Sud Aviation SA.330 Puma - rough field version......

[Caravellarella]

Dear Boys and Girls, here is an interesting feature in French that I've found on a motorised rough-field undercarriage that had been fitted to a SA.330 Puma helicopter. I can't think why though; would a medium sized helicopter need to be able move itself across rough terrain?

The feature comes from the 1st February 1968 issue of Aviation Magazine International......

Terry (Caravellarella)

 

[Apophenia]

... I can't think why though; would a medium sized helicopter need to be able move itself across rough terrain?...

Rolling take-offs have advantages over vertical take-offs. On unprepared ground, a rolling take-off also reduces the threat of 'brown-out'.

 

[Retrofit]

As far as I remember, the idea came from an ALAT (Aviation Legere de l'Armee de Terre - Army Light Aviation) "top brass" who wanted the Puma to be able to move to "hidden" places once on ground and rotors stopped. The main landing gear was operated by hydraulic motors.
The project being paid by the Army, Sud Aviation developped the system, but without much "hope" concerning its operational validity.
Tests proved it was an hydraulic mess...

 

[AeroFranz]

Nonetheless, another wonderful find. You learn something new everyday on this forum! Thanks for providing the background info as well.

 

[Caravellarella]

As far as I remember, the idea came from an ALAT (Aviation Legere de l'Armee de Terre - Army Light Aviation) "top brass" who wanted the Puma to be able to move to "hidden" places once on ground and rotors stopped. The main landing gear was operated by hydraulic motors.
The project being paid by the Army, Sud Aviation developped the system, but without much "hope" concerning its operational validity.
Tests proved it was an hydraulic mess...

Thank you Retrofit; so it's not for take-off purposes then. How would they have expected to "hide" the helicopter? Would the rotors have folded?

Terry (Caravellarella)

 

[Retrofit]

I do not remember something concerning an automatic blade folding system as on the SA321 Super Frelon used by the French Navy.
I will try to get more information.

 

[toura]

Hi all
Another sort

 

[toura]

Folded rotor project

 

[Retrofit]

Thanks Toura.
More details on the two optionnal installations you introduced:

Skis installation: Used to land on soft snow covered terrains. The skis were fixed to the landing gear wheels spindles, with the landing gear in DOWN locked position (safety pin on the landing gear control panel). Front and rear sandows were used to keep the skis in position, in flight.

Blade folding system: Manual system requiring 3 operators. One on the main rotor hub in charge of installing special tools and disconnecting some mechanical rotor components, and two on ground supporting the blade. Folded, the blades were hold in position by special rods fixed on the tail boom. This folding operation was possible with wind speeds under 80km/h.

Drawings source: Aerospatiale

 

[toura]

Thaanks Retrofit.............I have more interesting details
and now .a more folding version....

 

[toura]

Thanks Retrofit.....more and interesting details !
and now ..a more folding version .........

 

[CostasTT]

With band tracks...

 

[Caravellarella]

With band tracks...

Thank you CostasTT; definitely not for take-off purposes then......

Terry (Caravellarella)

 

[dragon72]

The original idea might be more feasible now with electric motors. I know they're working on a similar idea for airliners to taxi with instead of using their fuel hungry turbofans. Might be useful on carrier and amphib decks.

 

[CostasTT]

With band tracks...

Thank you CostasTT; definitely not for take-off purposes then......

Terry (Caravellarella)

You're welcome, Terry.
I think it was more to allow both landng and taxiing on rough or soft terrain.

 

[hesham]

And early drawing and a Model for it from Flying Review 6/1963.

 

[AeroFranz]

short blurb here:
here

"
A Puma with tracks in April: Toward the end of the 1960s, a landing gear system with motorised tracks was tested on Puma pre-production model 06. This was intended to enable helicopter to taxi with the rotor stopped (in undergrowth, for example).
The helicopter was able to drive forwards or backwards at a speed of 4 km/h on soft, sandy or soggy soils. In the end, this set-up was not adopted for reasons of complexity and high manufacturing costs.
"

oh, and another nice reference i just found here (in French, malheureusement, but lots of pictures)

 

[galgot]

... (in French, malheureusement, but lots of pictures)

Ça dépend pour qui
Thanks for the link.

 

[RavenOne]

55 years ago today the Aerospatiale SA330 Puma flew for the first time so here are my photos of both RAF and ALAT Pumas from over the decades be it RIAT, Waddo, Helitech Paris Air Show etc and of course the Puma from Helivia Air Taxi (leased by Roberts Aircraft Inc Wyoming) I worked with.

Cheers

 

[galgot]

55 years ago today the Aerospatiale SA330 Puma flew for the first time so here are my photos of both RAF and ALAT Pumas from over the decades be it RIAT, Waddo, Helitech Paris Air Show etc and of course the Puma from Helivia Air Taxi (leased by Roberts Aircraft Inc Wyoming) I worked with.

Cheers

Nice, thanks for the picts. I think the first one is a IAR 330L "SOCAT", Romanian license build. Rare to see.