The Turbomeca Astazou is a highly successful series of
turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel ...
and
turboshaft
A turboshaft engine is a form of gas turbine that is optimized to produce shaftpower rather than jet thrust. In concept, turboshaft engines are very similar to turbojets, with additional turbine expansion to extract heat energy from the exhaust ...
engines, first run in 1957. The original version weighed and developed at 40,000
rpm
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...
. It was admitted for aviation service on May 29, 1961, after a 150-hour test run. The main developing engineer was G. Sporer. It was named after two summits of the
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...
.
A simplified version was built by
Agusta
Agusta was an Italian helicopter manufacturer. It was based in Samarate, Northern Italy. The company was founded by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923, who flew his first airplane in 1907. The MV Agusta motorcycle manufacturer began as an offshoot o ...
as the Turbomeca-Agusta TA.230.
Design and development
The Astazou IIA version was derived from the original Astazou powerplant for use in
helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...
s. By 1993, 2,200 had been built. As of 2007, it was still in production. However, many aircraft initially equipped with it, especially the heavier ones, have since been upgraded with more powerful engines.
The early single-shaft Astazou has a two-stage compressor, with the first stage an axial and the second stage a radial design. It has an annular combustion chamber, after which the combustion gases enter a three-stage axial turbine.
Engines have a reduction gearbox in front of the air inlet, with an output speed suitable for a propeller or, for helicopters, as the first stage only of the much bigger reduction required for a rotor. Fuel to the gas generator is adjusted automatically to maintain a constant propeller or rotor speed as blade pitch varies.
![Deurne HP137 Jetstream 1 OO-IBL detail 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Deurne_HP137_Jetstream_1_OO-IBL_detail_01.JPG)
As of the Astazou X, the engine received a second axial compressor stage. This was the engine for the
Potez 840
The Potez 840 was a 1960s French four-engined 18-passenger executive monoplane, the last aircraft to use the Potez name.
Development
The Potez 840 was an all-metal cantilever-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear. It had a cre ...
. The Astazou XIV and XVI were also marketed by Rolls-Royce Turboméca International Ltd under the names AZ14 and AZ16, respectively.
Power was steadily increased over the years, with the
Eurocopter Dauphin
The Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) AS365 Dauphin (''Dolphin''), also formerly known as the Aérospatiale SA 365 Dauphin 2, is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter produced by Airbus Helicopters. It was originally developed ...
's dual Astazou XVIII developing 783 kW each. The Astazou XX received a third axial stage, raising compression even further to achieve a projected output of in the turboprop application. The XXB derivative, used in the single engine
Aérospatiale SA 361H Dauphin
Aérospatiale (), sometimes styled Aerospatiale, was a French state-owned aerospace manufacturer that built both civilian and military aircraft, rockets and satellites. It was originally known as Société nationale industrielle aérospatiale ( ...
, delivered .
Variants
;Astazou I:
;Astazou II:Single-stage axial plus single-stage centrifugal compressor, annular combustor, three-stage turbine
;Astazou IIA:
;Astazou III:
;Astazou IIIA:
;Astazou IIIC:
;Astazou IIIC2:
;Astazou IIIN:
;Astazou IIIN2:
;Astazou VI:Coupled Astazou
;Astazou X:The X and subsequent engines had a second axial compressor stage added.
;Astazou XII:
;Astazou XIV:Two-stage axial plus single-stage centrifugal compressor, annular combustor, three-stage turbine. Integral front mounted
gearbox.
;Astazou XIVA:
;Astazou XIVB:
;Astazou XIVD:
;Astazou XIVC:
;Astazou XIVH:
;Astazou XIVM:
;Astazou XVI:
;Astazou XVIII:
;Astazou XVIIIA:
;Astazou XX:A third axial compressor stage added for increased pressure ratio.
;Astazou XXB:
;Turbomeca-Agusta TA.230:(aka TAA-230)A simplified version built by
Agusta
Agusta was an Italian helicopter manufacturer. It was based in Samarate, Northern Italy. The company was founded by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923, who flew his first airplane in 1907. The MV Agusta motorcycle manufacturer began as an offshoot o ...
.
;Rolls-Royce Turboméca AZ14: The Astazou XIV marketed by Rolls-Royce Turboméca International Ltd as the AZ14
;Rolls-Royce Turboméca AZ16: The Astazou XVI marketed by Rolls-Royce Turboméca International Ltd as the AZ16
Applications
Fixed-wing aircraft
*
Dassault Communauté
The Dassault MD.415 Communauté was a 1950s French twin-engined light turboprop transport monoplane built by Dassault Aviation. Only one prototype was built and flown.
Development
The Dassault company designed a light transport aircraft in the ...
*
Dassault MD320 Hirondelle 2x Astazou XIV equivalent.
*
Dornier Do27T-l 2x Astazou II equivalent.
*
FMA IA 58 Pucará
The FMA IA 58 Pucará ( qu, Fortress) is an Argentine ground-attack and counter-insurgency (COIN) aircraft manufactured by the Fábrica Militar de Aviones. It is a low-wing twin-turboprop all-metal monoplane with retractable landing gear, capa ...
*
Handley Page HP.137 Jetstream 2x Astazou XIVC equivalent.
*
Mitsubishi MU-2
The Mitsubishi MU-2 is a Japanese high-wing, twin-engine turboprop aircraft with a pressurized cabin manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It made its maiden flight in September 1963 and was produced until 1986. It is one of postwar Japa ...
*
Nord Noralpha
The Nord 1100 Noralpha was a French-built and re-engined Messerschmitt Bf 108 produced by Nord Aviation.
Development
Construction of the Messerschmitt Bf 108 was transferred to the ''Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Nord'' ( ...
*
Pilatus PC-6/A1-H2 Turbo Porter
The Pilatus PC-6 Porter is a single-engined STOL utility aircraft designed by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. First flown in 1959, the PC-6 was produced at Pilatus Flugzeugwerke in Stans, Switzerland. It has been built in both piston engine- an ...
lx Astazou XII equivalent.
*
Potez 840
The Potez 840 was a 1960s French four-engined 18-passenger executive monoplane, the last aircraft to use the Potez name.
Development
The Potez 840 was an all-metal cantilever-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear. It had a cre ...
4x 440shp (328 kW) Turboméca Astazou II
*
Potez 842
The Potez 840 was a 1960s French four-engined 18-passenger executive monoplane, the last aircraft to use the Potez name.
Development
The Potez 840 was an all-metal cantilever-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear. It had a cre ...
4x 600shp (447 kW) Turboméca Astazou XII
*
SFERMA Nord 1110
The Nord 1100 Noralpha was a French-built and re-engined Messerschmitt Bf 108 produced by Nord Aviation.
Development
Construction of the Messerschmitt Bf 108 was transferred to the ''Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Nord'' ( ...
*
SFERMA SF-60 Marquis
The Beechcraft Baron is a light twin-engined piston aircraft designed and produced by Beechcraft. The aircraft was introduced in 1961. A low-wing monoplane developed from the Travel Air, it remains in production.
Design and development
The d ...
2x Astazou X
*
SFERMA PD-146 Marquis
The Beechcraft Baron is a light twin-engined piston aircraft designed and produced by Beechcraft. The aircraft was introduced in 1961. A low-wing monoplane developed from the Travel Air, it remains in production.
Design and development
The di ...
2x Astazou IIA
*
Short SC.7 Skyvan series II
The Short SC.7 Skyvan (nicknamed the "Flying Shoebox") is a British 19-seat twin-turboprop aircraft manufactured by Short Brothers of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is used mainly for short-haul freight and skydiving.
The Short 330 and Short 36 ...
2x Astazou XII equivalent.
*
SIPA S-2510 Antilope
The SIPA S.251 Antilope was a low-wing monoplane, seating four or five and powered by a single turboprop engine, developed in France in the early 1960s. It set a number of class records but was not put into production.
Design and development
The ...
*
IAI Arava
The Israeli Aircraft Industries Arava ( he, עֲרָבָה, "Willow" or "Steppe" of "Desert", named after the Aravah of the Jordan Rift Valley) is a light STOL utility transport aircraft developed and produced by Israeli aerospace company Israe ...
2x Astazou XIV equivalent.
* UV-23A
Dominion Skytrader
The Dominion Skytrader was a Canadian prototype STOL utility aircraft, originally designed by the Dominion Aircraft Corporation in Vancouver, British Columbia, but built in the United States in the early 1970s. Attempts to market the aircraft con ...
2x Turboméca Astazou XIV
Helicopters
*
Aérospatiale SA.3180 Alouette II Astazou 1x Astazou IIA (but restricted to by rotor transmission).
*
Aérospatiale SA.319B Alouette III 1x Astazou XIVB .
*
Aérospatiale Gazelle
The Aérospatiale Gazelle (company designations SA 340, SA 341 and SA 342) is a French five-seat helicopter, commonly used for light transport, scouting and light attack duties. It is powered by a single Turbomeca Astazou turbine engine and was ...
1x Astazou IIIN equivalent.
*
Aérospatiale Gazelle AH.1
Aérospatiale (), sometimes styled Aerospatiale, was a French state-owned aerospace manufacturer that built both civilian and military aircraft, rockets and satellites. It was originally known as Société nationale industrielle aérospatiale ( ...
1x Astazou IIIN2
*
Agusta A.105
*
Agusta A.106
*
Agusta A.115
The Agusta A.115 (registration ''I-AGUC'') was a prototype helicopter flown in 1961 in Italy. It was essentially a Bell 47J-3 with an unclad, tubular tail boom, and powered by a Turbomeca Astazou
The Turbomeca Astazou is a highly successful ...
*
Aérospatiale SA 360 Dauphin
The Aérospatiale SA 360 Dauphin was a single-engine French utility helicopter developed and produced by aerospace manufacturer Aérospatiale.
It was developed during the early 1970s as a replacement for the company's popular Alouette III helico ...
*
Dechaux Helicop-Jet 1x Astazou II
Specifications (Astazou XVI)
See also
References
Further reading
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{{Turbomeca aeroengines
Astazou
1950s turboprop engines
1950s turboshaft engines