Sud-Ouest Ariel
Sud-Ouest · France · first flew 1947 · helicopter
The Sud-Ouest Ariel is a French two-seat light experimental helicopter whose rotors were driven by compressed-air jets at the end of each blade.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.15 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Rotor blades driven by compressed-air jets at their tips
- Three-bladed main rotor
- Short tail boom with twin vertical tail surfaces
A small enclosed-cabin helicopter with a short tail boom and no engine-driven rotor shaft, its blades turned by tip jets.
Specifications
- The Sud-Ouest Ariel has a length of 7.15 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.8 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 170 km/h (106 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The S.O.1100 Ariel I first flew in 1947 as a light all-metal helicopter with an enclosed two-seat cabin. A Mathis G8 engine drove a Turbomeca compressor, and the air was ducted to a combustion chamber at the tip of each of the three blades.
Variants
The S.O.1110 Ariel II, first flown on 23 March 1949, had revised tail surfaces. The S.O.1120 Ariel III had a combined Turbomeca Arrius turbine-compressor and a third seat.
Where you'll see it
The Ariel was not put into production, but the knowledge gained was used in developing the Sud-Ouest Djinn.
Related aircraft
- Sud-Ouest SO.30 Bretagne
- SNCASO SO.1221 Djinn
- Sud-Ouest SO.1310 Farfadet
- Bristol Type 171 Sycamore Mk 1
- Kaman K-225
- Kamov Ka-8 Irkutyanin
- Kellett XR-10
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