| A rospatiale Alouette III SA-316B | | South African Air Force A rospatiale 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 A rospatiale Alouette III is a light utility helicopter originally manufactured by A rospatiale of France. It was mostly used for military purposes, although civilian versions also flew.
History
The Alouette (skylark) III is the successor to the A rospatiale 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 Turbom ca 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 Turbom ca Artouste turboshaft.
The SA-319B entered production in 1968, powered by the Turbom ca 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) Turbom ca Artouste IIIB turboshaft driving a three blade main rotor and three blade tail rotor, the SA-319B has a 450 kW (600 shp) derated Turbom ca 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 South African Air Force A rospatiale Alouette III | | Close-up of the turbine of an ''Alouette III'' | An ''Alouette III'' of the 22S wing of the French Navy on the landing pad of Lanv oc base | The landing bridge of the Jeanne d'Arc with Alouette III helicopters | | 
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