D-HAAK Aerospatiale SA.319B Alouette III c/n 1959 - LD Helicopters - Emden airfield, Germany - 22 March 1978

more at Flugplatz Emden

The SE-3160 Alouette III is a single-engined utility helicopter that can accommodate up to 7 passengers. The Alouette III was derived from the Alouette II featuring a more powerful turboshaft and enlarged cabin. Development of the SE-3160 Alouette III started in the late 50s under the Sud-Aviation banner. The first of two prototypes of the Alouette III, the F-ZWVQ powered by one 550 hp Turbomeca Artouste IIIB turboshaft, was flown on 28 February 1959. Four pre-production machines followed the prototypes, and the first production helicopter of this type flew in July 1961. In the military role, the Alouette III was used either to transport six fully equipped troops or as an assault helicopter. Certification was archived on December 12th 1961. The initial SE-3160 Alouette III remained in production until 1969, when it was replaced by the improved SA-316B Alouette III. The Alouette III was developed over the years and remained in production until the 1985. Over 1450 helicopters of the different versions of the Alouette III were built, including production under licence in India, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Romania and Switzerland. On 1 January 1970, Sud-Aviation was merged with a number of other French aerospace companies to form the SNIAS (Société Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale). From 1984, SNIAS operated under the name of Aérospatiale. The helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aerospatiale from France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group.

A German company that was for a while active in the offshore is LD Helicopters. Their Aeropatiale SA319B Alouette III was photographed on 22 March 1978 when leaving Flugplatz Emden for an offshore flight. 1972-built SA.319B s/n 1959 was registered D-HAAK in Germany in March 1973 with Rettungsflugwacht F.Stetzler at Stuttgart-Echterdingen. The D-HAAK was the first air ambulance helicopter operated by the DRF. In 1978, Alouette III D-HAAK was noted with LD Helicopters and in 1983 the D‑HAAK was transferred to Switzerland and registered HB-XOO with BOHAG on 19 March 1984. Since, the helicopter was used by a number of operators, mainly as an Air Ambulance. Today the HB-XOO is still active in Switzerland and was registered with RUAG Aerospace / Intracom General Machinery on 31 May 2006.