Pilatus PC-21
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| PC-21 | |
|---|---|
 PC-21 prototype in formation with Swiss Air Force F-5 fighters |
|
| Type | Basic & Advanced Trainer aircraft / Counter-Insurgency (COIN) |
| Manufacturer | Pilatus Aircraft |
| Maiden flight | 1 July 2002 |
| Primary users | Swiss Air Force Republic of Singapore Air Force |
| Number built | >6 |
| Developed from | Pilatus PC-7 |
The Pilatus PC-21 is a single-turboprop, low swept-wing monoplane advanced trainer with a stepped tandem cockpit manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland.
Contents |
[edit] Development
The development of the PC-21 officially started in November 1997, when Pilatus first flew a modified PC-7 Mk.II in order to test various improvements for a next generation turboprop trainer. As a result of these tests being concluded successfully, Pilatus decided to privately fund the development of a new advanced training system in November 1998. Full-scale development of what became known as the PC-21 was subsequently started in January 1999.
Roll-out of the first PC-21 prototype was on 30 April 2002 at Pilatus' factory in Stans, Switzerland, with the first flight taking place on 1 July of the same year.
The second PC-21 prototype first flew on 7 June 2004.
One of the prototypes, HB-HZB, crashed on 13 January 2005, in Buochs, Switzerland on an aerobatic training flight, killing the pilot and injuring another person on the ground. The other prototypes, HB-HZA and HB-HZC, are still flying.
On 21 January 2008, the first PC-21 belonging to the Republic of Singapore Air Force completed the type's first flight test prior to being accepted into service.[1]
[edit] Design
The PC-21 features a tandem-seating arrangement (student in-front/instructor behind) in a bird strike resistant glass canopy with excellent all round visions, glass cockpit with three large colour liquid crystal displays (LCD), head-up displays (HUD), Hands on Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) controls as well as Zero-zero ejection seats for both the student and instructor alike.
[edit] Operators
- Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)
- 130 Sqn - first batch of six aircraft was delivered in April 2008 to RSAF Flight Training School currently based at Pearce Airbase (Australia) and are expected to ease the transition of the squadron over from SIAI-Marchetti S.211 (which has been in service with the RSAF since 1984) to the new aircraft from the beginning of June 2008.[1]
[edit] Specifications (PC-21)
Data from http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/media/Pilatus-PC-21-Fact-Sheet.pdf
General characteristics
- Crew: Two (student & instructor)
- Length: 11.233 m (36 ft 11 in)
- Wingspan: 9.108 m (29 ft 11 in)
- Height: 3.749 m (12 ft 4 in)
- Wing area: 15.221 m² (163.848 ft²)
- Empty weight: 2,280 kg (5,026 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 3,100 kg (aerobatic) / 4,250 kg (utility) (6,834 lb (aerobatic) / 9,370 lb (utility))
- Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68B Turboprop engine, 1,200 kW (1,600 shp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 685 km/h (370 knots, 428 mph)
- Stall speed: 170 km/h (flaps & gear up) / 150 km/h (flaps & gear down) (92 knots, 106.25 mph (flaps & gear up) / 81 knots, 93.75 mph (flaps & gear down))
- Range: 1,333 km (700 nm, 805 miles)
- Service ceiling 11,580 m (38,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 1,219 m/min (4,000 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 208 kg/m² (42.7 lb/ft²)
- Power/mass: 0.39 kW/kg (0.23 hp/lb)
Armament
- Provisions provided for 1 centerline and 4 under-wing hardpoints for mounting an assortment of air-to-ground weapons to operate in the Counter-Insurgency (COIN) role.
[edit] See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
[edit] References
[edit] External links
|
|||||
|
||||||||||||||
