Arnold
Cleared for Takeoff
We haven't had a "what is it" in awhile so here goes:
See attached for pics.
I flew two of these aircraft around cape cod and the islands in the mid 1980's. There are currently 15 of various models on the US register.
There were two versions made, the short one accomodated 12 pax, the long one 16 pax. We operated the long ones for cargo - no pax. The short one was available with amphib floats but I don't know if this was from the factory or after market (I suspect the latter).
They have two Allison (now RR) 250-B17C engines.
They have spectacular STOL performance. As I recall at max gross of about 9000# we could be off the ground in a little over 800', but I have not researched that.
The flaps and aileron were interconnected so that deploying the flaps drooped the ailerons a similar amount. To assist with roll control there were spoilers. If the flaps were up roll was all aileron, flaps all the way down, primarily spoiler. This was all accomplished by an elegant and brilliant interconnect mechanism - I used to know how it worked but I don't any longer.
The landing gear is fully retractable.
Normal cruise was around 150 Kts.
I did ferry one across the North Atlantic. It had two engine failures - on different flights and different engines and while still in Europe - one was over the North Sea, the other at the Holland - German border. This was due to neglect not an inherent problem with the engines. My check out in the aircraft was three timesa around the patch and "you're a captain son," no abnormal or emergency procedures.
My first engine failure (single pilot in IMC) ended in an ILS approach to 400' celiling and 1 mile vis. The aircraft was light so performance was not a serious problem. The second engine failure terminated in an NDB approach with decent VFR inside the FAF but I did have a copilot. The aircraft was very heavy as we had full ferry fuel, plus ships spares so performance on one engine was challenging. We lost the engine at 13000 feet and drifted down to 2000 where we could maintain altitute on one engine if we did not turn. By that time we had found our way back fairly close to land and were able to limp to an airport. After repairs we flew it from Denmark to England for more repairs and eventually across the N Atlantic from Thruxton England, with stops in Aberdeen, Reykjavik, Nuuk, Goose Bay and Boston.
I hated the airplane because it was slow and ugly and I loved it because it could carry whatever we could stuff into it and so paid the bills. It would be a hoot to fly one again.
What is it?
See attached for pics.
I flew two of these aircraft around cape cod and the islands in the mid 1980's. There are currently 15 of various models on the US register.
There were two versions made, the short one accomodated 12 pax, the long one 16 pax. We operated the long ones for cargo - no pax. The short one was available with amphib floats but I don't know if this was from the factory or after market (I suspect the latter).
They have two Allison (now RR) 250-B17C engines.
They have spectacular STOL performance. As I recall at max gross of about 9000# we could be off the ground in a little over 800', but I have not researched that.
The flaps and aileron were interconnected so that deploying the flaps drooped the ailerons a similar amount. To assist with roll control there were spoilers. If the flaps were up roll was all aileron, flaps all the way down, primarily spoiler. This was all accomplished by an elegant and brilliant interconnect mechanism - I used to know how it worked but I don't any longer.
The landing gear is fully retractable.
Normal cruise was around 150 Kts.
I did ferry one across the North Atlantic. It had two engine failures - on different flights and different engines and while still in Europe - one was over the North Sea, the other at the Holland - German border. This was due to neglect not an inherent problem with the engines. My check out in the aircraft was three timesa around the patch and "you're a captain son," no abnormal or emergency procedures.
My first engine failure (single pilot in IMC) ended in an ILS approach to 400' celiling and 1 mile vis. The aircraft was light so performance was not a serious problem. The second engine failure terminated in an NDB approach with decent VFR inside the FAF but I did have a copilot. The aircraft was very heavy as we had full ferry fuel, plus ships spares so performance on one engine was challenging. We lost the engine at 13000 feet and drifted down to 2000 where we could maintain altitute on one engine if we did not turn. By that time we had found our way back fairly close to land and were able to limp to an airport. After repairs we flew it from Denmark to England for more repairs and eventually across the N Atlantic from Thruxton England, with stops in Aberdeen, Reykjavik, Nuuk, Goose Bay and Boston.
I hated the airplane because it was slow and ugly and I loved it because it could carry whatever we could stuff into it and so paid the bills. It would be a hoot to fly one again.
What is it?
