Aérospatiale / Eurocopter SA 316B Alouette III

5-occupant turbine helicopter · Private helicopters · in production 1968-1985 · See its reach on the 3D globe

Photo: Chris Lofting · CC BY-SA 4.0 · representative variant

Indicative 1976 market price€241k to €288k

Estimated annual cost at 80 h€252k

Five-year cash outlay€1.52m

Key figures

Indicative planning data, compiled 2026-07. Verify against the AFM and records.

Seats	6
Reported payload proxy	360 kg
Reported range	210 nm
Practical planning radius (4 people)	Not used for mission ranking
Cruise speed	104 kt
Runway need	Vertical
Pressurised	No
Fuel	Jet A-1
Fixed annual base	€30k
Direct cost per flight hour	€1530

The ownership trade-off

The SA 316B Alouette III combines 5-seat helicopter capability with about 210 NM reported range and about 104 kt reported cruise, while payload, runway and operating-cost figures remain indicative and should be verified for the specific aircraft before making a decision.

Cost picture at different usage

40 hours/year: about €191k per year ( €4780 per flight hour all-in)
80 hours/year: about €252k per year ( €3155 per flight hour all-in)
120 hours/year: about €314k per year ( €2613 per flight hour all-in)
180 hours/year: about €405k per year ( €2252 per flight hour all-in)

Older examples add calendar-driven maintenance: a 2011-built airframe is estimated at €165k per year at 80 hours. Condition, engine time remaining and avionics matter more than the year itself, so price the aircraft in front of you, not the model.

Where it fits well

104 kt cruise supports efficient local and regional flying.
210 nm reported range is retained for profile context, but PlaneFit does not use it for mission ranking yet.
360 kg reported payload proxy and 6 seats define the cabin context pending source-level normalization.

Limitations to price honestly

The SA 316B Alouette III combines 5-seat helicopter capability with about 210 NM reported range and about 104 kt reported cruise, while payload, runway and operating-cost figures remain indicative and should be verified for the specific aircraft before making a decision.
€30k fixed annual planning base before flying a single hour.
Component life and mission-specific landing permissions dominate real-world utility.

Recommended missions

Family and small-group touring with a weight-and-balance check for every trip.
Short and medium regional trips, accepting fuel stops when conditions require.
Recreational, training or personal travel where operating efficiency is more important than airline-like speed.