Agusta A.101

The Agusta A.101 (originally designated AZ.101) was a large prototype transport helicopter developed in Italy during the 1960s. Despite prospective orders from the Italian armed forces, no buyers emerged and the project was abandoned in 1971.

A.101
A.101 helicopter in flight
Role Transport helicopter
Manufacturer Agusta
Designer Filippo Zappata
First flight 19 October 1964
Number built 1

Design and development

The A.101 was of conventional, single-rotor configuration with tricycle undercarriage and powered by triple turboshaft engines. The fuselage was provided with a rear loading ramp and two large sliding troop doors.

The final stage in the A.101's development was to stretch the fuselage by 3 m (10 ft) and upgrade the engines to the more powerful General Electric T58. This resulted in a marked improvement in performance, but in the end, the Italian government opted for variants of the SH-3 Sea King, licence-built by Agusta instead of their own design.

The single prototype is stored for preservation at the Museo Agusta at Cascina Costa.

Variants
A.101D
The original concept by Filippo Zappata exhibited in model form at the Milan Trade Fair in April 1958, also designated AZ.101, acknowledging Zappata's role in the design process. Power was to have been supplied by three 750 hp (559 kW) Turbomeca Turmo engines.
A.101G
The sole prototype powered by three 1,400 hp (1,044 kW) Rolls-Royce Gnome H.1400 turboshaft engines
A.101H
A projected up-rated version, stretched by 3 m (10 ft), with tricycle undercarriage and powered by three General Electric T58 turboshaft engines.

Specifications (A.101G configuration)
A.101 helicopter in 1964. Third from right is Count Domenico Agusta and fourth is Filippo Zappata

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1969–70[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Capacity: up to 36 pax / 18 stretchers with 5 attendants / 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) payload
  • Length: 20.19 m (66 ft 3 in) including tail-rotor
  • Width: 4.64 m (15 ft 3 in) rotor blades folded
  • Height: 6.56 m (21 ft 6 in) to top of rotor head
  • Empty weight: 6,850 kg (15,102 lb)
  • Gross weight: 12,400 kg (27,337 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 12,900 kg (28,440 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 2,000 L (530 US gal; 440 imp gal) in fuselage side fairings
  • Powerplant: 3 × de Havilland H.1400 Gnome turboshaft engines, 1,000 kW (1,400 shp) each for take-off
1,250 shp (930 kW) maximum continuous
  • Main rotor diameter: 20.4 m (66 ft 11 in)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 217 km/h (135 mph, 117 kn) at MTOW
  • Cruise speed: 201 km/h (125 mph, 109 kn) at MTOW
  • Range: 378 km (235 mi, 204 nmi) at MTOW
  • Service ceiling: 2,950 m (9,680 ft) at MTOW
  • Hover ceiling IGE: 1,400 m (4,600 ft) at MTOW
  • Hover ceiling OGE: 600 m (1,970 ft) at MTOW
  • Rate of climb: 9.7 m/s (1,910 ft/min) at MTOW

Avionics
VFR and IFR instrumentation with provision for autostab and autopilot

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References
  1. Taylor, John W.R., ed. (1969). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1969-70 (60th ed.). London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company. pp. 123–124.

Further reading
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Agusta A.101.
  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 40.
  • Simpson, R. W. (1998). Airlife's Helicopters and Rotorcraft. Ramsbury: Airlife Publishing. pp. 31, 35–36.
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