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Originally developed as a replacement to Aérospatiale's Alouette helicopter, some aspects of the Gazelle such as its purpose and layout were based on the previous model. The Gazelle featured several important innovations. It was the first helicopter with a fenestron or fantail; this is a shrouded multi-blade anti-torque device housed in the vertical surface of the Gazelle's tail, where it replaces a conventional tail rotor. The fenestron, while requiring a small increase in power at slow speeds, has advantages such as being considerably less vulnerable to damage, safer for people working around the helicopter and with low power requirements at cruising speeds, and has been described as
"far more suitable for high-speed flight".
General characteristics
Crew 1
Passengers 4
Propulsion 1 Turboshaft Engine
Engine Model Turbomeca Astazou XIVM
Engine Power 858 shp
Speed 280 km/h 151 kts 174 mph
Service Ceiling 4.100 m 13.450 ft
Range 650 km 351 NM 404 mi.
Empty Weight 1.000 kg 2.204 lbs
max. Takeoff Weight 2.000 kg 4.409 lbs
Rotor Blades (main/tail) 3/Fenestron
Main Rotor Diameter 10,50 m 34 ft 5 in
Tail Rotor Diameter 0,70 m 2 ft 4 in
Length (Fuselage) 9,53 m 31 ft 3 in
Length 11,97 m 39 ft 3 in
Height 3,19 m 10 ft 6 in
First Flight 07.04.1967
Production Status out of production
Total Production ca. 700
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. Further manufacturing under license was performed by SOKO in Yugoslavia and the Arab British Helicopter Company (ABHCO) in Egypt. Since being introduced to service in 1973, the Gazelle has been procured and operated by a number of export customers. It has also participated in numerous conflicts around the world, including by Syria during the 1982 Lebanon War, by Rwanda during the Rwandan Civil War in the 1990s, and by numerous participants on both sides of the 1991 Gulf War. In French service, the Gazelle has been supplemented as an attack helicopter by the larger Eurocopter Tiger, but remains in use primarily as a scout helicopter.
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- Gazelle, most beautiful sound and airframe there is. So stinking jealous!!!! Love the fluorescent fenestron- Highly "approximate" piloting here. Shaky and imprecise. A student, probably.
- Awesome Gazelle footage, I love these classic military helicopters. What is that we can hear starting up as this one is hovering in?
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