Adelaide Helicopter Experience

The Aérospatiale Gazelle (company designations SA 340, SA 341 and SA 342) is a French five-seat helicopter, commonly used for light transport, scouting and light attack duties. It is powered by a single Turbomeca Astazou turbine engine and was the first helicopter to feature a fenestron tail instead of a conventional tail rotor. It was designed by Sud Aviation, later Aérospatiale, and manufactured in France and the United Kingdom through a joint production agreement with Westland Aircraft. 

 

General characteristics

• Crew: 1 or 2
• Capacity: up to 3 or 4 passengers
• Length: 11.97 m (39 ft 3 in) 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 (2,022 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,800 kg (3,968 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 735 l (194 US gal; 162 imp gal)
• Oil :13 l (3.4 US gal; 2.9 imp gal) for engine :3.5 l (0.92 US gal; 0.77 imp gal) for gearbox
• Powerplant: 1 × Turbomeca Astazou IIIA turboshaft, 440 kW (590 hp)
• Main rotor diameter: 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in)
• Main rotor area: 86.5 m² (931 sq ft) NACA 0012 section

Performance

• Maximum speed: 310 km/h (190 mph, 170 kn) at sea level
• Cruise speed: 264 km/h (164 mph, 143 kn) max cruise at sea level
• economical cruise speed: 233 km/h (145 mph; 126 kn)
• 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 (16,000 ft)
• Hover ceiling IGE: 2,850 m (9,350 ft)
• Hover ceiling OGE: 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
• Rate of climb: 9 m/s (1,800 ft/min) max at sea level
• Disk loading: 19.5 kg/m² (4.0 lb/sq ft)

Armament

• Guns: 2x forward-firing 7.62 mm (0.300 in) machine-guns (optional)
• Rockets: Matra or Brandt 2.75 in (70 mm) or 68 mm (2.7 in) rocket pods (optional)
• Missiles: 4x AS.11 or 2x AS.12 wire-guided missiles ; 4x or 6x Euromissile HOT (optional)

Avionics

• UHF, VHF, and HF radios ; navigation equipment such as VOR and TACAN ; Standard blind flying instruments

Notable appearances in media

An Aérospatiale SA341G Gazelle played a role in the 1982 telemovie Deadly Encounter starring Larry Hagman.

A heavily modified Gazelle was the centerpiece of the 1983 John Badham action film Blue Thunder. The same helicopter appeared in the short-lived 1984 TV series by the same name starring James Farentino. The modified Gazelle went on to be used in the TV mini-series Amerika.

A modified Gazelle was used as a light attack helicopter in the 1988 Sylvester Stallone film, Rambo III. The helicopter was shot down by the main character, using a bow and arrow.