SA-315B Lama. France's Jean Boulet & the helo high altitude record, 1972

MikeD

MikeD

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The SA-315B Lama is an amazing helicopter from the 1970s that is still in use as a hot/high mountain-plying helicopter (hence it's name), and still holds the record for the highest helicopter flight, 40,820'....nearly FL410.

On this same flight, another first was unintentionally accomplished: The highest ever helicopter autorotation following the engine flaming out when the pilot reached altitude, as it wasn't calibrated for extreme high altitude flight.

With no restart possible, Boulet autorotated back to the ground.......a nearly 20 minute autorotation at an average 2000 fpm descent rate. And entering IMC and icing conditions at the same time on the way down, with no IFR instrumentation or icing protection installed at all.

Here is the story of Jean Boulet and the SA-315:

http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/21-june-1972/

Aerospatiale_SA_315B_Lama_Helicopter_20080814.jpg


Aerospatiale_SA-315B_Lama,_BOHAG_AN0993774.jpg
 
Not only is this an amazing story (at least for those who are not up on everything rotor) but I have never seen that website and it's pretty good. Swopes has some interesting write ups and photos that I am going to peruse. I just read the one about Tex Johnston with some photos I hadn't seen before. Thanks for posting this.
 
Wait, I calculate the rotor tip speed would be only 63 knots (353 rpm, 5.5 meter blade). That's like 0.1 Mach even at FL410. Forreal?!

Also there are rumots the flameout was due to fuel starvation and that a starter was not installed (both to save weight). I can't imagine a scenario other than an autorotation from very high-up that they would have expected.
 
Minuteman said:
Wait, I calculate the rotor tip speed would be only 63 knots (353 rpm, 5.5 meter blade). That's like 0.1 Mach even at FL410. Forreal?!

Also there are rumots the flameout was due to fuel starvation and that a starter was not installed (both to save weight). I can't imagine a scenario other than an autorotation from very high-up that they would have expected.
Click to expand...

Yeah the story mentions how the starter and other items were removed after start in order to save weight. With the fuel burn of that general engine, it shouldnt have necessarily flamed out from lack of fuel available, with the time he'd been up there, though thats possible. But he should've had about 20 or so mins of fuel available.
 
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