Of conventional configuration but sturdy design, the Eurocopter Aerospatiale Alouette II is one of the first true light multi-purpose helicopters and has excelled in a variety of roles. This adaptability was facilitated by its reliable turboshaft engine, easy maintenance, and landing gear which could be either of wheel or skid type, or floats, with provision for emergency flotation gear.  In the USA, it has an unparalleled safety record and there has never been an internal failure of any Alouette II engine. It is an extremely smooth machine in flight which makes for an excellent photo and survey aircraft and the fully glazed cabin gives an unbeatable view.  The structure of the Alouette II is very reminiscent of the early Bell models, in that it has a plexiglass cockpit and open-framework fuselage. It is however, a completely different aircraft with entirely different performance specifications and configuration.  The Alouette II's close sibling, the Lama, looks to the untrained eye, exactly like the Alouette II but is extremely popular as an external load helicopter for construction, seismic, forestry, and other types of work.  Both the Alouette II and the Lama are well know throughout the helicopter industry for their load capacities and altitude performance.  Since high density altitudes are common here in Texas in the warm months (and most of our months seem to be warm) Brazos feels the Alouette to be the safest choice in light turbine helicopters for our workload.

The French Alouette II has undoubtedly been one of the most successful civil and military light helicopters. It was derived from the SE.3120 built by Sud-Est soon after the war. The prototype had a three-blade rotor, and a 200hp reciprocating engine. Two other prototypes followed, one of which was a three-seater. The aircraft originally had no outstanding features, but the situation changed with the introduction of the Artouste II turbine. The SE.3130 made its first flight on 12 March 1955, as did a second model immediately afterwards. Just three months after its maiden flight, the aircraft achieved world fame by setting an altitude record of 26,679 feet, showing its ability to operate in mountainous areas.

The Alouette II originated as the Sud-Est SE 3120 Alouette (Lark), a three seat light helicopter designed mainly for agricultural purposes. The first SE 3120 prototype was flown on 31 July 1952, powered by a 149kW Salmson 9NH radial engine, and a year later established a new international helicopter closed-circuit duration record of 13 hours 56 minutes. The basic airframe was then completely redesigned to take the 269kW Turbomeca Artouste I turboshaft, and the first of two prototypes, designated SE 3130, was flown on 12 March 1955, followed by three pre-production aircraft in 1956. The Alouette II was granted a French Certificate of Airworthiness on 2 May 1956, and was soon in demand on the international market. In 1957 Sud-Est merged with Sud-Aviation, at which time the designation of the Alouette II was altered to SE 313B, remaining unchanged after Sud's take-over by Aerospatiale.

From the beginning, the Alouette II proved a most successful design and was found particularly suitable for operations in higher altitudes. Thus, during the period 9-13 June 1958, an Artouste-powered Alouette II set up a helicopter altitude record of 35,688 feet for all classes, and a height record of 31,145 feet in the 1000/1750kg category. By September 1960 no fewer than 598 Alouette IIs had been ordered by customers in 22 different countries and the type was being assembled by Republic Aircraft in the USA and Saab in Sweden. It also became the first French aircraft of any kind, and the first helicopter in the world, to be granted an American certification.

This aircraft was the SE.3130 Alouette II, two prototypes of which were built with Artouste II shaft turbine engines. The first flight of an SE.3130 occurred on 12 March 1955, and three months later the Alouette II set a new helicopter altitude record of 26,679 feet. Three similar pre-series SE.3130's were completed, and the Alouette II gained its domestic certificate of airworthiness on 2 May 1957. Production aircraft were delivered initially to fulfill orders from the French forces and civilian customers, but when production ended nine hundred and twenty-three of the Artouste-powered Alouette II's had been built for customers in thirty-three countries. Three-hundred and sixty-three of these were built for the French services — particularly the Aviation Legere de I'Armee de Terre - and a further two hundred and sixty-seven were built for the Federal German Heeresfliegerei. Other large military operators of the Alouette II include the Belgian Army (thirty-nine), Swiss Army (thirty), all three Swedish air arms (total twenty-five), and Britain's Army Air Corps (seventeen). Alouette II's were also delivered to the air forces of Austria (sixteen), Cambodia (eight), Congo Leopoldville (three), Dominican Republic (two), Indonesia (three), Israel (four). Ivory Coast (two), Laos (two), Lebanon (three), Mexico (two), Morocco (seven), Netherlands (eight), Peru (six), Portugal (seven) and South Africa (seven). Primary military roles of the Alouette II are those of observation, photography, air/sea rescue, liaison and training, but the aircraft can be equipped for more belligerent duties with a variety of rockets, machine guns, and other armament.

Although very well suited to many commercial roles, it has been used above all for military operations such as observation, liaison, search and rescue, training and casualty evacuation, and (armed with wire-guided missiles and torpedoes) in primarily offensive roles.  In the military role, both Alouette II versions can be fitted with a wide variety of rockets, missiles and guns. Other uses to which the Alouette II is put include casualty evacuation (with two external stretcher panniers), crop-spraying and flying crane (with an 1100 pound external sling load). Wheel, skid or pontoon landing gear may be fitted as required to all versions. Licences to assemble and market the Alouette II were granted to Saab in Sweden and Republic in the United States, and in 1963 an Alouette became the first commercially operated turbine helicopter in the USA.

Production of the SE.3130 (which was redesignated SE.313B in 1967) has been gradually running down since about 1964, but output is still maintained of the SA.318C (originally SE.3180). This is basically the same airframe, but with a 530 horsepower Astazou IIA shaft turbine and the strengthened transmission system of the Alouette III.