SAFETY: A PRIME FACTOR IN THE DESIGN OF AEROSPATIALE’S SUPER-PUMA AS 332

The experience gained on the Puma and the new technology derived from past research work, confer to the AS 332 SUPER-PUMA helicopter a very high safety level, necessary for a modern aircraft of the 80's. Many factors contribute the Super Puma's high degree of safety : a very large power reserve with its two MAKILA engines, combined with a high speed response to any call for power ; main and tail rotor blades made of composite material with unlimited service life and high impact resistance ; a high energy absorption landing gear, a reinforced main frame and cockpit floor with a crashable fuel system ; air intake protective grids and deiced rotor for flying in full icing conditions, a complete redundancy of the main gear box lubrication system, the new duplex automatic flight control system, the two fuel systems, the independent electric circuits and the hydraulic power systems.