#1432
Sud-Ouest Ariel
🇫🇷 France ·first flew 1947· experimental light helicopter
2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Ariel Musée du Bourget P1020328: Pline· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2. SO.1110 Ariel II - MAE: Duch· CC BY-SA 4.0
what is it?
The Sud-Ouest Ariel is a French two-seat light helicopter designed and built by Sud-Ouest. The helicopter rotors were driven by compressed-air jets at the end of each blade.
How to recognise it: 1 engine · 10.8 m main rotor
base stats
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 79 years ago, in 1947.
- Rotor of 10.8 m: about 2 cars parked nose to tail.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1947
- number built
- —
- role
- experimental light helicopter
- origin
- 🇫🇷 France
- engines
- 1× Mathis G8 piston engine driving a compressor
- length
- 7.2 m
- rotor diameter
- 10.8 m
- max take-off weight
- 1,080 kg
- top speed
- 170 km/h
- range
- 300 km
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q2362963, Wikipedia: Sud-Ouest Ariel (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.