Aerospatiale SA316 Alouette III
The Aerospatiale SA316/319 Alouette III enlarged the pioneering turbine-powered Alouette II into a genuinely useful five-to-six-seat utility helicopter, while keeping the same basic simple, rugged design philosophy. Its strong high-altitude performance made it a favourite for mountain rescue and military utility work in the Alps, Himalayas, and Andes, where thinner air challenges most helicopters. Built under licence in India, Romania, and Switzerland, it saw extremely widespread military and civilian use across dozens of countries for decades. Many remain in active service today, particularly in mountainous regions where its high-altitude reputation still counts for a great deal.
Did you know?
The turbine Alouette III stretched the pioneering Alouette II into a six-seat utility helicopter, a high-altitude favourite for mountain rescue in the Alps, Himalayas and Andes.
Specifications
| Length | 10 m (33 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 3 m (10 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 11 m (36 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 6 |
| Persons on board | 7 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 2.1 t |
| Range | 290 NM (537 km) |
| Service ceiling | 13,000 ft (3,962 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 15,000 ft (4,572 m) |
| Rate of climb | 850 ft/min (4.3 m/s) |
| Fuel capacity | 570 l |
| Engines | 1x Turbomeca Artouste IIIB |
| Units built | 350 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
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