Aérospatiale SA-330 Puma

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French army SA-330B Puma

File:Royal Air Force 230 Squadron Puma HC1 flying past The Shard skyscrape.jpg

RAF Puma.

File:IAR 330 Puma Naval first flight.jpg

Romanian Puma.

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South African Puma.

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Philippines Puma.

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Spanish civilian waterbomber Puma.

Civilian Italian SA-330 Puma.

German Puma.

French SA-330 Puma in the desert of Iraq in 1990.

The Aérospatiale SA-330 Puma is a transport helicopter designed and built in France. The design was first built by Sud Aviation, and later by Aérospatiale. It was also built by Westland Helicopter in the United Kingdom after an agreement between the two countries It first flew in April 1965. It is mainly used by Armée de l'Air, Royal Air Force, and some other air forces. It is also used by civilians.

SA-330 specifications

The Aérospatiale SA-330 Puma is 59.6½ feet (18.15 meters) long, 49.2½ feet (15.00 meters) diameter, and 16.10½ feet (5.14 meters) tall. A minimum mass that weighs 7,795 pounds (3,536 kg) and at the maximum mass that weighs 15,532 pounds (7,000 kg). It is powered by two Turbomeca Turmo engines driving a helicopter rotor with four blades.

The passenger cabin allows the reception of sixteen to twenty armed soldiers in military version, and fourteen to sixteen passengers in civil version. The two-seater cockpit of the helicopter is type side by side. A mechanic, also serving the mechanical winch, takes place at the rear. He can used the removable machine gun.

SA-330 users

At the beginning of 2013, these countries were still using or had used the military Puma:

Abu Dhabi

Algeria

Argentina

Belgium

Brazil

Chad

Cameroon

Chile

Ivory Coast

Democratic Republic of the Congo

France

Germany

Greece

Indonesia

Iran

File:Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland

Kuwait

Malawi

File:Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico

Morocco

Nepal

Nigeria

Oman

Pakistan

Philippines

Portugal

Romania

South Africa

Senegal

Slovenia

Spain

Switzerland

Togo

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

SA-330 variants

If the majority of Puma was built by Aérospatiale in France and the UK by Westland but. A few others were produced under license in Indonesia, Romania, and South Africa.

French built Puma

SA-330A, SA-330B, SA-330Ba, SA-330C, SA-330E, SA-330F, SA-330G, SA-330H, SA-330J, SA-330L, SA-330S, SA-330Z. SA-330A is the prototype and SA-330Z is an experimental version.

British built Puma

Puma HC Mk-1, Puma HC Mk-2. British production is only for the military version.

Indonesian built Puma

NAS-330J. Indonesian Puma are built by IPTN, indigenous aeronautical industry, for civilian and military.

Romanian built Puma

IAR-330, IAR-330 SOCAT. Romanian Puma are built by IAR, indigenous aeronautical industriy, for civilian and military. IAR-330 SOCAT is an attack and transport helicopter, like soviet helicopter Mi-24 Hind.

South African built Puma

Oryx. South African Puma are built by Atlas Aircraft Corporation, indigenous aeronautical industriy, for civilian and military.

Aérospatiale SA-330 Puma Media

• SA330BPuma2004.jpg

  Rear Adm. Denby H. Starling, Commander, Carrier Group Eight (CCG 8) returns to USS George Washington (CVN 73) in an SA 330B Puma helicopter assigned to the 38,000-ton French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle.

• RAF Westland SA-330E Puma HC1.jpg

  XW237 (cn 1218) A pre-delivery airframe (still with Westland Helicopters) seen on a rain soaked ramp. Presently undergoing conversion to HC2 standard.

• West German SA 330 Puma cockpit.jpg

  Instrument panel of an SA 330 Puma in service with the West German border police, 1985.

• French Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma helicopters in Beirut 1983.jpg

  Pair of Pumas flying over Beirut, 1983

• Moroccan SA 330 Puma (cropped).jpg

  MARRAKECH, Morocco -- U.S. Air Forces Africa is participating in the third biennial Aeroexpo Marrekech to strengthen the partnerships with the nations involved and show commitment to security and stability in the region. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Natasha Stannard)

• SAAF-Puma-005.jpg

  South African Air Force Puma, 2011

• A Royal Air Force Puma helicopter over the English countryside.jpg

  A RAF Puma HC1 in flight, 2012

• RAF Puma Mk2 Helicopter MOD 45156639.jpg

  An upgraded RAF Puma HC2, 2014

• RAF Puma Mk2 Being Loaded onto a RAF C-17 of No. 99 Sqn (2).jpg

  RAF Puma Mk2 Being Loaded onto a RAF C-17

Notes

The SA-330 Puma gave birth to a derivative extensively modified, designated AS-332 Super Puma.