Buhl-Verville CA-3 Airster

CA-3 Airster
Role	Utility aircraft
Manufacturer	Buhl
Designer	Alfred Verville
First flight	1926
Number built	20[1]

The Buhl CA-3 Airster (also known as the J4 Airster, after its engine), was a utility aircraft built in the United States in 1926, notable as the first aircraft to receive a type certificate in the US^[2], issued by the Aeronautics Branch of the Department of Commerce on March 29, 1927.^[3] It was a conventional single-bay biplane with equal-span unstaggered wings and accommodation for the pilot and passengers in tandem open cockpits. Marketed for a variety of roles including crop-dusting, aerial photography, and freight carriage, only a handful were built, some with water-cooled engines as the CW-3, and others with air-cooled engines as the CA-3 . One CA-3 placed second in the 1926 Ford National Reliability Air Tour.^[4]

1926 Ford Air Tour, piloted by Louis Meister, and another (designated the CA-3A) placed third in the 1927 Air Derby, piloted by Nick Mamer. One CW-3 and one CA-3 each were evaluated by the United States Army as trainers, but neither were purchased.

Versions

CA

• CA-3 Airster (1926) aka J4 Airster or B-V Airster
  • 200 hp Wright J-4 (aka J-4 Whirlwind)
  • Folding wings
  • awarded the first ATC ever issued, March 1927 (ATC 1, 2-6)
  • one modified under ATC 2-6 as 2p with 220 hp Wright J-5 as a trainer for Army trials
• CA-3A Airster (1926)
  • 225 hp Wright J-5
  • 3 built
  • cost: $9,300
• CA-3B Airster (1926)
  • one built

CW

• CW-3 OX5 Airster (1925)^[5]
  • 90hp Curtiss OX-5
  • useful load: 770 lbs
  • range: 475 miles
  • Folding wings
  • three built
• CW-3 Wright Trainer (1926)
  • 220 hp Wright J-5
  • useful load: 885 lbs
  • range: 450 miles
  • one built for unsuccessful military trainer trials

Specifications (CA-3)

General characteristics

• Crew: One pilot
• Capacity: 2 passengers
• Length: 24 ft 4 in (7.42 m)
• Wingspan: 35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 125 mph (200 km/h)
• Range: 440 miles (710 km)
• max useful load: 885 lbs

See also

• Alfred V. Verville

References

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 216. 
• http://www.aerofiles.com/_buhl.html
• Federal Aviation Administration history page

Alfred V. Verville (1890-1970) ♣ Aviation Pioneer Planes M-1 Messenger Sport Trainer AT CA-3 Airster Verville Flying Boats Signal Corps Engg Div VCP-1 VCP-2 Air Service R-1 Racer R-3 Racer Air Corps YPT-10 Verville Aircraft Co Verville Air Coach Employment Hudson Motor Company (pre-1914) Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company (1914) Thomas-Morse Airplane Company (1915) General Aeroplane Company (1915-17) Fisher Body Corporation (as exec engg, 1917-18) Engineering Division (USAAS) (1918-1925) USAF ASC Buhl-Verville Aircraft Company (1925-27) Verville Aircraft Company (1928-31)

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