When I was seconded to a British Army Air Corp unit in the 60s I met for the first time the Sud Aviation Alouette 11 helicopter later renamed Lama,
This lovely very modern Helicopter was in service at the same time as the "Saro Skeeter" truly an accident looking for somewhere to happen
More than once I was witness to a Skeeter on startup firing its starter cartridge followed by the clatter of the complete exhaust system falling off,
It did not inspire confidence in those scheduled to fly in one.
Not so the Alouette 11 which was a brilliant machine and greatly liked by the flights engineers and pilots because it was ultra reliable and everything was readily accessible Unfortunately this was at a time when the UK was trying to join the Common Market but Long Charlie was saying NON!!!
Almost overnight the Alouette 11s were withdrawn from service in Britain's army aviation units and they were replaced by the godawful Westland Scout,
Our engineers would get 1200 hours out of the Artouste turbojet before removing it for a major overhaul,
The Bristol Nimbus turbojet in the Scout finally managed 120 hours before overhaul and the resident Company engineer produced a case of champagne for the REME engineers in celebration
As an aside the ease with which the Alouette 11 could be flown was illustrated by the German army's use of conscript Lance Corporals as pilots of them