Part II

Aerospatiale Part III





1971 : SA 316B Alouette III Use a Turbomeca Artouste IIIB turbine engine. Also built in Rumania as IAR-316B, India as HAL Chetak and in Switzerland

SA316B Alouette III


May 13, 1971 : SA 341 Gazelle

Pilot Denis Prost smashed a 3rd world speed record of 312km/h over 25km in the SA341 Gazelle

August 6,1971 : First flight of SA 341 Gazelle production units

SA341 Gazelle


June 2, 1972 : SA 360 Dauphin The first variant of the Dauphin had 1 Turbomeca Astazou XVI of 890 hp and a Fenestron. This model , and the military SA 361 don't have a real success

June 21, 1972 An outright world altitude record ( 12.442 m ) for helicopters is set with a Lama

1973 : SA 316C / SA 319B Alouette III Use a Turbomeca Astazou turbine engine of 870 hp.

May 11,1973 : SA 342 Gazelle Military versions with more powered engines

1974 : Super Puma design begun

June 26, 1974 : AS 350 Ecureuil / Astar First flight of the prototype ( F-WVKH ) Initially designed as the Alouette III successor, the 350 result the first helicopter of the company intended for the civil market. The Astar was the version sold in North America powered with a Lycoming LST101 turbine

1975 : Alouette II production ends: 1305 units built for 46 countries.

January 24, 1975 : SA 365C Dauphin 2 Twin-turbine version of the SA 360 Dauphin

February 1975 : AS 350B Ecureuil Used a Turbomeca Ariel engine.

September 5, 1977 : AS 331 First flight of Super Puma ' s prototype

September 13, 1978 : AS 332 Super Puma First flight of the prototype ( F-WZJA ). The SA 330 received more powered engines, a strongly fuselage and other new features.

AS 332B :
Load: 2 + 21
Rotor diameter: 15.60 m
Length: 18.70 m
Height: 4.92 m
Weight: 4200 kg - Max : 9000
Engine: 2 Turbomeca Makila 1A of 1780 hp
Speed: 280 km/h
Range: 635 km
Rate of climb: 528 m/min
Service Ceiling: 4600 m
Disc Area: 191 m2

Super Puma


1979 : SA 366G - US Coast Guard HH-65A Dolphin First US government contract for non US helicopters. The Dolphin A used 2 american Lycoming LTS101-750a turbines of 618 hp and american electronic systems

March 30, 1979 : SA 365N Dauphin 2

USCG HH-65


September 27, 1979 : AS 355 Ecureuil 2 / TwinStar

First flight of the prototype ( F-WZLA )
The 355 is the twin-turbine version of the 350

AS 355 :
Load: 2 + 4
Rotor diameter: 10.70 m
Length: 10.91 m
Height: 3.15 m
Weight: 1288 kg - Max : 2500
Engine: 2 Allison 250-C20 of 425 hp
Speed: 230 km/h
Range: 720 km
Rate of climb: 456 m/min
Service Ceiling: 2350 m
Disc Area: 90 m2

AS355


Continue with PART IV







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