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AIR DEFENDER / REFERENCE

Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma

Twin-turbine transport helicopter · AS332 L1 Super Puma

Aircraft overview

The AS332 Super Puma is a twin-turbine transport helicopter developed from the SA330 Puma. More powerful engines, revised structure and undercarriage, and improved rotor and drive systems supported a larger civil and military transport family.

The L1 is the long-fuselage Mark I version with Makila 1A1 engines. Its four-bladed main rotor and five-bladed tail rotor distinguish the L1 from later five-main-bladed developments.

Side view of red, white and blue Super Puma G-PUME in flight, with the complete visible rotors, tail and landing gear.
AS332L Super Puma G-PUME, photographed on 12 May 2004. Built in 1983, it illustrates the L version; the specification below describes the L1. Its equipment in this later photograph need not match its 1998 fit.
Photograph: Gary Watt · 12 May 2004 · Photo source · GFDL 1.2 only · Unmodified photograph; copyright watermark retained.

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Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 only as published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled GNU Free Documentation License.

This permission only extends to photos taken by Gary Watt at the Airliners.net source below, in addition to files which may be provided via email. It does not include any other content from that site which has not been provided by Gary Watt.

Source photograph title: CHC Helicopter Scotia Aerospatiale AS-332L1 Super Puma.jpg
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At a glance

AS332 L1 · long-fuselage Mark I

Engines
Two Turbomeca Makila 1A1 turboshaftsL1 installation; now within Safran Helicopter Engines.
Main / tail rotor
Four / five blades15.60 m / 3.05 m diameters.
Fuselage length / height
16.29 m / 4.95 mLong-fuselage L1 dimensions.
Maximum mass
8,600 kgL1 configuration.
Passenger ceiling
24Approved maximum; operational cabin arrangements vary.
Standard fuel capacity
2,043 litres totalTotal tank volume; the usable-fuel quantity is not specified.

In Air Defender

Role guidance · v0.8.16.0

Air Defender v0.8.16.0 lists the AS332 as an offshore transport helicopter used for North Sea support. The catalogue’s general Super Puma label is separate from the L1-specific real-aircraft figures here.

Compare the Puma HC.1 and the S-61N. Use flight-plan information to assess an offshore contact’s route.

Game catalogue values · v0.8.16.0

In-game specifications

These figures come from the game’s general aircraft reference. A matching civilian register entry can supply different fields in Aircraft Data. How to read the two layouts →

Role
Offshore Transport Helicopter
Category
Light Helicopter
Service ceiling
19,000 ftA reference upper height. Read Flight Info for the contact’s present height.
Maximum speed
164 knotsA reference maximum, not the speed the aircraft is flying now.
Cruise speed
140 knotsA typical speed for the main part of a flight, not a guaranteed commanded speed.
Stall speed
Not specified as a stall-speed valueA zero in the game catalogue means no usable stall-speed figure is supplied; it does not mean the rotor blades cannot stall. FAA helicopter handbook: rotor-blade stall →
Typical range
430 NMA reference flying distance, not fuel remaining or radar detection range.
Typical crew
2
Powerplant
Twin turboshaft engines (Turbomeca Makila) Compare engine types →
Manufacturer
Eurocopter/Aerospatiale (France)
Understand speed, ceiling, range and the units →

Use the right procedure

In depth

Development from the Puma

The Super Puma first flew in 1978 and received type certification in 1981. The programme developed the SA330 with new engines, improved structure and undercarriage, and changes to the drive and rotor systems.

The Mark I family offered short and long fuselages. C/C1 identifies the shorter branch, while L/L1 identifies the longer one; the “1” versions have uprated engines and increased weight.

Long-fuselage L1 airframe

The L1 fuselage is 16.29 m long, compared with 15.53 m for the C/C1. Its main rotor has four blades and a 15.60 m diameter; the five-bladed tail rotor is 3.05 m across.

The published 3.79 m transverse dimension is the stabiliser width, rather than the cabin width. The airframe’s overall reference height is 4.95 m.

Makila engines and later developments

The L uses Makila 1A engines and the L1 uses Makila 1A1s. These installations have their own operating and transmission limits.

The L2 Mark II introduced more powerful engines, increased weight and an electronic flight-instrument cockpit. The EC225LP, approved on 27 July 2004, added Makila 2A engines, a five-bladed main rotor and a new glass cockpit.

Cabin and fuel options

The L1 permits up to twenty-four passengers. Its long cabin supports transport configurations whose actual seating depends on the operator’s equipment and loading requirements.

Standard tanks contain 2,043 litres in total. Optional internal and sponson tanks increase total capacity to 3,017 litres; usable quantities depend on the approved flight-manual configuration.

Crew and flight equipment

Instrument-flight operation requires two pilots. Single-pilot visual-flight provisions have conditions involving altitude, an additional qualified crew member and the availability of the approved autopilot channels.

Icing approval also depends on the required equipment and flight-manual supplement. These are specific configurations, rather than a blanket all-weather capability shared by every Super Puma.

Variants

AS332 C/C1

Short-fuselage Mark I branch.

AS332 L/L1

Long-fuselage Mark I; L1 uses Makila 1A1 engines and an 8,600 kg limit.

AS332 L2

Mark II with revised power, weight and electronic flight instruments.

After 1998

2004 · EC225LP

The EC225LP received type approval on 27 July 2004. Its Makila 2A engines, five-bladed main rotor and glass cockpit distinguish it from the four-bladed AS332 L1.

2012–2016 · L1e avionics and H215 name

The L1e’s AHCAS avionics configuration has an approved flight manual dated 14 June 2012. From 1 January 2016, H215 became the commercial name for the C1e and L1e configurations. These later equipment fits are separate from the 1998 L1 reference.

References and further reading

L1 dimensions, rotors, crew, tanks and later C1e/L1e naming

Development and model-family differences

Words used on this page

Choose an underlined term for a quick explanation, or browse the meanings here.

Turboshaft

A gas-turbine engine supplying shaft power to equipment such as helicopter rotors, rather than relying mainly on exhaust thrust.

Related guide: aircraft engines
Flight plan

Information about an intended flight, such as its route and destination. Compare that plan with what the aircraft is actually doing.

Related guide: flight plans
Contact

Something detected or being followed on the display. You may still need to establish what it is.

Related guide: plot or track
Service ceiling

The stated height an aircraft can climb to while still meeting specified performance requirements. The game’s reference figure is not its current height or a guarantee for every situation.

How to read aircraft specifications
Feet / ft

A unit of length used here for aircraft height. Read the display’s scale: a trackblock height of 350 means 35,000 feet, not 350 feet.

Related guide: trackblock
Knots

A unit of speed used in aviation: nautical miles per hour.

Related guide: trackblock
Cruise speed

A speed used for the main travelling part of a flight. A reference cruise speed is different from a track’s current speed.

Related guide: interceptor speed
Stall speed

A reference speed for the onset of a stall under specified conditions. A stall occurs when a wing or rotor blade exceeds its critical angle to the airflow and loses lift. It does not mean the engine has stopped.

How to read aircraft specifications
FAA

Federal Aviation Administration: the United States aviation authority.

How to read aircraft specifications
Range

Distance. For a contact it means distance from a stated point; an aircraft’s range means how far it can fly under stated conditions.

Related guide: range bearing
Nautical mile / NM

A distance unit used in aviation and navigation. It is different from the ordinary mile used on UK road signs.

Related guide: range bearing
Powerplant

The engine or engines that power the aircraft.

How to read aircraft specifications
Certification

An official process for checking that something meets the rules that apply to it. Aircraft design approval and approval of an individual aircraft are different checks.

How to read aircraft specifications
IN PLAIN ENGLISH

Read the guide →