{"id":52268,"date":"2023-07-04T22:01:31","date_gmt":"2023-07-04T20:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=52268"},"modified":"2024-07-04T01:32:56","modified_gmt":"2024-07-03T23:32:56","slug":"this-is-how-a-super-puma-helicopter-is-loaded-into-a-spanish-a400m-atlas-transport-plane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2023\/07\/04\/this-is-how-a-super-puma-helicopter-is-loaded-into-a-spanish-a400m-atlas-transport-plane\/","title":{"rendered":"This is how a Super Puma helicopter is loaded into a Spanish A400M Atlas transport plane"},"content":{"rendered":"

The acquisition of the Airbus A400 Atlas has meant a great leap for the Air Force in heavy load air transport missions.<\/p>\n

Spain will receive three more A400M and does not know what to do with another ten that it ordered<\/a><\/rel>
\nThe exhibition of a Spanish Airbus A400M Atlas that has stunned the British public<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n

An example of this was published yesterday by the Spanish Air Force<\/a>: the load of an Aerospatiale AS-332 Super Puma helicopter<\/strong> (HD.21, according to the Spanish military designation) of the 802 Squadron, part of Wing 46 based in Gando (Gran Canaria), on board an Airbus A400M Atlas (T.23)<\/strong> of Wing 31, based in Zaragoza, for transfer to the Maestranza A\u00e9rea de Madrid<\/a>, where maintenance work is carried out on this type of helicopter.<\/p>\n

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The Air Force has published a series of photos of this transfer<\/a>. The Super Puma is a medium-sized helicopter, 18.7 meters long and 4.95 meters high. As we can see, for its transfer, the main rotor must be completely disassembled<\/strong> and part of its base.<\/p>\n

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Due to the width of the helicopter, to load it on the A400M you must also remove the rear landing gear fairings<\/strong>, as we can see in these images.<\/p>\n

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In this other photo we see two details: firstly, the folded tail rotor<\/strong>, since with it unfolded it would be impossible to fit the Super Puma into the A400M. And secondly, the rear landing gear is lowered<\/strong> to reduce the height of the helicopter.<\/p>\n

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Here we see the Super Puma inside the cargo hold of the A400M<\/strong>. The Spanish Air Force points out about this loading process that it is \"a task of great complexity and expertise that requires detailed planning, numerous inspections and constant checks<\/strong>, to guarantee the safety of personnel and the aircraft involved in the loading, unloading and air transport operation.\"<\/em><\/p>\n

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It should be noted that it is not the first time that a Spanish A400M has loaded a helicopter of this type.<\/strong> The certification process for this type of transport was carried out at May 2021<\/a>. Before that, in December 2019 the Air Force had already carried out boarding tests of an AS-532 Cougar helicopter<\/a> of the Army Air Mobile Forces (FAMET), the military variant of the Super Puma (above these lines).<\/p>\n

Below you can see the fast camera video published yesterday by the Spanish Air Force<\/strong> about the loading of the Super Puma of Ala 46 in the A400M:<\/p>\n