HAL Cheetah
HAL · India · first flew 1969 · helicopter
The Indian licence-built version of the Aerospatiale SA 315B Lama, a lightweight high-altitude utility helicopter famed for mountain flying.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 12.92 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Glazed bubble cockpit and open-frame tail boom
- Single Artouste turboshaft above the cabin
- High-altitude light utility helicopter
A skeletal light helicopter with a fully glazed cabin, exposed lattice tail boom and skid gear — instantly distinguished by its lightweight, almost see-through construction.
Specifications
- The HAL Cheetah has a length of 12.92 m (42 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.02 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 210 km/h (130 mph).
- Typical crew: 1 or 2 pilots.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Lama married the Alouette II airframe with the more powerful Alouette III dynamic system to excel at altitude, first flying in 1969. HAL produced it in India as the Cheetah, which set world helicopter altitude records and became indispensable for Himalayan operations.
Variants
Indian derivatives include the baseline Cheetah, the re-engined Cheetal with a Shakti-family turboshaft, and the weaponised Lancer light-attack conversion.
Where you'll see it
The Cheetah is a workhorse of the Indian Army and Air Force in the mountains and has no UK service, though its Aerospatiale lineage links it to the Gazelle and Alouette family used in Europe.
Related aircraft
- HAL (SEPECAT) Jaguar International
- HAL Chetak
- HAL Dornier 228
- HAL Dhruv
- Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama
- Bell 212 Twin Huey
- Bell UH-1N Iroquois
- Mi-24A (Hind-A)
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