Agusta A.101

A.101
A.101 helicopter in 1964. Third from right is Count Domenico Agusta and fourth is Filippo Zappata
Role Transport helicopter
Manufacturer Agusta
Designer 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.

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 preserved 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.

Operators

 Italy

Specifications (A.101G configuration)

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

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Agusta.
  1. Taylor 1969, pp. 123–124.
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