacturer	Sud Aviation Aérospatiale
Maiden flight	1959-02-28
Introduced	1960
Retired	2004
Status	Active duty in some nations
Primary users	French Armed Forces Indian Air Force
Produced	1961-1985
Number built	2,000+
Developed from	Aérospatiale Alouette II
Variants	Aérospatiale Gazelle

The Aérospatiale Alouette III (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 1 Development 2 Operational History 3 Variants 4 Operators 4.1 Civilian operators 5 Specifications (SA 316B) 6 External links 7 See also

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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 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.

On 21 September 2007 after 44 years of successful service, in which hundreds of lives were saved, the Alouette III was retired from the Irish Air Corps.^[1]

[edit] 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.

[edit] Operators

 United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi)

 Albania (SA 319)

 Angola

 Argentina (SA 316)

 Austria (SA 316, SA 319)

 Australia

• Royal Australian Air Force] In Service 1964-1967. 3 Aircraft. A5:165-167

 Bangladesh

 Belgium (SA 319)

 Biafra

• Biafran Air Force operated few helicopters.

 Bolivia

 Burkina Faso

 Burma

 Burundi (SA 316)

 People's Republic of China

 Cameroon (SA 319)

 Chad (SA 316)

 Chile (SA 316)

 Republic of the Congo (SA 316)

 Côte d'Ivoire

 Denmark

 Dominican Republic

 Ecuador (SA 316)

 El Salvador

 Equatorial Guinea

 Ethiopia (SA 316)

 France (SA 316, SA 319)

 Gabon

 Ghana (SA 316)

 Greece (SA 319)

 Guinea

 Guinea-Bissau (SA 316)

 Hong Kong

• Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

 India (SA 319)

 Indonesia (SA 316)

 Iraq (SA 316)

 Iran

 Ireland (SA 316)

 Israel

 Jordan (SA 316)

 Laos

 Lebanon (SA 316) 12 aircraft

 Libya (SA 316)

 Madagascar

 Malawi

 Malaysia (SA 316)

 Malta (SA 316)

 Mexico (SA 319)

 Morocco

 Mozambique

 Nepal

 Netherlands

 Nicaragua

 Pakistan

• Pakistan Navy (SA 316, SA 319)

 Peru (SA 319)

 Portugal

• Portuguese Air Force (SA 319 - 18 in service, expected to retire in 2008-2011)

 Rhodesia

• Rhodesian Air Force

 Romania (IAR 316)

 Rwanda (SA 316)

 Saudi Arabia

 Seychelles

 Singapore

• Republic of Singapore Air Force (SA 316, retired in 1978 and was sold to Sri Lanka)

 Sri Lanka (SA 316)

 South Africa (SA 316)

• South African Air Force

 South Korea

• Republic of Korea Navy (SA-319B)

 South Vietnam

 Spain

 Suriname (SA 316)

 Switzerland (SA 316)

 Tunisia (SA 316)

 Venezuela (SA 316)

 Yugoslavia

• SFR Yugoslav Air Force
  • Special Helicopter Squad of 1st Corps of AF and AD used two SA 316 helicopters.

 Zaire (SA 316)

 Zambia

 Zimbabwe (SA 316)

[edit] Civilian operators

 United States

• Flight for Life

[edit] Specifications (SA 316B)

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 5 passengers
• Length: 10.03 m (32 ft 11 in)
• Rotor diameter: 11.02 m (36.2 ft)
• Height: 3.09 m (10.14 ft)
• Disc area: m² (ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,108 kg (2,442 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 2,200 kg (4,850 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Turboméca Artouste IIIB turboshaft, 425 kW (570 shp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 210 km/h (110 knots, 130 mph)
• Range: 540 km (290 nm, 335 mi)
• Service ceiling m (14450ft)
• Rate of climb: 4.5 m/s (885 ft/min)

[edit] External links

• Aerospatiale SA 316/319 "Alouette III"
• Sud Aviation SA 316/319 Alouette III
• GlobalSecurity.org SA 316/SA 319 Alouette III
• AÉROSPATIALE SA 316B/ VSV/ SA 319B ALOUETTE III
• The Virtual Aviation Museum - Aérospatiale SE 3160 Alouette III

[edit] See also

Related development

• Aérospatiale Alouette II
  

Related lists

• List of helicopters
• List of utility aircraft
  

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