• Alpine search and rescue • Unrivalled high-altitude performance
igh in the Alps, the Alouette is a guardian angel – risking fierce winds, snow, ice and treacherous terrain to rescue those in trouble on Europe’s high mountains. The highly successful Alouette is found in dozens of nations performing hundreds of jobs. None have become better known than its dramatic mercy missions, which it carries out at great risk to the crew to save those in peril.
◄ Vintage gunship A
Using AS-11 rockets and heavy cannon, the Alouette was a pioneer in the development ol helicopter gunships. The Alouette served in the war in Algeria with French forces, and also in the Rhodesian civil war.
FACTS AND
^ In Juno 1960 an Alouolto III proved that it could operate at 4810 m (15,780 ft.) on Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest mountain.
The first flight of the Alouette III took place on 28 February 1959.
^ On 21 June 1972, an SA 315B Lama (Alouetto II airframe and III engine) set a height record of 12442 m (40,820 ft).
FIGURES
Alouettes also servo as light transports, agncultural, liaison, observation and photo-mapping aircraft.
The Alouette III has an oxternal sling for loads up to 750 kg (t,650 lb.) or a rescue hoist which can lift 175 kg (400 lb.).
^ Indian Alouettes regularly operate in the Himalayas, the world’s highest mountains.
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Aerospatiale Alouette III
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Alouette III
Type: general-purpose helicopter
Powerplanl: on* 870-kW <870»hp.) Turbomoca Artouste HIB hjrboshatt derated to 425 kW/550 shp. (SA-316BI. ono &49-kW/870-shp TurbomOca Astazou XIV turboshaft derated to 448 kV/600 shp. (SA-319C)
Maximum speed: 210 km/h <137 m p h i at sea level
Hovering ceiling in ground effect: 2880 m (8.400 ft I
Hovering ceiling out ol ground effect: 1520 m (5.000 ft I
Range: 480 km (375 mi.)
Weights: empty 1143 kg (2.440 ip ): lo. ldod 2200 kg <4.960 to.)
Dimensions: rotor diameter 11.02 m (36 ft. 2 m.)
length (btodra foldedi 10.03 m
(33 ft.)
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III has reached operators in numlxrrs exceeding 1,500 In every climate, the Alouette is a versatile aircraft and military operators have used tlte Alouette 111 lor light-attack and anti submarine duties However, it has become famous for living life-saving missions in mountain ranges the world over
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French Alouettes have performed a variety of jobs. As a military light utility transport they havo boon replaced by the Gazelle and Puma, but the Gendarmerie continues to approciato its superb high-altitude performance in the mountains.
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The Atouoito »v»s о traditional twigoc! rotor head wth throe rotor binder Draper; it* CW design tho Atouoito s и nmiblo maebno and m wrti liked by ptotj.
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3.00 m |9 ft. 10 in) 95 38 m-(1,027 ft I
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Tt/bomecak Astarou газ proved lo be a refcabto and powodii engine. Tho Astarcuk *ght wwgfit and hqh powv output grw the Atouotto much at 4s tomous porlamanco at altitude
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The roomy catwi & a uselir feature kv search and гекие Six разаэтд»» can be caned, or two soetenrrs and two seated passengers n the casualty BVOCUAtW. IOW
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tat rotors are a vulnerable areo of arty hobcopter. and even with this 4 largo guaro beTOw il Iho p«to1 r, aways corncmed aboul the tail Tho successors to too Ateuotto havo on enclosed tail rotor m a fonrasren’ fin mounting, for protection and mproved pnrtormanc*.
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Tt« бік passenger seats in the siandanf Alouetie ink roomy caton can гулску be removed The hetcopfer then becomes a »ghi cargo transport, abto to Ift payloads of cp to 750 kg (1,660 lb.}.
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The fins on the tatooom gr. o added stabdty m terwaro hgtit. and ofeo hofp the prot k«© a steady hover wnen pertormng doscato rescue manoeuvres in tvgn wind conditions.
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I Any Alouettes have worries and spothghts fitted tor tght transport. I he maxmum 750-kg 11.650-ID.) pa/oed can 350 tie earned etternaty on a sing
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Th*>ny lone МоиеПе Шbgrvaetudo рчПотцпж а от ни о» fhtfirtomer-
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юмі lor люилимі песий h« Qwoto nho
4100 ■
0 MOO П.|
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Alouettes in the mountains
■ UNDERCARRIAGE: The
ski-cguipped undcrcantoge of an AJouotlo in a high mountain valley shows that it operate* her© all year round. The w;irm summer weather in this picture makes the helicopter’s performance lower than usual, as the a. r density « reduced even more.
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■ RESCUE VETERAN:
Thousands ot pooplo owe the* lives to the Alouette for saving them in daring winch rescues. This mission needs careful work between all three crew – the pilot, winch operator and the winchmon Long periods in the hover also demand the good performance given by the Alouette.
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■ SNOW OPERATIONS:
The Alooette’s етап s»ze. light weight, lorgrving Hying characteristics and ski undercarriage are essential whon operating on snow. Heavy hoilcoptcrr. with normal wheels would probably get stuck in these conations, as wen as finding it hard to fly in the thin alpine air.
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Aerospatiale
