Let L-610
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| Let L-610 | |
|---|---|
 The Czech L 610 aircraft |
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| Type | Airliner, transport aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Let Kunovice |
| Maiden flight | December 28 1988 |
| Primary user | Czech Republic |
The Let L 610 is a prototype aircraft for the Czech civil aircraft manufacturer Let Kunovice.
Contents |
[edit] History
In the late 1970's, after the success of the LET L-410 twin engine turboprop, the Soviet airline Aeroflot requested that LET design a replacement for the Antonov An-24 aircraft.
LET's L-610 was designed as a twin engined turboprop aircraft powered by the new Czech engine, Motorlet M 602, with a seating capacity of 40. Regrettably the fact that engine development always takes longer than airframe development was not taken into consideration. Eventually the 1,358 kW (1,822 shp) Motorlet M 602 turboprop engines were finished and the aircraft first flew on 28 December, 1988. No aircraft was ever delivered to any commercial customer, although one aircraft was shown in Aeroflot markings during the Paris Air Show in the 1990s. One Let 610 M was delivered to the Czech Air Force [1], to support manufacturer's certification and test flights process.
After the Soviet collapse LET tried to westernize the plane in order to widen the aircraft's sales appeal. The result was a new model, known as the L 610G, which had General Electric CT7 engines, Collins Pro Line II digital EFIS avionics, Collins weather radar and autopilot. The L 610G prototype flew its maiden flight on 18 December, 1992; four years after the L 610M.
The choice of GE CT-7 engines was not suitable for the aircraft, which originally intended to use Pratt & Whitney PW 100 family engines. This led to further delays in the project, leading to its final rejection at the beginning of 2006 by the new owners of LET factory.
During the time that the now-defunct Ayres Corp. owned LET, the aircraft was also known as the Ayres L-610, and for a time was marketed as the Ayres 7000. The customer for the Ayres 7000 was to have been City Connexion Airlines before bankruptcy problems sidelined the program.
[edit] Specifications (L-610)
Data from Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory[2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2 (pilot, co-pilot)
- Capacity: 40 passengers
- Length: 21.72 m (72 ft 3 in)
- Wingspan: 25.60 m (84 ft)
- Height: 8.19 m (27 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 56 m² (603 ft²)
- Empty weight: 8,950 kg (19,730 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 14,500 kg (32,000 lb)
- Powerplant: 2× General Electric CT7-9D turboprop engines, 1,305 kW (1,750 hp) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 490 km/h [3] (265 knots, 305 mph)
- Cruise speed: 438 km/h (236 knots, 272 mph)
- Range: 2,420 km (1,305 nm, 1,503 mi)
- Service ceiling 10,250 m[3] (33,700 ft)
- Rate of climb: 8.5 m/s (1,673 ft/min)
[edit] References
- ^ Ministry of Defence - L-610 Transport Aircraft
- ^ Taylor, M J H (editor) (1999). Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000 Edition. Brassey's. ISBN 1 85753 245 7.
- ^ a b The Virtual Aviation Museum - Let L 610. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
[edit] External links
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