Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 17:53, 3 June 2009

AS332 Super Puma

An AS332 L2 from Hong Kong Government Flying Service (HKGFS) touches down on the USS Mobile Bay (CG-53)
Role	HelicopterType of aircraft
Manufacturer	Aérospatiale Eurocopter
First flight	13 September 1978
Status	Active
Primary user	CHC Helicopter
Developed from	Aérospatiale Puma
Variants	Eurocopter AS 532 Eurocopter EC225

The Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-size utility helicopter marketed for both civil and military use. Originally designed and built by Aérospatiale, it is an enlarged and re-engined version of the original Aérospatiale Puma. The Super Puma first flew on 13 September 1978.

Design and development

The type has proved immensely successful, chosen by 37 military forces around the world, and some 1,000 civil operators. The Super Puma has proved especially well-suited to the North Sea oil industry, where it is used to ferry personnel and equipment to and from oil platforms. In civilian configuration it can seat approximately 18 passengers and two crew, though since the early 2000s most oil companies have banned use of the middle-rear seat reducing effective capacity to 17+2. This down-rating is due to difficulties encountered in evacuating through the rear-most windows in crashes at sea.

A wide variety of specialised military variants are in use, including dedicated Search and rescue and ASW versions. Since 1990, military Super Pumas have been marketed as the AS532 Cougar.

Variants

AS 331 - Prototype.
AS 332A - Commercial pre-production version.
AS 332B - Military version.
AS 332B1 - First military version.
AS 332C - Production civil version.
AS 332C1 - Search and rescue version, equipped with a search radar and six stretchers.
AS 332F - Military anti-submarine and anti-ship version.
AS 332F1 - Naval version.
AS 332L - Civil version with uprated engines, a lengthened fuselage and more cabin space, plus increased fuel.
AS 332L1 - Stretched civil version, with a long fuselage and an airline interior.
AS 332L2 Super Puma Mk 2 - Civil transport version, fitted with Spheriflex rotor head and EFIS.
AS 332M - Military version of the AS 332L.
AS 332M1 - Stretched military version.
NAS 332 - Licensed version built by IPTN, now Indonesian Aerospace (PT. Dirgantara Indonesia).

Operators

Civilian

Australia

Bristow Helicopters Ltd - operates a fleet for North West Shelf hydrocarbon personnel transfer operations

Azerbaijan

2 AS 332L1's in service with Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) and used for offshore operations to ferry workers to and from Caspian Sea oil rigs, and to transport passengers.

Brazil

Used by Petrobras Oil

Germany

Federal German Police

Finland

Three aircraft in use with the Finnish Border Guard.

Norway

Canada

CHC Helicopter
Cougar Helicopters
The Canadian Forces had the Super Puma as a candidate to replace their aging SH-3 Sea King, but opted for rival Sikorsky S-92

Hong Kong

Government Flying Service

Iceland

Coast Guard

Japan

Coast Guard

Malaysia

Malaysia Helicopter Services - chartered by PETRONAS for its upstream operations offshore the states of Terengganu and Sarawak.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority

Morocco

Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie

United Kingdom

British Airways Helicopters (1983-1986)
Bristow Helicopters Ltd - operates a fleet of around 20 airframes for North Sea hydrocarbon personnel transfer operations
Bond Offshore Helicopters

Military

Argentina

Argentine Army (332B)

Brazil

Chile

Chilean Army (332M)
Chilean Navy (332F1)

China

People's Liberation Army Air Force

Ecuador

Ecuadorian Army (332M)

Greece

Greek Air Force (332C)

Indonesia

Kuwait

Kuwait Air Force (332M)

Mexico

Mexican Air Force - for VIP transport.

Nigeria

Nigerian Air Force (332B)

Oman

Royal Air Force of Oman

Panama

Panamanian Air Force/National Air Service (332L)

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Navy (332F)

Singapore

Republic of Singapore Air Force

125 Squadron operates 22 AS332M Super Pumas

Spain

Spanish Air Force (332B and 332M)
Spanish Army (332B)

Switzerland

Swiss Air Force (332M)

Sweden

Swedish Air Force

Thailand

Royal Thai Air Force

Venezuela

Venezuelan Air Force (332B)

Vietnam

Vietnam People's Air Force (332L)

Notable accidents and incidents

19 January 1995 - G-TIGK Operated by Bristow Helicopters ditched in the North Sea. No Fatalities. Aircraft lost.
8 September 1997 - LN-OPG, an AS332 L1 operated by Helikopter Service AS from Brønnøysund to the Norne oil field suffered a catastrophic main gearbox failure and crashed, killing all 12 aboard. Eurocopter accepted some but not all of the AAIB/N recommendations.
21 November 2006 - A Eurocopter AS332 L2 search and rescue helicopter ditched in the North Sea. The aircraft was equipped with two automatic inflatable life rafts, but both failed to inflate. The Dutch Safety Board afterwards issued a warning.
1 April 2009 - G-REDL a AS332L belonging to Bond Offshore Helicopters with 16 people on board, crashed into the North Sea 13 miles off Crimond on the Aberdeenshire coast. There were no survivors. The AAIB's initial report found that the crash was caused by a "catastrophic failure" in the aircraft's main rotor gearbox epicyclic module..

Specifications (AS332 L1)

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Data from

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Capacity: 19

Performance

Specifications (AS332 L2)