Key takeaways
- The H215 is the current name of the Super Puma, a heavy twin-engine transport helicopter that has flown since 1978.
- Civil versions were called AS332, military ones AS532 Cougar since 1990 – today H215 and H215M.
- Fastest way to identify it: four main rotor blades, an open tail rotor and retractable wheeled landing gear on a large, angular fuselage.
- You tell it from the H225 most reliably by the blade count: the H225 has five main rotor blades.
- In Switzerland the Super Puma is the workhorse of the air force; in Germany it flies with the Bundespolizei (federal police), and as the Cougar with the government air transport wing.
Contents
- 1.What is the Airbus H215?
- 2.The three features that are enough to identify it
- 3.Super Puma, Cougar, H215: the variants
- 4.H215, H225 or Puma?
- 5.Where you will find the Super Puma
- 6.Spotting with consideration: military and missions
- 7.Photo tips specifically for the Super Puma
- 8.Military line: from the Cougar to the H215M
- 9.Common mix-ups and how to rule them out
- 10.Conclusion
Profile
| Manufacturer | Aérospatiale, later Eurocopter, today Airbus Helicopters |
|---|---|
| Family | SA 330 Puma → AS332 Super Puma / AS532 Cougar → H215 / H215M |
| ICAO type designator | AS32 |
| Super Puma first flight | September 13, 1978 |
| Military designation | AS532 Cougar (since 1990), now H215M |
| Engines (H215) | 2 × Safran Makila 1A1, about 1,400 kW each according to Airbus |
| Main rotor | 4 blades |
| Tail rotor | open, 5 blades |
| Landing gear | retractable nose-wheel gear |
| Passengers (H215) | up to 19 civil, up to 22 troops |
| External load | up to 4,500 kg |
| Cruise speed (H215) | 252 km/h |
| Range (H215, long cabin) | 866 km |
| H215 final assembly | Brașov, Romania (relocation announced in November 2015) |
Identifying features
Is this really the aircraft type in front of you?
- Large, angular fuselage with a long cabin and large sliding doors
- Main rotor with four blades – the further development, the H225, has five
- Open tail rotor with five blades at the end of the tail boom, no Fenestron
- Retractable wheeled landing gear: nose wheel at the front, the main gear disappears into side fairings on the fuselage
- Two turbines in a wide fairing on top of the fuselage, directly ahead of the rotor mast
- Small ventral fin under the tail boom that sets the Super Puma apart from the older Puma
Updated: October 2026 – A large, boxy helicopter thunders low over the valley, a firefighting water bucket dangling beneath the fuselage, and the rotor sounds more like a truck than a dragonfly: in Switzerland that is almost certainly an air force Super Puma. Officially it is now called the Airbus Helicopters H215, militarily the H215M, formerly the AS332 Super Puma and AS532 Cougar. Here you will learn how to identify the classic among the heavy twins with confidence, how to tell it from the Puma and H225, and where you can get it in front of your lens in Germany, Switzerland and on the North Sea.
Super Puma for your hangar
With Planetrack you log every Super Puma sighting with photo, type, registration or serial and spot – from the Bundespolizei helicopter to the Swiss Air Force Cougar. Planetrack is launching soon – join the waitlist and get early access.
What is the Airbus H215?
The H215 is a heavy twin-engine multi-role helicopter. Airbus describes it as a workhorse for transport, search and rescue, police, firefighting, construction work, power line assembly and military tasks. According to the manufacturer, the civil version carries up to 19 passengers, and in military seating up to 22 troops. It can carry up to 4.5 tons on the cargo hook, and for firefighting it carries up to 4,000 liters of water per drop.
The H215 is powered by two Safran Makila 1A1 turbines with about 1,400 kilowatts each. Airbus cites a cruise speed of 252 km/h and, for the long-cabin version, a range of 866 kilometers. With auxiliary tanks it stays airborne for more than six hours. Airbus took over the cockpit and autopilot from the modern H225, and the aircraft is certified for icing conditions.
The history begins much earlier. Aérospatiale developed the Super Puma in the 1970s as an enlarged and more powerful version of the SA 330 Puma. The first AS332 prototype took off on September 13, 1978. A whole family followed: short fuselages and ones stretched by 76 centimeters, civil versions with the suffix L, military ones with B or M. In 1990 the military versions got their own name, AS532 Cougar. By 2019 around 1,000 Super Pumas had been built.
When Eurocopter became Airbus Helicopters, the manufacturer switched to the new naming logic: the civil AS332 L1e has been called the H215 since then, the military version the H215M. In November 2015 Airbus announced it would move final assembly to Brașov in Romania. You can find more about the manufacturer on the pages about Airbus Helicopters and the parent group Airbus, and more about the engine manufacturer at Safran.
The three features that are enough to identify it
There are quite a few large helicopters with wheeled landing gear. For the Super Puma, three observations help you, and they work from a greater distance too.
Count the rotor blades
The Super Puma has four main rotor blades. Five blades on an otherwise very similar helicopter point to the H225 – if in doubt, the registration helps.
Look at the tail
At the end of the tail boom spins an open tail rotor with five blades, not a shrouded Fenestron like on the H135, H145 or H160. Below it sits a small ventral fin.
Check the landing gear
A nose wheel at the front, two main gear units in side fairings on the fuselage, retracted in flight. The Super Puma never has skids.
Add the overall picture: a long, rather angular fuselage with large sliding doors, a wide engine fairing on the roof and a relatively short nose. Once you have seen a few pictures side by side, you recognize the burly outline even in backlight. The final certainty comes from the registration or the military serial. How civil registrations are structured is explained in the article Understanding aircraft registrations; you will find Swiss particularities under Swiss HB registrations.
Practical tip: landing gear on approach
Shortly before landing the Super Puma extends its landing gear. If you see three wheels under a large, four-blade helicopter on approach, you are already very close to an identification.
Super Puma, Cougar, H215: the variants
The many names confuse even experienced spotters. The table sorts out the most important lines.
| Designation | Use | Special feature |
|---|---|---|
| AS332 C / C1 | civil | short fuselage |
| AS332 L / L1 | civil | fuselage stretched by 76 cm, offshore standard of the 1980s and 1990s |
| AS332 L2 | civil | further developed version with new rotor and Makila 1A2 |
| AS332 B / M / M1 | military (until 1990) | short or long fuselage, e.g. Swiss TH89 |
| AS532 Cougar UL / AL / U2 / A2 | military (from 1990) | transport, armed or further developed |
| AS532 SC | Navy | anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare, sea rescue |
| H215 | civil (current) | formerly AS332 L1e, modern avionics |
| H215M | military (current) | successor name of the Cougar |
Important for spotters: the type code AS32 does not distinguish between these variants. Whether an old L1 from the 1980s or a brand-new H215 stands in front of you is something you find out via the registration and a register lookup. How to determine an aircraft’s age is covered in the article Finding out an aircraft’s age.
H215, H225 or Puma?
The most common mix-ups happen within the family itself. The older SA 330 Puma is the origin, the H225 the more modern and heavier development. The finder helps you narrow it down.
Quick ID: large Airbus helicopter
Super Puma / Cougar / H215
Four blades, ventral fin, retractable landing gear and a long, angular fuselage: that is the typical Super Puma look. The serial or registration reveals whether it is a civil AS332, a Cougar or a new H215.
Airbus H225 (EC225 / EC725 Caracal)
Five main rotor blades on a Super Puma fuselage point to the H225. It is heavier, more modern and flies militarily as the Caracal.
SA 330 Puma
Without a ventral fin and with a somewhat smaller fuselage, much points to the predecessor. In flying service it has become rare in the DACH region; you are more likely to find it in museums.
Outside the family, the Sikorsky S-92 and the Airbus H175 are the typical offshore competitors. The S-92 also has four blades, but a rounder, taller fuselage with a different nose shape. The H175 has five blades and a smoother, more modern shape. In the military sphere, the heavy transports you meet are more likely the CH-53 with six to seven blades or the three-engine AW101. The guide How to identify helicopter types gives an overview of all common types.
Where you will find the Super Puma
Switzerland: the workhorse of the air force
Nowhere in German-speaking countries is the Super Puma as present as in Switzerland. The air force received three aircraft in 1987 as the TH86 and from 1991 twelve more as the TH89 (AS332 M1); the first three were later brought up to TH89 standard. These 15 Super Pumas carry the serials T-311 to T-325. Added to that are the Cougars (AS532 UL) as the TH98 with serials from T-331, including a VIP version. Two aircraft of the fleet were lost in accidents: in 2011 in the Maderanertal and in September 2016 at the Gotthard Hospice.
The aircraft are operated by several air transport squadrons based, among other places, at Alpnach, Dübendorf and Payerne. Their daily work is versatile: troop transport, support for police and the border guard, search flights, measurement flights for federal agencies and above all firefighting missions with a water bucket. Swiss Super Pumas have also been active abroad, for example from 1999 in Albania and Kosovo, in 2005 after the tsunami in Sumatra and several times during wildfires in southern Europe, including in Portugal in 2017 and in Greece in 2021 and 2023.
If you want to experience the aircraft in action, watch for displays by the Super Puma Display Team, which performs with a Super Puma or a Cougar. You will find static exhibits on Swiss military aviation at the Flieger Flab Museum Dübendorf, which is located right at Dübendorf airfield. What you need to keep in mind legally when photographing in Switzerland is in the article Plane spotting in Switzerland.
Germany: Bundespolizei and the government air transport wing
The Bundespolizei (formerly the Bundesgrenzschutz, or federal border guard) first flew the SA 330 Puma and later switched to the Super Puma in the civil AS332 L1 version. There it is the largest transport helicopter in the fleet and mainly gets emergency personnel quickly to the scene, but also helps in disaster situations and supports wildfire fighting.
Militarily, what is mainly interesting in Germany are the three AS532 Cougars of the Flugbereitschaft BMVg (the German government’s air transport wing) with the serials 82+01 to 82+03. They take government members to their destination on short routes and have been stationed at BER since October 2025. From the observation deck at Berlin Airport you therefore have a chance at a Cougar. How to catch government aircraft specifically is explained in the article Spotting government aircraft.
Offshore: the North Sea legend
For decades the Super Puma was the helicopter for commuter traffic to drilling rigs and platforms in the North Sea, from Aberdeen to western Norway. This history also has dark chapters: in 1992 an AS332 L crashed in the East Shetland Basin, and 11 of the 17 people on board died. In 2009 an AS332 L2 crashed on the return flight from the Miller platform off Scotland, and none of the 16 occupants survived. In 2013 four people died in the crash of an L2 near the Shetland Islands. After the accident of an H225 off Norway in April 2016, EASA temporarily grounded the H225 LP and AS332 L2 in June 2016. More on this and on today’s offshore traffic is on the page about Bergen Airport.
Today more modern types dominate in the North Sea, and the classic Super Puma has become much rarer there. How to find offshore and government helicopters on a flight tracker is explained in the guide Tracking helicopters on a flight tracker.
| Place | Chance of a hit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Swiss military airfields such as Alpnach, Dübendorf, Payerne | high | Home of the air force’s Super Pumas and Cougars |
| Swiss Alps during wildfires or transport missions | medium | Firefighting missions and material transport |
| Bundespolizei sites | medium | Super Puma as a transport helicopter |
| Berlin Airport (BER) | low to medium | Cougars of the government air transport wing |
| North Sea offshore bases | low | Super Puma largely replaced there |
Fleets change
The Super Pumas have flown with many operators for decades, and replacement purchases and retirements keep shifting the picture. Before a targeted trip, check the current information from the air force, Bundespolizei or operator and do not rely on older lists.
Put AS32 on your wish list
In Planetrack, put the Super Puma or individual registrations on your wish list and get notified by a sighting alert when they approach or land at your airport. Planetrack is launching soon – join the waitlist.
Spotting with consideration: military and missions
The Super Puma is almost always out on duty: on police operations, firefighting missions or in military flying. That calls for a bit of tact.
Ready for your Super Puma session?
- I stand on public ground and keep access roads and landing sites clear.
- I keep a large distance – the rotor downwash of a heavy helicopter is enormous.
- I know the photo rules around military facilities.
- At wildfires or accidents I stay out of everyone’s way.
- Camera set: the shutter speed fits the rotor blur I want.
What is allowed around barracks and military airfields is in the article Photographing military airfields: rules. It gets more relaxed at air shows and open days, where helicopters are often on static display. You will find general tips about rotorcraft in the guide Helicopter spotting.
Photo tips specifically for the Super Puma
With the Super Puma the effort pays off especially: a large fuselage, distinctive landing gear and – on firefighting missions – a water bucket on a line make the subject come alive.
Show the rotor in motion
Expose longer than for jets so the blades blur. The large rotors turn more slowly than on small helicopters, so even moderately long times produce a nice disc. Shoot bursts and pan cleanly.
Catch the landing gear extended
On approach or when lifting off the three-legged wheeled landing gear is visible – a detail that makes the type unmistakable in the photo.
External load with distance
With a water bucket or cargo net the picture becomes narrative. Use a somewhat shorter focal length so helicopter, line and load fit completely in the frame.
Document the serial
Take an extra picture in which the registration or military serial is legible. Only with that can you cleanly assign the variant later.
The technique is the same as for propeller aircraft; details are in the guide Photographing propellers: the right shutter speed. You plan when the light is right at your location with the sun position guide.
Military line: from the Cougar to the H215M
The military Super Puma is widespread worldwide. Besides Switzerland and the German government air transport wing, military users include or included the Dutch air force, Albania and the Romanian Navy, among others. In March 2024 Romania confirmed the purchase of two H215Ms for operations over the sea – fitting for final assembly in its own country.
Military Super Pumas and Cougars carry serials instead of civil registrations and do not always show up on tracking services. How to follow military flights anyway is explained in the article Tracking military aircraft online. You will also find older examples of the Puma family in collections like the Helicopter Museum Bückeburg.
Common mix-ups and how to rule them out
It points to the Super Puma if …
- you see four main rotor blades and an open tail rotor
- retractable wheeled landing gear with a nose wheel sits under the fuselage
- a small ventral fin under the tail boom is visible
- the tracking service lists AS32 as the type
Take a closer look if …
- the helicopter looks somewhat smaller and has no ventral fin – then it could be a Puma
- you cannot count the blades reliably in flight
- an offshore operator is behind it – then the S-92 and H175 are also candidates
Conclusion
The Super Puma is a true long-distance runner: first in the air in 1978, for decades the backbone of North Sea offshore flights and to this day the workhorse of the Swiss Air Force. Four blades, an open tail rotor and retractable wheeled landing gear give you the type, the registration or serial the variant. Whether AS332, Cougar or H215, for your hangar it counts as one of the defining heavy helicopters of Europe.
Quick summary
Large, angular fuselage, four rotor blades, open tail rotor, nose-wheel landing gear: that is the Super Puma, a.k.a. the H215. You are most likely to meet it in Switzerland with the air force and on firefighting missions, in Germany with the Bundespolizei and, as the Cougar, at BER.
Summary
- The Super Puma was created at Aérospatiale as an enlarged and more powerful development of the SA 330 Puma and first flew on September 13, 1978.
- For decades it shaped offshore traffic in the North Sea, plus police, search and rescue, firefighting and troop transport in dozens of countries.
- After Eurocopter was renamed Airbus Helicopters, the civil version is called the H215 and the military one the H215M; final assembly has moved to Romania.
- Blade count, tail rotor, landing gear and fuselage shape are enough to identify it; the registration or military serial confirms the variant.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Super Puma, Cougar and H215 the same helicopter?
At the core, yes. AS332 Super Puma is the original designation. In 1990 the military versions got their own name, AS532 Cougar. Since Eurocopter became Airbus Helicopters, the civil line runs as the H215 (formerly AS332 L1e) and the military one as the H215M. In everyday spotting, most people simply say Super Puma.
What is the Super Puma’s ICAO type designator?
The family is usually listed under AS32 in flight plans and tracking services, for civil Super Pumas, Cougars and H215s alike. The further development, the H225, has its own code. For the exact variant you need the registration or the military serial.
How do I tell the H215 from the H225?
Count the main rotor blades: the H215 has four, the H225 (formerly EC225) five. The H225 also looks more modern, has a reworked nose and is heavier. Fuselage shape, open tail rotor and wheeled landing gear, on the other hand, are very similar, because both are based on the Super Puma.
How do I tell the Super Puma from the Puma?
The older SA 330 Puma is somewhat smaller and lighter. A good feature is the small ventral fin under the tail boom that the Super Puma has. Add to that the more powerful Makila turbines in a wider fairing. At the German Bundespolizei the Super Puma replaced the Puma.
What do TH89 and TH98 mean?
These are the Swiss designations: TH89 stands for the air force’s Super Puma (AS332 M1), TH98 for the Cougar (AS532 UL). The Super Pumas carry serials from T-311 to T-325, the Cougars from T-331.
Where do I see a Super Puma in Germany?
Most likely with the Bundespolizei, which uses the type as a transport helicopter, for example on the coast for missions over the sea. Add to that the three Cougars of the government air transport wing (Flugbereitschaft), which have been stationed at BER since October 2025. Which station is currently flying which aircraft is best checked for up-to-date information.
Is the H215 still being built?
Airbus continues to offer the H215 and announced in November 2015 that it would move final assembly to Brașov in Romania. In 2024 Romania also ordered two H215Ms for its Navy. Newly built aircraft are much rarer, though, than the many older Super Pumas still flying worldwide.
Collect the Airbus Helicopters H215 (AS332 Super Puma / AS532 Cougar), don’t just see it
Post a photo with registration, type, airport and spot, check off the type in your hangar and get an alert when a registration you are looking for lands. Planetrack is launching soon – join the waitlist and get early access.
Related aircraft types
Airbus Helicopters H225
Eleven tons, five rotor blades, up to 28 troops: the H225 is the youngest Super Puma. First the star of the North Sea, then grounded after the 2016 Turøy accident, today mainly flying as the military Caracal. Here is how to identify it.
HelicopterAirbus Helicopters H175
Seven tons, five rotor blades, room for up to 18 passengers: the H175 flies offshore crews across the North Sea and rescue missions in Hong Kong. Here is how to identify it and its Chinese twin, the AC352.
HelicopterAirbus Helicopters H145
Shrouded tail rotor, a high-mounted tail boom, large clamshell doors at the rear: the H145 is Europe’s rescue and police helicopter par excellence. Here is how to identify it and its variants.
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Twelve and a half tonnes, four rotor blades, room for 19 passengers: the S-92 is the workhorse of the North Sea and flies rescue missions for the British coast guard. Here is how to recognize the big Sikorsky and where to find it.
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A big six-blade rotor, two turbines beside the rotor mast, thick fuel sponsons and a rear ramp: since 1972 the CH-53G has been the workhorse of Germany’s helicopter fleet. Here is how to recognize it, how to tell the versions apart – and what comes next with the Chinook as successor.
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Three turbines, a huge five-blade rotor with curved blade tips and a cabin for more than 25 people: the AW101 Merlin rescues people off Norway, hunts submarines for the Royal Navy and flies Marines ashore. Here is how to recognize it and where to find it in Europe.
Related airports & manufacturers
Airports, manufacturers, airline groups and alliances – who is behind them and what you should know as a spotter.
Airbus Helicopters
The world’s largest helicopter manufacturer has German-French roots: headquarters in Marignane, a second base in Donauwörth. That is where the H135 and H145 come from – the helicopters you see most often in Germany as air rescue, police and Bundeswehr aircraft.
ManufacturerAirbus
European aerospace company and one of the two big manufacturers of commercial aircraft – with aircraft families from the A220 to the A350.
ManufacturerSafran
Safran builds no aircraft – and still sits inside a large share of the airliners you see at the fence. The French group supplies the engines for the A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX through CFM International, powers helicopters and the Rafale, and builds landing gear, brakes and cabins. Here you learn how to recognize Safran technology in the field.
AirportBergen-Flesland Airport
Norway’s second-largest airport lies about 20 kilometers south of Bergen on the west coast: a single runway, a 2017 terminal with a Bybanen light rail link, SAS, Norwegian and Widerøe as the main players – and its own helicopter terminal for the traffic to the oil fields of the North Sea.
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Specific vantage points with the runway configuration, light times, coordinates and an honest take on whether the trip is worth it.
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At Switzerland’s oldest airfield, the Flieger Flab Museum tells the story of the Swiss Air Force – from the Blériot monoplane through Hunter and Mirage to the F-5 Tiger. Plus the Ju 52 HB-HOP, a huge engine collection and an active military airfield next door.
Observation deckObservation deck at Berlin Brandenburg Airport
The only official viewpoint at the capital’s airport: the observation deck on top of Terminal 1 is outside the security area, open daily and reachable directly by train. What you see there, when the light works and where its limits lie.
Related guides from the blog
- Identifying helicopter types: telling H135, H145, Bell, NH90 and CH-47 apart
- Helicopter spotting: rescue, police, military – and where to see them reliably
- Finding helicopters on a flight tracker: follow rescue, police and offshore live
- Spotting government aircraft: how to catch state jets without a flight plan
- Photographing military airbases: what spotters can and can’t do at German air bases
- Photographing propeller aircraft: choosing shutter speed and panning
- Plane spotting in Switzerland: legal situation, military sites and airport rules
- Swiss HB registrations: format, classes and quirks