Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon

what is it?

The Aérospatiale (formerly Sud Aviation) SA 321 Super Frelon ("Super Hornet") is a three-engined heavy transport helicopter produced by aerospace manufacturer Sud Aviation of France. It held the distinction of being the most powerful helicopter to be built in Europe at one point, as well as being the world's fastest helicopter. The Super Frelon was a more powerful development of the original SE.3200 Frelon, which had failed to enter production.

🔎How to recognise it: 3 turboshaft engines · 18.9 m main rotor

base stats

• speed 249 km/hcruise speed
• range 1,020 kmwithout refuelling
• seats 27passengers
• size 13 tmax take-off weight
• built 110made 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 64 years ago, in 1962.
• 🚗Rotor of 18.9 m: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🐘Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 2 African elephants (~6 t each).
• 🌍Range of 1,020 km: 6× Amsterdam to Brussels.

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

spec sheet

first flight

1962-12-07

introduced

1966

status

still flying

number built

110

role

transport helicopter

origin

🇫🇷 France

makers

Aérospatiale

engines

3× Turboméca Turmo IIIC / Turbomeca Turmo

crew

5

passengers

27

length

23 m

rotor diameter

18.9 m

height

6.7 m

max take-off weight

13 t

top speed

—

cruise speed

249 km/h

range

1,020 km

ceiling

3,150 m

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

family