The Eurocopter AS.332L Super Puma is a twin-engined medium-weight transport helicopter for up to 2 crew and 22
passengers powered by two Turbomeca Makila 1A1 turbine engines. The SNIAS SA.332 Super Puma was derived from the SA.330
Puma that flew for the first time on 15 April 1965 under the Sud-Aviation banner. On 1 January 1970, Sud-Aviation
was merged with a number of other French aerospace companies to form the SNIAS (Société Nationale Industrielle
Aerospatiale). Development of the AS.332 Super Puma with more powerful engines and an enhanced rotor system started
in the late 70s. On 5 September 1977, the Maklia-powered test-bed SA.331-01 F-WZAT, a modified Puma flew first. The
first production standard Super Puma, the AS332-01 F-WZJA, was flown on 13 September 1978. On 1 February 1980,
the AS332 C flew first, on 10 October followed by the AS332 L version (L for long). The AS 332L Super Puma was
certificated in 1983. From 1984, SNIAS operated under the name of Aérospatiale. The Super Puma is in use in several
military and civilian roles. In 1990 the military Super Puma designations were changed from AS 332 to AS 532 Cougar
to distinguish between the civil and military variants of the helicopter. The helicopter divisions of MBB from
Germany and Aerospatiale from France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group. New Eurocopter designations
were added: EC 225 Super Puma (civilian versions) and EC 725 Cougar (military versions).
On 29 October 1993, the Dutch Government signed a purchase agreement for
seventeen Eurocopter AS532 U2 twin-engine helicopters for the Royal
Netherlands Air Force. In May 1996, the first two AS 552 U2 Cougar mk.II
helicopters, S-400 and S-419, entered service with the RNethAF. All 17
AS352U2 Cougars in service with the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF)
are operated by 300 squadron based at Soesterberg AFB. The Cougars
perform a very wide range of assignments in service with the Air Force:
the transport of troops, passengers, VIPs or equipment, Medevac, Quick
Reaction Force (QRF), and occasionally fire-fighting duties. Eurocopter
AS532 U2 c/n 2419 was testflown as F-ZKBD and received the registration
S-419 in service with the Koninklijke Luchtmacht. The registration S-419
is built op out of the S of the support-role of the helicopter and the
last three didgets of the c/n 2419. On 9 january 2008, AS532 U2 Cougar
mk.II S-419 came in for fuel at Hoogeveen airfield, the Netherlands, as
'Wildcat 10'. At that time Cougar S-419 was equipped with inflatable sponsons.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
