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A.101
	A.101 helicopter in 1964. Third from right is Count Domenico Agusta and fourth is Filippo Zappata
Role	Transport helicopter
Manufacturer	Agusta
Designed by	Filippo Zappata
First flight	19 October 1964
Number built	1

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

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 preserved at the Museo Agusta at Cascina Costa.

[edit] Specifications (AZ.101G configuration)

General characteristics

Crew: two pilots
Capacity: 35 passengers or 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) cargo or 18 stretchers and 5 attendants
Length: 20.2 m (66 ft 3 in)
Main rotor diameter: 19.8 m (64 ft 11 in)
Height: 6.6 m (12 ft 8 in)
Main rotor area: 308 m² (3,314 ft²)
Empty weight: 6,400 kg (14,000 lb)
Gross weight: 11,500 kg (25,000 lb)
Powerplant: 3 × Rolls-Royce Gnome H1400 turboshafts, 1,030 kW (1,380 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 225 km/h (140 mph)
Range: 383 km (239 miles)
Service ceiling: 3,950 m (13,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 12.3 m/s (2,420 ft/min)

[edit] See also

Comparable aircraft

[edit] References

Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 40.
Simpson, R. W. (1998). Airlife's Helicopters and Rotorcraft. Ramsbury: Airlife Publishing. pp. 31, 35-36.