Alouette III

[Rhodes]

Nice video of Alouette 213 erecting a cross on top of Muckish Mountain in Donegal in 2000.

[Jetjock]

If ever there was a video symbolising the non separation of church and state.....

Ironically Iwo Jima-esque towards the end there....

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ag_raising.jpg

[Rhodes]

If ever there was a video symbolising the non separation of church and state.....

This actually had nothing to do with the Church, the request for the helicopter came from a local community group who wanted to replace the original wooden cross on top of the mountain that had been destroyed in a storm.

[Goldie fish]

The Air Corps also has a very honourable history when it comes to Muckish. Check out the Air Corps DSM list.

[Rhodes]

21 September 2007

[The real Jack]

Rattliest things ever, do the Austrians still fly them I wonder?

[Meatbomb]

Still flown in Malta

[na grohmiti]

Rattliest things ever, do the Austrians still fly them I wonder?

Still have 24 of them.

[morpheus]

Loved flying in them

My section cracked the one of the lower door window panels of one in coolmoney camp a few years back whilst getting in.

The lad infront of me , whilst getting on board, cracked the pane as he was swinging the GPMG around to slide it under the seat.

Never seen a pilot or loadmaster look so pi$$ed off with anyone before!

They still completed the exercise however.

[Tony Kearns]

Loved flying in them

My section cracked the one of the lower door window panels of one in coolmoney camp a few years back whilst getting in.

The lad infront of me , whilst getting on board, cracked the pane as he was swinging the GPMG around to slide it under the seat.

Never seen a pilot or loadmaster look so pi$$ed off with anyone before!

They still completed the exercise however.

Bleedin foot soldiers!

[Meatbomb]

Loved flying in them

My section cracked the one of the lower door window panels of one in coolmoney camp a few years back whilst getting in.

The lad infront of me , whilst getting on board, cracked the pane as he was swinging the GPMG around to slide it under the seat.

Never seen a pilot or loadmaster look so pi$$ed off with anyone before!

They still completed the exercise however.

I remember a story of an AIII getting a hole in a window during an army ex, shortly before that a/c was ment to be on static display in the RDS (I think) there wasn't time to fit a replacement window as the sealant wouldn't cure in time to be re painted. The fix was a Perspex square on the inside and outside of the damaged section. It was painted red / yellow to hide the damage and anyone that asked what it was was told it was a sensor! Brilliant
Wonder was this the same incident?

[DeV]

I remember a story of an AIII getting a hole in a window during an army ex, shortly before that a/c was ment to be on static display in the RDS (I think) there wasn't time to fit a replacement window as the sealant wouldn't cure in time to be re painted. The fix was a Perspex square on the inside and outside of the damaged section. It was painted red / yellow to hide the damage and anyone that asked what it was was told it was a sensor! Brilliant
Wonder was this the same incident?

It that story is from not long after they were delivered

[Meatbomb]

It that story is from not long after they were delivered

Not sure DeV, heard it years ago but still makes me laugh. Ingenuity at it's best.

[Rhodes]

Another one.

[northie]

Still flown in Malta

Before we get into a love fest for the plucky little Alouette, most air arms still flying them are desperate to be rid of them due to the scarcity of parts and the fact that the manufacturers have them bent over a barrel without lube price wise. Its a dead platform and I've heard of scavenging going on - ringing outfits that have retired them recently to see if they have any parts inventory left.

[Rhodes]

#OTD in 1963, the 16 man crew of French fishing vessel “Emerance” had to abandon ship - causing @IrishAirCorps to complete it’s very first #SAR using the recently acquired Alouette helicopter. Bought for £80,000 the Alouette continued to serve the state for 44yrs#GoMairidísBeo pic.twitter.com/vsgfhsQZ6B

— Irish Air Corps (@IrishAirCorps) December 23, 2020

[na grohmiti]

€1.9m even in todays money. One of the best investments ever made.

[Tempest]

Gus O' Connor fancied our housekeeper and would hover down to 40' in our garden in Clontarf to wave at her if transiting with time and fuel to spare! She eventually married a techie from Bal

[Laners]

Gus O' Connor fancied our housekeeper and would hover down to 40' in our garden in Clontarf to wave at her if transiting with time and fuel to spare! She eventually married a techie from Bal

And I bet Nanny wasn't too impressed .

[na grohmiti]

And I bet Nanny wasn't too impressed .

Not to mention the groundskeeper and the footmen.

[DeV]

€1.9m even in todays money. One of the best investments ever made.

VFM

[hptmurphy]

€1.9m even in todays money. One of the best investments ever made.

Yes and no,the longevity meant that replacement dates were pushed out to a point that we could never replace them on a one for one basis based on cost alone

[na grohmiti]

Well, that is the trouble with all aircraft, if the avionics are basic, and the powerplant and airframe is well maintained, it can theoretically go on forever, as long as you can source spares. DC3 or AN-2 for example.
There is however a common illness within the civil service. They would prefer to spend €4.5M a year on maintaining old aircraft/vehicles/equipment, rather than spending €6m on new ones.

[GoneToTheCanner]

SOFEMA still have our old ones.

[apc]

https://twitter.com/i/status/1350676080118546433