Aérospatiale Lama

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The Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama is a French single-engined helicopter developed to meet a requirement for hot and high operations, it combines the Alouette II airframe with Alouette III components. The helicopter was licence built in India as the Cheetah.

Development

Originally designed to meet an Indian armed forces requirement for operation in 'hot and high' conditions, the Lama combines the Artouste powerplant and rotor system of the Alouette III with a reinforced Alouette II airframe. First flown on 17 March 1969, the SA 315B received its French airworthiness certificate in 1970 and the name Lama was given by its manufacturers in July 1971.

Operational history

The Lama was designed specifically for altitude performance and during demonstration flights in the Himalayas during 1969, an SA315B carrying a crew of two and 120 kg of fuel landed and took off at the highest altitude ever recorded, 7500m (24,605ft). On 21 June 1972, a Lama with a single pilot aboard established a helicopter absolute altitude record of 12,442m (40,820ft). [ [http://records.fai.org/rotorcraft/aircraft.asp?id=188 | FAI Records set by SA-315B] ] With a performance proven by the records the helicopter was ordered by the Indian military and licence to produce the SA315B was granted to HAL at Bangalore in India during 1971. The first Indian-assembled SA315B flew on 6 October 1972, with deliveries starting in December 1973. The HAL produced Lama was given the name Cheetah. In 1978, agreement was reached with Helibras of Brazil for assembly of the Lama in Brazil. Given the name Gaviao, the Brazilian variant was exported to Bolivia.

Design

As with the Alouette series, the Lama can be fitted for various roles, such as light passenger transport or agricultural tasks. The military variants include liaison, observation, photography, air/sea rescue, transport and ambulance duties. The SA315B is particularly suited to mountainous areas due to its performance and can carry underslung loads of up to 1000 kg (2,205 lb).

Variants

;SA 315B Lama:Derived from the SE 3150, it was designed for high altitude operations using a 650kW (870shp) Turboméca Astazou IIIB turboshaft, derated to 410kW (550shp). This derivative still holds the absolute altitude record for all types of helicopters since 1972: 12,442 m.;HAL Cheetah:Indian licence built version of the SA 315B Lama.;HAL Lancer:Modified and updated version of Cheetah.;HB 315B Gaviao:Brazilian licence built version of the SA 315B Lama.

Operators

;ANG
*People's Air and Air Defence Force of Angola - 2 Lama in service. [ [http://www.milaviapress.com/orbat/angola/index.php Angolan military Orbat] ] ;ARG
*Argentine Air Force
**Grupo Aéreo 4, "III Escuadrón de Búsqueda y Rescate y Tareas Especiales" [http://www.scramble.nl/ar.htm Argentinian Air Force (FAA) Order of Battle] ] - 1 Lama in service as Andes SAR aircraft. [http://www.milaviapress.com/orbat/argentina/index.php Argentine military OrBat] ]
*Argentine Army
**Sección de Aviación de Ejército de Montaña No 8 - 2 Lama in service as Andes SAR aircraft.;BOL
*Bolivian Air Force
**Grupo Aéreo de Búsqueda y Salvamento 51, "Escuadrón 511" [ [http://www.scramble.nl/bo.htm Bolivian Air Arms Aircraft Order of Battle] ] - 2 Lama and 3 Gaviao in service. [ [http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/americas/bolivia/Bolivia-af_current_inventory.htm Bolivian Air Force Inventory] ] ;CHI
*Chilean Army
**Regimiento de Aviación Nº1, "Batallón de Exploración y Reconocimiento" [ [http://www.scramble.nl/cl.htm Chilean Armed Forces Aircraft Order of Battle] ] - 1 Lama remains in service for SAR. [ [http://www.milaviapress.com/orbat/chile/index.php Chilean military OrBat] ] ;ECU
*Ecuadorian Army
**Brigada de Aviación No.15 [ [http://www.scramble.nl/ec.htm Ecuadorian Armed Forces Aircraft Order of Battle] ] - 3 Lama in service. [ [http://www.milaviapress.com/orbat/ecuador/index.php Ecuadorian military OrBat] ] ;IND
*Indian Air Force [ [http://www.scramble.nl/in.htm Indian Air Force Order of Battle] ]
**17 Wing, "114HU"
**28 Wing, "131FAC Flt"
**39 Wing, "132FAC Flt"
**HTS- total of 24 Cheetah in service. [http://www.milaviapress.com/orbat/india/index.php Indian military OrBat] ]
*Indian Army - 48 Cheetah in service.;MAR
*Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie Air Squadron - 3 Lama in service as of September 2007 [ [http://www.inss.org.il/upload/(FILE)1188812948.pdf Moroccan Order of Battle] ] ;PAK
*Pakistan Army
**"8AAsq" [ [http://www.scramble.nl/pk.htm Pakistan Armed Forces Aircraft Order of Battle] ] - 15 remain in service. [ [http://www.pakdef.info/pakmilitary/army/airborne/lama.html Pakistan Military Information] ] ;TOG
* Togolese Air Force - 2 Lama in service [ [http://www.scramble.nl/tg.htm Togo Armed Forces Aircraft Order of Battle] ]

pecifications (SA 315B Lama)

aerospecs
ref=
met or eng?=met
crew=1
capacity=4 passengers
length m=10.26
length ft=33
length in=8
span m=
span ft=
span in=
swept m=
swept ft=
swept in=
rot number=1
rot dia m=11.02
rot dia ft=36
rot dia in=2
dia m=
dia ft=
dia in=
width m=
width ft=
width in=
height m=3.09
height ft=10
height in=2
wing area sqm=
wing area sqft=
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=95.38
rot area sqft=1,026
volume m3=
volume ft3=
aspect ratio=
wing profile=
empty weight kg=1021
empty weight lb=2,251
gross weight kg=2300
gross weight lb=5,070
lift kg=
lift lb=
eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Turbomeca Artouste IIIB turboshaft
eng1 kw=649kW (970hp) derated to 410
eng1 hp=550
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
eng1 kn-ab=
eng1 lbf-ab=
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
eng2 hp=
eng2 kn=
eng2 lbf=
eng2 kn-ab=
eng2 lbf-ab=
max speed kmh=120
max speed mph=75
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
range km=
range miles=
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling m=3000
ceiling ft=9,840
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=4
climb rate ftmin=768
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=
armament1=
armament2=
armament3=
armament4=
armament5=
armament6=

ee also

aircontent
see also=
related=
*Alouette II
*Alouette III
similar aircraft=
lists=
*List of rotorcraft

References

* cite journal
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Airplane Magazine
journal =
volume = 1
issue = 5
pages = p138
publisher = Orbis publishing ltd
location = London
date = 1990
url =
doi =
id =
accessdate =