Aérospatiale Puma

Infobox Aircraft
name=SA 330 Puma


caption=SA 330J "Puma" of the German Bundesgrenzschutz in 1985
type=Utility helicopter
manufacturers=Sud Aviation (later Aérospatiale) Westland Aircraft
designer=
first flight=15 April 1965
introduced=1968
retired=
status=
primary user=Royal Air Force
more users=Various
produced=1968-1987
number built=697
unit cost=
variants with their own articles= IAR 330 Atlas Oryx Eurocopter Super Puma

The Aérospatiale Puma is a medium-sized twin-engined transport/utility helicopter originally manufactured by Aérospatiale of France. It is also known under the designation SA 330.

Development

The SA 330 Puma was originally developed by Sud Aviation to meet a requirement of the French Army for a medium-sized all-weather helicopter. The helicopter also had to be capable of operating by day and night as well as in a wide variety of climates.

In 1967, the Puma was also selected by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and given the designation Puma HC Mk.1. As a result of this decision, the SA 330 was included in a joint production agreement between Aerospatiale and Westland Helicopters of the UK.

The first of two Puma prototypes flew on 15 April 1965. Six pre-production models were also built, the last of which flew on 30 July 1968.

The first production SA 330 Puma flew in September 1968. Two years later, in 1970, Sud Aviation merged with Nord Aviation and SÉREB to form Aérospatiale, and the helicopter has been associated with that name ever since, though it still retained the "SA" (for "Sud Aviation") model designator. On 25 April 1978 the SA 330J Puma achieved the distinction of becoming the first helicopter outside the (then) Soviet Union to be certified for all-weather operations, including icy conditions.

Production of the SA 330 Puma by Aérospatiale ceased in 1987, by which time a total of 697 had been sold. The Puma was then replaced by an upgraded and improved version, the AS 332 Eurocopter Super Puma.

Variants

Aérospatiale versions

* SA 330A: Prototypes, originally called "Alouette IV".
* SA 330B: Initial production version for the French Army Aviation.
* SA 330 "Orchidee": SA 330 modified to carry an "Orchidee" surveillance system for the French Army.
* SA 330C: Initial export production version.
* SA 330E: Version produced by Westland Helicopters for the RAF under the designation Puma HC Mk. 1.
* SA 330F: Initial civilian export production version with Turbomeca Turmo IIIC4 turboshaft engines.
* SA 330G: Upgraded civilian version with Turbomeca Turmo IVC engines and composite main rotor blades.
* SA 330H: Upgraded French Army and export version with Turbomeca IVC engines and composite main rotor blades. Designated SA 330B by the French Air Force.
* SA 330J: Upgraded civil transport version.
* SA 330L: Upgraded version for so-called "hot and high" conditions.
* SA 330S: Export version for the Portuguese Air Force.
* SA 330Z: Prototype with "fenestron" tail rotor.

Versions by other manufacturers

;Atlas Aircraft Corporation Oryx: This is a remanufactured and upgraded SA 330 Puma built for the South African Air Force.;IPTN NAS 330J: This is a version that was assembled by IPTN of Indonesia under the local designation NAS 330J and the Aerospatiale designation of SA 330J. Eleven units were produced. ;ICA IAR 330: This is a licence-built version of the SA 330 Puma manufactured by ICA of Romania. Designated as the SA 330L by Aerospatiale.;Westland Puma HC Mk.1: This is the SA 330E version assembled by Westland Helicopters for the RAF.In American films like "", "Rambo III", and "Red Dawn", modified Pumas played the role of Soviet Mil Mi-24's.

Operators

Military operators

;ARG;BEL (police);BRA;CAM;CMR;CHI;CIV;ECU;ETH;FRA;GAB;GAM;GUI: (1 helicopter);IDN;IRQ;KEN;KWT;LBN: 9 SA 330L;MWI;MEX;MAR;NEP;NGA;PAK;POR;ROM;flagicon|Slovenia Slovenia;RSA
*South African Air Force;ESP;SUD;TOG;ARE;UK
*Royal Air Force
**No. 33 Squadron RAF
**No. 230 Squadron RAF
**No. 1563 Flight RAF;VEN;ZAI

Civil operators

The Puma is also operated by several civilian operators.

pecifications (SA 330 Puma)

aircraft specifications/switch

plane or copter?=copter
jet or prop?=prop

crew=3
capacity=16 passengers
length main=59 ft 6 in
length alt=18.15 m
span main=49 ft 3 in
span alt=15.0 m
height main=16 ft 10 in
height alt=5.14 m
area main= 1,905 ft²
area alt= 176.71 m²
empty weight main=8,310 lb
empty weight alt=3,770 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
max takeoff weight main=16,300 lb
max takeoff weight alt=7,400 kg

engine (prop)=Turboméca Turmo IVC
type of prop=turboshafts
number of props=2
power main=1,575 hp
power alt=1,175 kW

max speed main=139 knots, 177 mph
max speed alt=258 km/h
range main=430 nm, 500 mi
range alt=780 km
ceiling main=15,750 ft
ceiling alt=4,800 m
climb rate main=1,810 ft/min
climb rate alt=9.2 m/s
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
loading main=
loading alt=

armament=
* Guns:
** Coaxial 7.62 mm (0.30 in) machine guns
** Side-firing 20 mm (0.787 in) cannon
* Various others

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Atlas Oryx
* Denel AH-2 Rooivalk
* Eurocopter Super Puma
* Eurocopter Cougar
* IAR 330

similar aircraft=
*Mil Mi-8

lists=
* List of helicopters
* List of utility aircraft
* List of active United Kingdom military aircraft

see also=

Movies

In (1985) & Rambo III (1988) a SA-330 Puma was equipped with stub wings and a gun turret to mimic a Soviet Mil Mi-24 Hind.

External links

[http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?distict_entry=true&aircraft_genericsearch=Aerospatiale%20SA-330%20Puma Photos of this aircraft on Airliners.net]