HAL Chetak
HAL · India · first flew 1959 · helicopter
The Indian licence-built Aerospatiale Alouette III, a rugged single-engined utility helicopter used widely across military and civil roles.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.04 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Rounded glazed cabin seating up to seven
- Three-blade main rotor and single Artouste turboshaft
- Faired tail boom with small vertical fin
A single-engined helicopter with a rounded, heavily glazed cabin, faired tail boom and three-blade rotor — fuller-bodied than the skeletal Cheetah/Lama and larger than the Alouette II.
Specifications
- The HAL Chetak has a length of 10.04 m (33 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 Alouette III first flew in 1959 as an enlarged, more capable successor to the Alouette II, and HAL produced it in India as the Chetak. It became the backbone of Indian light helicopter operations for decades, valued for its simplicity and reliability.
Variants
Indian versions include the standard Chetak utility helicopter, the naval Chetak for shipborne duties, and derivatives feeding into later HAL light helicopter developments.
Where you'll see it
The Chetak remains in Indian service and has no direct UK operational history, though the Alouette III it derives from served many European and Commonwealth air arms in liaison and training roles.
Related aircraft
- HAL (SEPECAT) Jaguar International
- HAL Cheetah
- HAL Dornier 228
- HAL Dhruv
- Aérospatiale Alouette III
- Agusta A.103
- AS-61R
- Saunders-Roe P.531-0
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