Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama

The Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama is a French single-engined light helicopter designed for hot and high operations in places such as the Himalayas, where the Nepalese Army Air Service and Indian Air Force wanted a machine that medium helicopters could not match. Aérospatiale joined the lighter Alouette II airframe, reinforced, to the Alouette III turboshaft and dynamic parts. The first SA 315B flew on 17 March 1969 and it entered service in July 1971. A Lama set the absolute helicopter altitude record of 12,442 m in 1972. Hindustan Aeronautics built it in India as the Cheetah and Helibras in Brazil as the Gavião, and it was used for passenger, load-lifting and agricultural work.