Aérospatiale Dauphin
Encyclopedia
The Aérospatiale SA 360 Dauphin was a single-engine French utility helicopter developed as a replacement for Aérospatiale's Alouette III
and was to be called the "Business Alouette", in the early 1970s and to fill a gap in the company's product line in the six to ten-seat helicopter category. In fact, the new helicopter offered little advantage over its predecessor and production was cancelled after only a few dozen of them had been built. However, a twin-engine derivative, the Dauphin 2 went on to become a great success and is still in production in 2007
, after some 30 years. Perhaps confusingly, after the merger of Aérospatiale's helicopter division into Eurocopter in 1992
, the Dauphin 2 designation was dropped, and Eurocopter-built Dauphin 2s are simply referred to as "Dauphin". The retronym
"Dauphin 1" is sometimes applied to the original Dauphin.
XVI turboshaft, in place of later Alouette IIIs' Astazou XIV. The aircraft featured a fully enclosed cabin with seating for up to nine passengers, a four-bladed main rotor and a thirteen-bladed fenestron
in the tail. It was fitted with fixed, tailwheel undercarriage with spatted mainwheels. The first of two prototypes (registration F-WSQL) made its first of 180 test flights in this configuration on 2 June 1972
.
Following this initial evaluation, a number of modifications were incorporated into the design. These included increasing engine power by use of an Astazou XVIIIA of 780 kW (1,050 hp), and replacement of the original rotor blades with plastic blades. Aérospatiale engineers hoped to reduce vibration and ground resonance. Thus modified, test flights resumed in May 1973
, in time to present the new aircraft at that year's Paris Air Show
. In the meantime, a second prototype (registration F-WSQX) joined the test programme, flying first on 29 January. At the show, the first prototype broke three world airspeed records for helicopters in the 1,750 kg - 3,000 kg class (FAI
class E-1d). Piloted by Roland Coffignot and carrying a dummy payload to represent eight passengers, it broke the 100 km closed-circuit (299 km/h, 186 mph), 3 km straight-course (312 km/h, 195 mph), and 15 km straight-course (303 km/h, 189 mph) records.
Series production of the definitive SA 360C version began in 1974, with the first completed aircraft flying in April 1975. French civil certification was obtained in December that year, and deliveries to customers commenced in January 1976. In the meantime, Aérospatiale had flown the prototype Dauphin 2 nearly a year earlier, on 24 January 1975, which would ultimately prove the death-knell for the Dauphin. A helicopter of this size powered by only a single engine was perceived in the marketplace as something of an anomaly and rather under-powered, meaning that by the end of 1976, Aérospatiale was left with 15 airframes - almost half those produced to date - with no buyers. Accordingly, production was terminated the following year.
A single airframe (Construction Number 1012, registration F-WZAK). was modified by Aérospatiale from standard SA 360C configuration to develop a version optimised for hot-and-high conditions, designated SA 360H. The main differences were the use of a 1,040 kW (1,400 hp) Astazou XXB engine and the Starflex rotorhead that had been developed for the Ecureuil. Deciding that the main customers for this more powerful aircraft were likely to be military ones, the aircraft was further modified and re-designated SA 360HCL (Helicoptere de Combat Leger - "Light Combat Helicopter"). It was fitted with a SFIM APX M397 roof-mounted, gyro-stabilised sight, and a nose-mounted sensor package incorporating a SFIM Vénus night-vision system and TRT Hector thermal-vision system. Armament consisted of eight launcher tubes for Euromissile HOT
missiles, with options to carry most of the armament packages used by the Gazelle
. So equipped, it could carry thirteen combat-ready troops into battle, or be used in the area neutralisation or anti-tank role. This aircraft was taken on by the Armée de Terre for evaluation, but no production order ensued.
Aérospatiale Alouette III
The Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...
and was to be called the "Business Alouette", in the early 1970s and to fill a gap in the company's product line in the six to ten-seat helicopter category. In fact, the new helicopter offered little advantage over its predecessor and production was cancelled after only a few dozen of them had been built. However, a twin-engine derivative, the Dauphin 2 went on to become a great success and is still in production in 2007
2007 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 2007:-January:*1 January – Adam Air Flight 574, a Boeing 737, disappears in Indonesian airspace with 102 people on board....
, after some 30 years. Perhaps confusingly, after the merger of Aérospatiale's helicopter division into Eurocopter in 1992
1992 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1992:-Events:*The European Commission approves three new regulations to liberalize air travel within the European Union...
, the Dauphin 2 designation was dropped, and Eurocopter-built Dauphin 2s are simply referred to as "Dauphin". The retronym
Retronym
A retronym is a type of neologism that provides a new name for an object or concept to differentiate the original form or version of it from a more recent form or version. The original name is most often augmented with an adjective to account for later developments of the object or concept itself...
"Dauphin 1" is sometimes applied to the original Dauphin.
Development
The Dauphin design was originally derived from the Alouette III it was intended to succeed, and in fact used the rotor blades from that aircraft. Power was provided by a 730 kW (980 hp) Turboméca AstazouTurbomeca Astazou
|-References:...
XVI turboshaft, in place of later Alouette IIIs' Astazou XIV. The aircraft featured a fully enclosed cabin with seating for up to nine passengers, a four-bladed main rotor and a thirteen-bladed fenestron
Fenestron
A Fenestron is a shrouded tail rotor of a helicopter that is essentially a ducted fan. The housing is integral with the tail skin, and, like the conventional tail rotor it replaces, is intended to counteract the torque of the main rotor...
in the tail. It was fitted with fixed, tailwheel undercarriage with spatted mainwheels. The first of two prototypes (registration F-WSQL) made its first of 180 test flights in this configuration on 2 June 1972
1972 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1972:- Events :* Early in the year, the United States introduces the Walleye II optically guided glide bomb into service, employing it in the Vietnam War. It becomes known as the "Fat Albert."-January:...
.
Following this initial evaluation, a number of modifications were incorporated into the design. These included increasing engine power by use of an Astazou XVIIIA of 780 kW (1,050 hp), and replacement of the original rotor blades with plastic blades. Aérospatiale engineers hoped to reduce vibration and ground resonance. Thus modified, test flights resumed in May 1973
1973 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1973:- Events :*Don Taylor attempts round-the-world trip in his homebuilt Thorp T-18, ended by a spate of really bad weather between northern Japan and the Aleutian Islands. His next attempt in the summer of 1976 is successful.-January:* U.S...
, in time to present the new aircraft at that year's Paris Air Show
Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
. In the meantime, a second prototype (registration F-WSQX) joined the test programme, flying first on 29 January. At the show, the first prototype broke three world airspeed records for helicopters in the 1,750 kg - 3,000 kg class (FAI
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...
class E-1d). Piloted by Roland Coffignot and carrying a dummy payload to represent eight passengers, it broke the 100 km closed-circuit (299 km/h, 186 mph), 3 km straight-course (312 km/h, 195 mph), and 15 km straight-course (303 km/h, 189 mph) records.
Series production of the definitive SA 360C version began in 1974, with the first completed aircraft flying in April 1975. French civil certification was obtained in December that year, and deliveries to customers commenced in January 1976. In the meantime, Aérospatiale had flown the prototype Dauphin 2 nearly a year earlier, on 24 January 1975, which would ultimately prove the death-knell for the Dauphin. A helicopter of this size powered by only a single engine was perceived in the marketplace as something of an anomaly and rather under-powered, meaning that by the end of 1976, Aérospatiale was left with 15 airframes - almost half those produced to date - with no buyers. Accordingly, production was terminated the following year.
A single airframe (Construction Number 1012, registration F-WZAK). was modified by Aérospatiale from standard SA 360C configuration to develop a version optimised for hot-and-high conditions, designated SA 360H. The main differences were the use of a 1,040 kW (1,400 hp) Astazou XXB engine and the Starflex rotorhead that had been developed for the Ecureuil. Deciding that the main customers for this more powerful aircraft were likely to be military ones, the aircraft was further modified and re-designated SA 360HCL (Helicoptere de Combat Leger - "Light Combat Helicopter"). It was fitted with a SFIM APX M397 roof-mounted, gyro-stabilised sight, and a nose-mounted sensor package incorporating a SFIM Vénus night-vision system and TRT Hector thermal-vision system. Armament consisted of eight launcher tubes for Euromissile HOT
Euromissile HOT
The HOT is a second-generation long-range anti-tank missile system developed originally as an effort to meet a joint German-French Army requirement, by the then German firm Bolkow and the French firm Nord, to replace the older SS.11 wire guided...
missiles, with options to carry most of the armament packages used by the Gazelle
Aérospatiale Gazelle
The Aérospatiale Gazelle is a five-seat light helicopter, powered by a single turbine engine. It was designed and manufactured in France by Sud Aviation . It was also manufactured under licence by Westland Aircraft in the United Kingdom , by SOKO in Yugoslavia and ABHCO in Egypt...
. So equipped, it could carry thirteen combat-ready troops into battle, or be used in the area neutralisation or anti-tank role. This aircraft was taken on by the Armée de Terre for evaluation, but no production order ensued.
Variants
- SA 360 - two prototypes
- SA 360C - standard production version, 34 built
- SA 360A - navalised version for Aeronavale, 1 converted from SA 360C.
- SA 361H - "hot and high" version with more powerful (969 kW (1,300 shp)) Astazou XX engine, glassfibre rotor blades and new rotor hub. Three converted from SA 360 and 360C.
- SA 361HCL - militarised version, 1 converted from SA 361H.
Operators
Main operators:- New York Helicopters - SA360C 6 aircraft (all retired); 1 acquired by CELAG in France
- Heli Air Monaco - 5 aircraft
- Nishi Nihon Air Service (or Nishi Nihon Kuyu) - 3 aircraft
- Malaysian Maritime Enforcement AgencyMalaysian Maritime Enforcement AgencyThe Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency , the Malaysian Coast Guard version, is the principal government agency tasked with maintaining law and order and coordinating search and rescue operations in the Malaysian Maritime Zone and on the high seas. It is in effect the Coast Guard of Malaysia...
- 3 aircraft
- NorrlandsflygNorrlandsflygNorrlandsflyg AB is a Swedish helicopter operator which provides search and rescue under contract with the Swedish Maritime Administration and air ambulance services for Västra Götaland County. The company has its headquarters and technical base at Göteborg City Airport and helicopters stationed...
- 1 aircraft (retired)
- Finnish collector, Sääksmäki, ValkeakoskiValkeakoskiValkeakoski is a town and municipality in Finland.Valkeakoski is located south of Tampere and north of Helsinki in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Pirkanmaa region. The municipality has a population of...
- 1 prototype (not flying)
Notable accidents
- One Dauphin (Construction number 1028, Registration RP-C220) was destroyed in an accident while filming Delta Force 2: The Colombian ConnectionDelta Force 2: The Colombian ConnectionDelta Force 2 is a 1990 action film, and a sequel to the Chuck Norris film, The Delta Force , also starring Norris as Maj. Scott McCoy...
. Four members of the film crew were killed, in addition to the pilot. - One SA 360C (Construction number 1006, Registration N49505) crashed in the water during take-off from Laguardia Airport, NY, due to loss of engine power on 04/26/1985. Seven persons managed to evacuate the helicopter as it rolled over and sank, but one passenger was trapped and drowned with his seat belts still fastened.