Country of origin:

France

Description:

General-purpose helicopter

Power Plant:

One 410-kw (550-shp) Turbomeca Artouste IIIB turboshaft

Specifications:

History:

The Alouette III was first placed in production by Sud Aviation in 1961 as a general-purpose helicopter for both civil and military applications. Production continued into the 1970s until the advent of newer technology aircraft, such as the Aerospatiale Ecureuil and Dauphin, and then Sud Aviation became part of the Aerospatiale group. Derived from the Alouette II, the prototype Alouette III was flown for the first time on 28 February 1959.

The first production version, the SE-3160, re-designated SA-316A in 1970, was powered by the 410-kw (550-shp) Turbomeca Artouste III turboshaft engine. The 1970 model, designated SA-316B, had the Artouste IIIB engine of 640-kw (858-shp) de-rated to 405-kw (543-shp), and in 1971 the Model SSA-316C was released with the Artouste IIID engine. At this time an Astazou-powered derivative was offered, and this became known as the SA-319A. Deliveries of this model began in 1970. Subsequently the SA-319B with the Astazou XVI engine was introduced.

Some 1,453 examples of all versions were delivered. Licence production was also undertaken in India, Switzerland, and Rumania. The Romanian variant, of which 230 were delivered, was known as the IAR 316B, a variant known as the IAR-317 Skyfox being operated as a gunship. The type has been used over the years by a number of air forces in the light attack and anti-submarine warfare roles and could be fitted with a variety of weapons. The Rhodesian air force operated variants dedicated to support quick-reaction units dealing with terrorist forces, these being in two models, the G-Car carrying four troops and with side-mounted Browning machine guns; and the K-car, a gunship model with a 20-mm Mauser cannon mounted on the port side. The type has been used by more than 50 armies and navies around the World.

The first Alouette III seen in this region was noted on 13 august 1962 being demonstrated to airline and military service representatives at RAAF Fairbairn, Canberra. This machine had been flown to Australia in a Nord Noratlas and was assembled and used as a demonstrator for a period. At least nine Alouette IIIs have been registered in Australia over the years. These include three SA 3160-3s imported for the Air Trials Unit of the RAAF and which received the RAAF serials A5-165, A5-166 and A5-167. They were used for communications duties from 1964 to 1966. After a period they were transferred to the Australian civil aircraft register as VH-UPN (c/n 1165 – ex A5-165); VH-UPO (c/n 1166 – ex A5-166), and VH-UPP (c/n 1167 – ex A5-167). They were owned by the Department of supply and used at Woomera, SA until they were withdrawn from service and sold in the United States in August 1980.

VH-FJT (c/n 1617), VH-PDI (c/n 1738) and VH-PDY (c/n 1754), were all owned by Helicopter Transport of Lae and Cairns; VH-UHR (c/n 1606), VH-UHS (c/n 1614), both owned by Helicopter Utilities; and VH-BLP (c/n 1827) owned by Jayrow Helicopters of Moorabbin, Vic. VH-BLP and VH-PDY were both Model SA-316Bs, whilst the other aircraft were SE-3160s. Until recent years the type had been extinct in New Zealand for over twenty years.

Examples registered included ZK-HIR (c/n 2211), ZK-HIS (c/n 2255), and ZK-HNY (c/n 2273) all SA-319Bs and registered to Helicopters NZ in 1975; and SE-3160s ZK–HCW (c/n 1606) and ZK-HCX (c/n 1614), the latter two being imported by Sedco 135F for oil rig work off Taranaki from September 1969 to March 1971 and then were exported overseas. Another operator in New Zealand was Helicopters (NZ) Ltd. In early 2000 a further SE 3160 was registered in New Zealand. This machine (ZK-HYM – c/n 1524) had previously operated in Japan as JA9030 as a news gathering machine for a television station, and was registered to Heliquip International Ltd of Nelson. This was followed by SA-316C ZK-HYA (c/n 2001) for the same operator late in 2006.