Aérospatiale SA 360 Dauphin
| Company type | Aerospace manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Helicopters |
| Founded | 1970s |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Helicopters, including SA 360 Dauphin |
The Aérospatiale SA 360 Dauphin is a French single-engine utility helicopter developed by Aérospatiale during the early 1970s. It was designed to succeed the Alouette III and to fill a niche in the market for helicopters seating between six and ten passengers. Its inaugural flight took place on 2 June 1972, with prototypes establishing three world speed records in the 1,750–3,000 kg category. The Dauphin was aimed at both civilian and military sectors.
Production was limited and eventually discontinued as Aérospatiale redirected efforts towards a twin-engine variant, the widely successful Dauphin 2, which enjoyed over four decades of continuous manufacture.
Development
After the late 1960s merger of Sud Aviation into Aérospatiale, the company pursued the creation of a rotorcraft sized between its smaller Gazelle scout/attack helicopter and the larger Puma utility helicopter. This ambition resulted in the development of the SA 360 Dauphin in the early 1970s.
The initial prototype (F-WSQL) took flight on 2 June 1972, powered by a single Turbomeca Astazou XVI turboshaft engine rated at 730 kW (980 hp). The design integrated elements from other Aérospatiale models, such as the Gazelle’s fenestron tail rotor and the Alouette III’s main rotor system. Later improvements included upgrading to an Astazou XVIIIA engine generating 780 kW (1,050 hp) and substituting metal rotor blades with composite materials to reduce vibrations and ground resonance issues.
Flight testing resumed in May 1973 with a second prototype (F-WSQX). At that year's Paris Air Show, the first prototype established three Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) world speed records for helicopters within its weight class, highlighting its impressive performance capabilities.
The production version, designated SA 360C, entered series manufacturing in 1974; its first production model flew in April 1975. French civil certification was obtained in December that year, with deliveries commencing in January 1976. Despite this, market acceptance was tepid due to concerns that a single-engine helicopter of this size lacked sufficient power. By late 1976, nearly half of the manufactured units remained unsold. Production ended in 1977, succeeded by the twin-engine AS365 Dauphin.
One particular airframe (Construction Number 1012, F-WZAK) was converted into the SA 360H, optimized for operations in hot-and-high environments. This variant featured an Astazou XXB engine producing up to 1,040 kW (1,400 hp) and incorporated a Starflex rotorhead derived from the AS350 Écureuil.
This version evolved into the SA 360HCL ("Light Combat Helicopter"), targeting military applications. It was equipped with advanced sensor suites including SFIM APX M397 gyro-stabilized sights and SFIM Vénus night-vision devices. Armament options comprised eight Euromissile HOT missile launchers alongside weapons compatible with the Gazelle platform. Capable of transporting thirteen combat troops, it underwent evaluation by the Armée de Terre, though no production contracts were secured.
Design
The Aérospatiale SA 360 Dauphin is a French utility helicopter powered by a single engine and designed as an upgrade to the Alouette III. It shares design features such as a four-bladed main rotor. Most units utilized a single Astazou XVIIIA engine delivering up to 780 kW (1,050 hp), based on the Astazou XIV engine fitted in later Alouette III variants. The cabin was fully enclosed with seating capacity for up to nine passengers and featured a fixed tailwheel landing gear with spatted main wheels, which presented difficulties when operating on confined helipads.
A significant innovation was its thirteen-bladed fenestron anti-torque system integrated into the tail boom. Although initially introduced on the Gazelle, the Dauphin’s fenestron was enhanced with reversed rotation to improve its effectiveness against main rotor downwash. This configuration offered clear benefits over traditional tail rotors and influenced numerous subsequent helicopter designs.
According to aviation expert J. Mac McClellan, pilots generally valued the Dauphin’s handling characteristics. However, drawbacks included the absence of dedicated forward crew doors requiring pilots to enter through the main cabin, and passenger inconvenience caused by a large vertical support column positioned centrally within the cabin. These issues were rectified in later twin-engine Dauphin 2 models.
Variants
- SA 360 – initial two prototype units
- SA 360C – main production variant, with 34 units manufactured
- SA 360A – naval adaptation for the Aeronavale, featuring one conversion from SA 360C
- SA 361H – enhanced "hot and high" model equipped with a more powerful Astazou XX engine (969 kW/1,300 shp), fiberglass rotor blades, and an updated rotor hub; three converted from SA 360 and SA 360C airframes
- SA 361HCL – armed military version, converted from one SA 361H
- SA 365C2 – twin-engine configuration powered by two Turbomeca Arriel 1A2 turboshafts (each delivering 500 kW/670 hp)
Operators
- Helitours – operates a pair of SA 365 C2 helicopters
Bibliography
- Chant, Chris. "A Compendium of Armaments and Military Hardware." Routledge, 2014. .
- Francillon, René J. and Carol A McKenzie. "To the throne...on its third try: Dauphin, eldest son of King Alouette III". Air International, July 1995, Vol 49 No 1. pp. 14–19. .
- McGowen, Stanley S. Helicopters: An Illustrated History of Their Impact. ABC-CLIO, 2005. .
- J. Mac, McClellan. Day of the Dauphin. From France to you: Aerospatiale's Dauphine is the Prince of Helicopter. Flying Magazine, September 1989. Vol. 116, No. 9. . pp. 76–80.