The Alouette III helicopter marks today 57 years in the service of the Air Force.

The aircraft, currently operated by Squadron 552 – “Zangões”, at Air Base No. 11 (Beja), reaches the historic mark on the day when its service period ends.

The first Alouette flight, in the Air Force, took place in Luanda (Angola), on June 18, 1963.

Over the course of more than five decades, the Alouette III fleet totaled more than 300,000 flight hours, distributed in various operational and instructional missions, being operated since 1978 by “Drones”, faithful depositories of all the traditions of the existing Light Helicopter Squadrons in Portugal.

The numerous achievements and contributions of this helicopter to the service of the Air Force and Portugal, from the beginning of its operation to the present day, remain in the memory of many Portuguese, both for the missions carried out during the Colonial War and in the maintenance of peace in Timor , or for public interest missions, tactical transport and helicopter pilot training in our country.

Now, the Alouette III gives way to the new AW119MKII Koala .