CASA C-212 Aviocar
The CASA C-212 Aviocar is a turboprop-powered STOL medium transport aircraft designed and built in Spain for civil and military use. C-212s are also produced under licence in Indonesia by Indonesian Aerospace, formerly called IPTN but now known as IAe. The design was initially marketed under the name of Aviocar, but EADS-CASA no longer uses that name in referring to the C-212.
A total of 478 C-212s of all variants had been delivered through the end of 2008 by EADS-CASA. EADS-CASA predicts that an additional 85 aircraft will be delivered in the 2007-2016 time period.[1] EADS-CASA currently builds only the C-212-400, which received Spanish certification in 1998. The C-212-200 is currently built in Indonesia, and IAe is also reportedly preparing to begin assembly of -400 models.
Design and development
During the late 1960s, the Spanish Air Force was still operating the already outdated three-engined Junkers Ju 52 and two-engined Douglas C-47, unpressurized and non-turbocharged piston-powered aircraft. CASA developed the C-212 as a more modern alternative using the lighter and more reliable turboprop engine, with the first prototype flying on March 26, 1971. In 1974, the Spanish Air Force decided to acquire the Aviocar to update its fleet.
Airlines took note of the type's success with the military, so CASA developed a commercial version, the first examples of which were delivered in July 1975. In August 2006 a total of 30 CASA C-212 aircraft (all variants) remain in airline service around the world.[2]
The C-212 has a high-mounted wing, a boxy fuselage, and a conventional tail. The tricycle undercarriage is non retractable. It has space for 21-28 passengers depending on configuration. Since the C-212 does not have a pressurized fuselage, it is limited to relatively low-flight-level airline usage (below 10,000 ft (3,000 m) MSL). It is thus ideal for short legs and regional airline service.
Currently the C-212 is used in a variety of utility and paramilitary roles due to its low cost, large cabin and rear loading ramp. Models have been converted to SAR configuration for the Swedish Coast Guard and Argentinian Coast Guard and with skis by Aeronautical Engineers Australia for the Australian Antarctic Division and operated by Skytraders.
Variants
Series 100
- C-212A
- Original military production version. Also known as C-212-5, C-212-5 series 100M, and by the Spanish Air Force as the T-12B and D-3A (for medevac aircraft), 129 built.
- C-212AV
- VIP transport version, T-12C.
- C-212B
- Six pre-production C-212As converted for photo-reconnaissance missions, TR-12A.
- C-212C
- Original civil version
- C-212D
- Two pre-production C-212As converted for use as navigational trainers, TE-12B.
- NC-212-100
- Manufactured under licence in Indonesia since 1976, IPTN producing 28 NC-212-100s before switching to NC-212-200.
Series 200
Stretched version with updated engines (Honeywell TPE331-10R-511C or -512C, rated at 900 shp (671 kW) each), introduced in 1979. The CASA C-212-200 is also a popular skydiving aircraft, known for its large capacity, fast climb, and large tailgate exit ramp.
- C-212 series 200M
- Military version known as T-12D in Spanish service and Tp 89 for the Swedish Air Force. Specialised ASW and maritime patrol aircraft have been built from this version.
- NC-212-200
- C-212-200 built under licence by IPTN.
- NC-212-200 MPA
- C-212-200 built under licence by IPTN, Designed as Maritime Patrol Aircraft
Series 300
Standard production version from 1987 on. Engines were Honeywell TPE331-10R-513C, also rated at 900 shp (670 kW) continuous (925 shp maximum). The propellers were changed from four-bladed Hartzell composite blade propellers to four-bladed Dowty-Rotol all-metal propellers. Winglets and a larger vertical stabilizer area provide improved performance, and the addition of a nose baggage compartment gives the nose a more streamlined look than the Series 200. Various systems have been incrementally upgraded, including the addition of an integrated autopilot system.
- C-212-M series 300 (Series 300M)
- Military version.
- C-212 series 300 airliner
- 26 seat regional airliner.
- C-212 series 300 utility
- 23 seat civil utility version.
- C-212 series 300P
- Civil utility version with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65 engines
Series 400
Updated version first flying in 1997. US military designation is the C-41. Engines are Honeywell TPE331-12JR-701C, derated to 925 shp (690 kW) maximum. The high-derated -12JR engines provide significantly better high-altitude and hot weather performance than the -10 engines used in the -300 series. Otherwise, airframe dimensions and flight performance are very similar to those of the Series 300. Compared to the Series 300, many of the various aircraft systems have been refined and improved. Standard instrumentation has been updated to include a four-tube Rockwell-Collins Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS), a two-tube Integrated Engine Data System (IEDS), and a Universal UNS-1K Flight Management System (FMS) with integrated Inertial Reference Unit (IRU). Many avionics and instruments have been relocated from underneath the floor to the nose compartment. An identifying feature of the -400 series is the squared-shaped cabin windows, which differentiate it from the circular cabin windows of the -300 series.
Currently, this version is built only in Spain, and is not certified for civilian use in the United States.
Operators
Civil operators
- Australia
- Indonesia
- United States[3]
Military operators
Incidents and accidents
As of September 2011, CASA C-212s have been involved in 71 hull-loss incidents with a total of 558 fatalities.[8][9]
- February 1, 1988: A Panamanian Air Force C-212 crashed into a mountain near the Panamese-Colombian border, killing all 16 people on board.
- December 1, 1989: A United States Army C-212-200 crashed into the Patuxent River while trying to land at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland, killing all 5 people on board.[10]
- January 24, 1990: A Venezuelan Navy C-212 crashed into a mountain due to poor weather, killing all 24 people on board.
- March 27, 1990: An Angolan government C-212 was shot down by UNITA rebels near Kuito, killing all 25 people on board.
- March 8, 1994: A Spanish Air Force CASA C-212 was hit in the tail by a Serbian SA-7 missile over Gvozd (then Vrginmost) when ferrying UNPROFOR personnel from Sarajevo. The plane was part of the Ala 37 deployed in Vicenza, Italy. A Croatian Mig-21 had been shot down over the same area on September 14, 1993. The tail control surfaces were damaged, the left engine failed and several passengers were injured. The crew managed to land the aircraft at Rijeka, Croatia. Spanish technicians were able to repair the damage and have the aircraft back in service in 48 hours.[12][13][14]
- November 27, 2004: "Blackwater 61" Presidential Airways CASA C-212-200 (registration: N960BW / serial nr: 231) was contracted by the US Department of Defense to supply American forces deployed in remote areas of Afghanistan. The airplane entered a box canyon and struck the 14,650-foot (4,470 m) level of Baba Mountain, which has a peak elevation of 16,739 feet (5,102 m). The flight was about 25 nm north of the typical route between Bagram and Farah.[15][16][17][18]
- February 22, 2005: An Indonesian National Police C-212 received engine trouble during landing, causing it to crash into the sea. Of the 18 police officers on board, 15 were killed.
- October 26, 2006: Swedish Coast Guard CASA C-212-200 (registration: SE-IVF/serial nr: KBV 585) crashed in the Falsterbo Canal during a surveillance mission, killing all four onboard.[19][20] Eye-witness accounts suggest that the accident was caused by one of the wings of the aircraft somehow detaching from the plane.[21] The preliminary report from the Swedish Accident Investigation Board suggests that the right wing detached due to a fatigue crack which had developed in the load-bearing structure in the wing.[22]
- November 15, 2006: Mexican Navy CASA 212-200 Maritime Patrol (serial AMP-114) crashed in the sea in Campeche coast over the Mexican Gulf during a surveillance mission, all crew managed to survive, due to a smooth maneuver, reasons of the accident still unknown.[23][23]
- June 26, 2008: Indonesian Military CASA C-212 was flying from the capital to Bogor, carrying 12 military personnel and six civilians, and was due to test a digital mapping camera, but it disappeared in the Salak Mountain region, about 90 km (60 miles south) of Jakarta. An air force spokesman said it was assumed it had crashed.[24]
- June 19, 2010 a Cameroon Aero Service CASA C212 chartered by Sundance Resources crashed in dense jungle after departing Cameroon for Congo, killing all 11 people aboard, including Australian mining magnate Ken Talbot and Sundance personnel, Chairman Geoff Wedlock, Chief Executive Officer Don Lewis, company secretary John Carr-Gregg and non-executive directors John Jones and Craig Oliver. At the time of the accident Talbot was a director of Sundance and its largest shareholder.[27][28][29]
- February 12, 2011: Sabang Merauke Raya Air Charter CASA C-212, PK-ZAI, carrying 5 crew, crashed after takeoff from Batam, Indonesia, during a test flight after engine maintenecne was performed. All 5 crew were killed.[30]
- September 29, 2011: An Indonesian Aerospace CASA C-212, registration PK-TLF, built in 1989, carrying 18 people (14 passengers, 3 crew and the pilot) on a flight between Medan, North Sumatra and Kutacane, Aceh operated by Nusantara Buana Air crashed into Gunung Kapur, a mountain of 1600 metres height in the Bukit Barisan mountain range, 10km walk from the village of Bukit Lawang in Bohorok district Gunung Leuser National Park. The accident occurred between 07.28 and 08.05 local time about 36 miles northwest of Medan, North Sumatra.[33][34][35] All 18 passengers and crew were found dead in their seats after a two day operation to reach the remote crash location.
Specifications (Series 300)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89[36]
General characteristics
Performance
- Maximum speed: 370 km/h (200 kts, 230 mph)
- Cruise speed: 300 km/h (162 knots, 186 mph) (econ cruise)
- Stall speed: 145 km/h (78 knots, 90 mph)
- Range: 1,811 km (978 nmi, 1,125 miles) econ cruise, max fuel
- Service ceiling: 7,925 m (26,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 8.3 m/s (1,630 ft/min)
Armament
- Up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) of weapons on two hardpoints. Typically, machine gun pods or rocket launchers.
See also
References
- Notes
- ^ Aviation Week & Space Technology, 29 October 2007 issue, p. 66
- ^ Flight International, 3–9 October 2006
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Eastwood 1990, pages 85-94
- ^ CASA 212-200 Aircraft Found
- ^ Vietnamese build-up a response to China
- ^ MSS 6000 For Vietnam
- ^ Slow advance for Viet army revamp
- ^ Accident statistics for CASA C-212 from the Aviation Safety Network (English)
- ^ List of incidents in the Aviation Safety Network Database (English)
- ^ Accident description for ASN Aircraft accident CASA C-212 Aviocar 200 N296CA Patuxent River Naval Air Station,MD at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 23 June 2011.
- ^ Accident description, Date: 07 JUN 1992, Type: CASA C-212 Aviocar 200
- ^ Vinuesa, Arturo: El conflicto de los Balcanes y la seguridad común europea. Editorial Fundamentos, 2002, page 190. ISBN 8424509277 (Spanish)
- ^ Destacamento C-212 en Vicenza / 1993-2002 (Spanish)
- ^ Ala 37 (Spanish)
- ^ The Flight and Crash of "Blackwater 61" CBS News 60 Minutes (English)
- ^ Blackwater 61 - Cockpit Voice Recording rec.aviation.military (English)
- ^ UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA ORLANDO DIVISION CASE NO: 6:05-cv-1002-ORL-28-JGG SOURCEWATCH (English)
- ^ Welcome Aboard Blackwater Airlines Seattle Weekly News(English)
- ^ Press release from the Swedish Coast Guard (Swedish)
- ^ Accident description, October 26, 2006 in the Aviation Safety Network Database (English)
- ^ Four dead after coastguard plane crash, The Local, October 26, 2006. (English)
- ^ Statens Haverikommission, (Swedish Accident Investigation Board) (English)]
- ^ a b SEMAR aircraft crashed in Mexican Gulf from the SEMAR (Spanish)
- ^ Plane goes missing over Indonesia from the BBC (English)
- ^ "RECENT ACCIDENTS". Planecrashinfo. http://www.planecrashinfo.com/. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
- ^ "UN plane crash kills 11 in Haiti". BBC News Online. October 9, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8300299.stm. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
- ^ Cameroun : un avion porté disparu avec 11 personnes dont deux Français
- ^ McCullough, James (20 June 2010). "Mining magnate Ken Talbot feared dead in plane crash over Congo". couriermail.com.au. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/mining-magnate-ken-talbot-feared-killed-in-plane-crash-over-congo/story-e6freon6-1225881942528. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
- ^ Sundance Plane Wreckage Found in Congo; No Survivors (Update2)
- ^ Crash: Sabang Merauke Raya C212 near Batam on Feb 12th 2011, lost height enroute
- ^ Grummett, Danny; David Giles (April 4, 2011). "Ontario man dead as investigators sift through the wreckage of fatal Saskatoon plane crash". Global TV Saskatoon. Shaw Media. http://www.globalsaskatoon.com/Ontario+dead+investigators+sift+through+wreckage+fatal+Saskatoon/4550065/story.html. Retrieved 2011-04-05.
- ^ "Chile air force plane carrying 21 aboard crashes". cbsnews.com. 2 September 2011. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/02/501364/main20101252.shtml. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
- ^ http://avherald.com/h?article=443b0de7
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/indonesia/berita_indonesia/2011/09/110928_pesawathilang.shtml
- ^ http://www.metrotvnews.com/read/newsvideo/2011/09/29/136848/SAR-Dekati-Titik-Jatuhnya-Cassa-NBA-Nasib-Penumpang-Belum-Jelas
- ^ Taylor 1988, pp. 205–206.
- Bibliography
- Eastwood, Tony; John Roach (1990). Turbo Prop Airliner Production List. The Aviation Hobby Shop. ISBN 0 907178 32 4.
- Taylor, John W. R. (1988). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Defence Data. ISBN 0 7106-0867-5.
External links
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