Austrian Air Force Sud Aviation SA316 Alouette III - Verbindungshubschrauberstaffel, Aigen/Ennstal"

The SA.319 Alouette III is a light single-engine multi-role helicopter manufactured by Sud Aviation, later Aérospatiale. Including the licensed productions in India and Switzerland, more than 2,000 "skylarks", the translation of "Alouette" from French, have been produced since 1959. Even today, numerous examples are still in military and civilian use due to their simple and robust construction as well as their easy handling characteristics. Since 1967 in military service with the Austrian Armed Forces, it quickly became apparent that the Alouette is also particularly suitable for rescue missions in a high-alpine environment, which earned it the nickname "St. Bernard of the skies". Since 1986, the Alouette III has been integrated into the helicopter rescue system of Austria’s Ministry of the Interior. Numerous rescue missions, in which many lives were saved, can be attributed to the helicopter. Nevertheless, after almost 60 years, the remaining Alouette IIIs of the Austrian Armed Forces are gradually being retired and replaced by modern AugustaWestland AW169.