Helio AU-24A Stallion
Helio · United States · first flew 1970 · transport aircraft
The Helio AU-24A Stallion is a single turboprop STOL utility aircraft developed for the US Air Force as a counter-insurgency and psychological operations platform.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboprop, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.45 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-turboprop STOL utility aircraft
- High straight wing with full-span leading edge slats
- Used for COIN and psyops in Southeast Asia
A high-wing monoplane with a distinctive leading-edge slat system giving excellent slow-speed control, a turboprop nose, and a slab-sided fuselage with large observation windows.
Specifications
- The Helio AU-24A Stallion has a length of 9.45 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.89 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 295 km/h (183 mph).
- Typical crew: 1-2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Derived from the Helio Courier STOL family, the AU-24A was procured under the Credible Chase programme for covert operations in Cambodia and Southeast Asia. The turboprop engine and enlarged fuselage distinguished it from the piston-powered Courier.
Variants
The AU-24A was a purpose-built military variant; the civil equivalent was the Helio H-295 and later H-395 Courier series.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the USAF and subsequently transferred to the Khmer Air Force of Cambodia; the type was not widely used beyond Southeast Asia.
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