Shrieking Gazelles

[Savoia]

Sorry about that Zis. Perhaps Pierre can help us out next time he's passing through Qualicum Beach.

In the meantime we need Steve's help in identifying the Gaz in this slightly unique piece of video footage:

The Gazelle only becomes apparent at about 2:45, on a shallow approach to Childerditch Farm in Essex.

Any clues as to which craft this may be?

[Zishelix]

My two cents on G-BZYD (fmr XZ329)

[md600driver]

it could be robs gazelle BZYD but equally it could have been a military one or one of the ex mil gazelles that martin wood overhauled for the South africans as he is based in essex

[Savoia]

Grazie Zis/Steve. I wonder if the driver knew he was being followed by a remote-controlled helicopter (or drone as they are called these days?).

More X-Craft ..



SA341G N341AS (cn 1042) aka The X-Craft, landing at Zomergem Heliport on 3rd August 2014 (Photo: Tom Buysse)

[Zishelix]

Nice one, I'll try to obtain a bigger copy for my collection.

By the way, any chance to see The X-Craft equipped with skid fairings in near future?

[xbdt]

I do have fairings, but none for the rigid landing gear... I might upgrade N341AS with a flexible gear and skids when time permits :-)

[Savoia]

By the way, any chance to see The X-Craft equipped with skid fairings in near future?

Ha ha, you beat me to it. Was also going to ask the same thing!


Gazelles over Montenegro ..

A trinity of Montenegrin Army Gazelles (probably 342's?) over Tivat in Montenegro this summer (August).

All photos by Siniša Luković:

[Savoia]

As this specific post (at the time of posting) happens to be my 777th post on this site, and given that the number 777 has special significance to some .. specifically in that it is a number associated with God .. I thought I should try and post something relevant!


SA342 ALAT Gazelle of the l'armée de Terre passes in front of the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Paix de Yamoussoukro dans la Côte d'Ivoire


To God be the Glory! Forever and ever and ever - Amen!

[Zishelix]

Luckily you didn't mark your 666th.

[Savoia]

Luckily you didn't mark your 666th.

Quite!




Swift Copters SA342J(S) HB-ZFD (cn 1058) as seen at Courchevel on 25th February 2012 (Photo: Siegfried Bruno)

[Savoia]

Seeing as Courchevel has been mentioned, please may I remind our readers that watching the Courchevel Citation is obligatory viewing at least once a year (usually at Christmastime!).

And speaking of Christmastime, don't forget to check out today's Christmas story on the news thread.

[Savoia]

SA342J HA-LFH (cn 1775) as seen at Waddington Aerodrome on 29th June 2012 (Photo: Rez Manzoori)

[Savoia]

.. but none for the rigid landing gear.

XB, Could you please describe the difference between the rigid and flexible landing gear on the Gazelle.

[xbdt]

The rigid landing gear is the first generation type of gear. The rear horizontal tube is fixed to the airframe. The rear braces are damped with a hydraulic damper on each side. Also the flexible plate below the main gear box is locked on one side for landings. Once in flight, the lock can be removed by putting the white lever on top of the ceiling to the forward position.

The flexible gear rear horizontal tube is simply hinged in the middle. No cabin lever anymore (flight/landing mode) or dampers that might leak. The skid tubes are also slightly thicker.

Of course, these gears are necessary for any helicopter with more than 2 blades to avoid (or less chance to get) ground resonance. Set it gently down and you'll never get a ground resonance. Also avoid to stay on a hard surface (concrete) for a long period of time to minimise the risk of ground resonance. Theoretically it is possible to get ground resonance even after several minutes idling at the same RPM.

[Savoia]

I have wanted for some time to understand the differences between the Gaz landing gear - and your explanation has done just that.

Grazie mille!

[Zishelix]

Very interesting to read XB's technical description about the skids. Thanks!

Here is an addition to the "Gazelles in snow" collection:


Soko built Echo Seven-Sierra Hotel Alpha sitting in front of it's nest at Ikar Air Service, Banja Luka, February 8th, 2012 (Photo: Phil Adkin)

[Savoia]

Lovely photo of E7-SHA in the snow!

For those who missed this video (some 20 pages ago) here's another chance to see this helicopter in action:

France Confirms Ownership of Gazelles Found in Seized Cargo Plane

France has confirmed that the two helicopters found aboard the seized Russian manufactured Antonov aircraft in Kano on Saturday, belongs to the French army and is part of the shipment meant to reduce the size of its military intervention in the Central African Republic (CAR).

It added that the helicopters, light Gazelle, which were headed for Ndjamena, Chad, were part of France’s efforts to support regional cooperation against terrorism as agreed by the Heads of State of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroun at the security summit held in Paris in May 2014.

The Ambassador of France to Nigeria, Mr. Jacques Champagne de Labriolle, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday night, said the plane which was chartered from a Russian company, 224 Flight Unit, was diverted to Kano airport as air traffic conditions in N’Djamena were too dense for landing.

The Russian crew, he said, decided to fly to Kano, being the closest airport, to refuel and then proceed to N’Djamena.
He added that the plane was given diplomatic clearance by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“The freight consisted of two Gazelle helicopters (a four-seater light liaison helicopter) with spare parts and maintenance items. Two French military non-commissioned officers escorted the equipment as passengers,” he said.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/...ane/196154/

[Savoia]

North American Gazelles ..


Former ALAT SA341F2 'GHZ', now N918GZ (cn 1672), landing at Deer Valley Airport in Phoenix, Arizona on 3rd December 2014 (Photo: Chris Kennedy)

[Savoia]

40th Anniversary of the First Flight Test of the Turbomeca Arriel

Turbomeca (Safran) are pleased to announce the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the first flight of one of its most famous engines – the Arriel. Fitted to a Gazelle airframe, the very first Arriel prototype took to the skies for the first time on 7th December 1974 from Turbomeca’s flight test center at Pau Pyrénées Airport.


Aérospatiale's SA341 Gazelle F-ZWRL as seen testing Turbomeca's Arriel turbine for the first time on 7th December 1974 from Turbomeca’s flight test center at Pau Pyrénées Airport (Photo: Safran/Turbomeca)

SA341 Gazelle F-ZWRL used by Turbomeca for testing the Arriel engine in 1974 (Photo: Aérospatiale, via Zishelix Collection)

With thanks to Pierre Gillard and Zishelix for this item of news.

[Savoia]

African Gaz ..


Westland SA341C Gazelle ZU-HBH (cn WA1418) as seen in Magaliesburg South Africa on 25th November 2014 (Photo: J. Kennerley)

ZU-HBH seen here during an anti-poaching training exercise in which anti-poaching officers and their dogs demonstrate their ability to conceal their scent and approach their quarry with stealth. Two Alsatians are already in the water in this photo.

ps: Bosnia, Montenegro and Slovenia now added to the Gazelle Database.

[md600driver]

With her owner at the controls!

[Savoia]

Gaz Autos ..

Check-out the auto in the following video. I've tried to wind it forward to the appropriate moment but, in case that fails, go to 7 mins 50 secs .. and note how much the skids flex!:

[Savoia]

More Gazelles in Snow ..

Maintaining the theme of ‘Gazelles in Snow’ and continuing with the Bosnian Gazelles:

All photos are of E7-ABI, an SA342L (from what I understand) serving with the Helicopter Service of the Republic of Srpska, which was deployed to the town of Sokolac (70 kms east of Sarajevo) in Bosnia on 1st February 2012 after the area was cut off by heavy snow storms.

[Zishelix]

The Helicopter Service of the Republic of Srpska have proved themselves to be of reliable (even irreplaceable) help on many occasions so far.

Here is a 'special' image of two of their Gazelles, in fact the two shown on this page, SHA and ABI.

[Savoia]

Am sure they do a great job. Would be nice to hear a little more about their operations.

Gazelle Accessories ..

The Gazelle weathervane .. for your home, hangar or office!



https://www.blackfoxmetalcraft.co.uk...r-gazelle.html

[Savoia]

ALAT pilot with Gazelle having completed a reconnaissance flight. Photo taken at Hafar Al Batin in Saudi Arabia (100 km from the border with Iraq), on 18th October 1990


French Army Gazelles on patrol (Photo: Aérospatiale)

[Savoia]

British Army Gazelle as seen at the Salisbury Plains Training Area in 2014 (Photo: RJ Whetton)


British Army Gazelle as seen at the Salisbury Plains Training Area in 2014 (Photo: RJ Whetton)

[Savoia]

SA342J(S) F-GGTJ (cn 1473) as seen at Deauville Saint-Gatien Airport on 27th May 2005 (Photo: Stephanie Pichard)

Formerly .. C-GVWC and F-WXFX, then F-GGTJ (as above), then G-TOPZ and now flying as YU-HPZ.

[Savoia]

Another take on F-GGTJ ..


SA342J(S) F-GGTJ (cn 1473) as seen at Stapleford Aerodrome in March 2000 (Photo: Bill Teasdale)

The 'Spanish Gaz' must have left the warmth some time ago?


SA341C G-LEDR at Glasgow on (presumably International) on 23rd November 2014 (Photo: G. McLaughlin)

Steve & Rory?


HA-LFH and G-LEDR at Breighton Aerodrome, uncertain of the date, but presumably 2014

[md600driver]

Rory sold G-LEDR a while ago now so that was Nigel flying and with me in HA-LFH at Breighton. Not sure exactly when because we both go into Breighton every week.

[md600driver]

Top picture was an overnight stop in Glasgow with Nige flying LEDR.

[Savoia]

Grazie Steve, much appreciated!


SA341G Gazelle (cn 1145) G-WELA as seen at Biggin Hill on 18th June 1994 (Photo: Paul Thallon)

Originally one of the Specialist Flying Training Gazelles, G-SFTD.

More Gaz in snow ..


SA341G HB-ZEU (cn 1111) as seen at Samedan in Switzerland on 22nd March 2009 (Photo: Hanes Domjan)

[md600driver]

John Davy of SFT was responsible for purchasing the majority of civvy gazelles that we have in the UK. If he had picked a different type, like the MD, things could have looked very different.

[Savoia]

John Davy of SFT was responsible for purchasing the majority of civvy gazelles that we have in the UK. If he had picked a different type, like the MD, things could have looked very different.

Yes indeed. Thank you John for selecting the Gaz!

I mentioned earlier in the thread that it was a shame that the civvy Gaz wasn't more popular but, once XB explained the phenomenal overhaul cost of the Astazou, I began to understand, although I still don't appreciate quite why it is so much more expensive than the Allison C20 (for example). I am guessing that either there is some physical aspect to the turbine (such as being an 'antique' of sorts) which attracts this 'amazing' cost or that Turbomeca and Airbus are working in cooperation to try and be 'rid' of the Gaz and that the cost has therefore been inflated (which seems hard to believe).

More Gaz in Scotland ..


Westland Gazelle SA341D G-VOIP (cn 1792) as seen at Perth Airport in Scone on 20th September 2014

[Zishelix]

A private warehouse at Babcary, Somerset in 2008



Any idea from which Gazelle the orange-white tail boom was from?

[md600driver]

incorrect info

[md600driver]

2nd thoughts about this this tail boom is from a civil gazelle not a ex uk military one as all ex uk militarys gazelles do not have any oil drain holes at the front of the tail boom

[Savoia]

Any idea from which Gazelle the orange-white tail boom was from?

I could only find two orange and white UK Gazelles in my album, both of them were SFT Gazelles one of which, in terms of the colour scheme, fits the bill so .. maybe!


SA341G G-SFTH as seen at Dagenham in Essex on 13th July 1986 (Photo: Simon Shearburn)

Registered to Specialist Flying Training at the time of the photo, but flying with 'Blades Helicoptes' titles (to whom it was possibly leased). Blades were based at Goodwood Aerodrome in Sussex. This craft was initially registered as G-BLAP!