Aircrafttotal Encyclopedia


A Royal Air Force Gazelle over RIAT 2014
Role	Utility helicopter / Armed helicopter
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Sud Aviation, later Aérospatiale
Built by	ABHCO SOKO Westland Aircraft
First flight	7 April 1967 (SA.340)
Introduction	1973
Status	In service
Primary users	French Army British Army (Retired) Egyptian Air Force Lebanese Air Force
Produced	1967–1996
Number built	1,775
Developed from	Aérospatiale Alouette III

The Aérospatiale Gazelle (company designations SA 340, SA 341 and SA 342) is a five-seat helicopter developed and initially produced by the French aircraft company Sud Aviation, and later by Aérospatiale. It is the first helicopter to feature a fenestron tail instead of a conventional tail rotor, as well as being the first helicopter to be adapted for single-pilot operations under instrument flight rules.

Design

The Gazelle was developed during the 1960s as a successor to the Alouette II as well as to meet a French Army requirement for a new lightweight observation helicopter. Both France and the United Kingdom worked on the project via a joint production and development agreement with Westland Aircraft. The Gazelle is considerably larger than the preceding Alouette series, yet is still powered by a single Turbomeca Astazou turbine engine. Innovations in the design of the Gazelle, aside from the fenestron, included an emphasis on minimal maintenance requirements from the onset of development and the use of a semi-rigid composite rotor system, the latter having required considerable development time. On 7 April 1967, the Gazelle performed its maiden flight.

Société Nationale Industrielle Aérospatiale

Société Nationale Industrielle Aérospatiale
Aérospatiale Gazelle SA 340
First flight 7 April 1967 (SA.340) Produced 1967–1996

General characteristics

Crew: 1 or 2
Capacity: up to 3 or 4 passengers
Length: 11.97 m including rotor
Height: 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in) overall; 2.72 m (8 ft 11 in) to top of rotor hub
Empty weight: 917 kg
Max takeoff weight: 1,800 kg

Powerplants

Powerplant: 1 × Turbomeca Astazou IIIA turboshaft, 440 kW (590 hp)
Main rotor diameter: 10.5 m
Main rotor area: 86.5 m²

Specifications

Maximum speed: 310 km/h sea level
Cruise speed: 264 km/h sea level
economical cruise speed: 233 km/h
Range: 361 km (224 mi, 195 nmi) at sea level with maximum fuel
Range with pilot and 500 kg (1,100 lb): 233 km (145 mi; 126 nmi)
Service ceiling: 5,000 m

Links to Youtube & Others

The Aérospatiale Gazelle (company designations SA 340, SA 341 and SA 342) is a five-seat helicopter developed and initially produced by the French aircraft company Sud Aviation, and later by Aérospatiale.

Sud-Est Aérospatiale
Gazelle SA 340

In 1966, Sud Aviation began working on a light observation helicopter to replace its Alouette II with seating for five people

Youtube Link

The Aérospatiale Gazelle was originally developed as a replacement to the popular Alouette helicopter series.

Société Nationale Industrielle Aérospatiale
Aérospatiale Gazelle SA 340
First flight 7 April 1967 (SA.340) Produced 1967–1996

SNAS Aérospatiale
Gazelle SA 340