Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama

what is it?

The Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama is a French single-engined helicopter. It combines the lighter Aérospatiale Alouette II airframe with Alouette III components and powerplant. The Lama possesses exceptional high altitude performance.

🔎How to recognise it: 1 turboshaft engine · 11 m main rotor

base stats

• speed 192 km/htop speed
• range 515 kmwithout refuelling
• seats 4passengers
• size 2,300 kgmax take-off weight
• built 1,450made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 57 years ago, in 1969.
• 🚗Rotor of 11 m: about 2 cars parked nose to tail.

turboshaft: A turbine that turns a shaft, usually a helicopter rotor.

spec sheet

first flight

1969

introduced

1970

status

still flying

number built

1,450

role

utility helicopter

origin

🇫🇷 France

makers

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Helibras, Aérospatiale

engines

1× Turbomeca Artouste IIIB turboshaft / Artouste IIIB

crew

1

passengers

4

length

10.2 m

rotor diameter

11 m

height

3.1 m

max take-off weight

2,300 kg

top speed

192 km/h

range

515 km

ceiling

5,400 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

family