| C-295 | |
|---|---|
| A Spanish C-295 | |
| Role | Transport aircraft/Maritime patrol aircraft |
| Manufacturer | EADS CASA |
| First flight | November 28, 1997 |
| Introduction | 2001 |
| Status | Active service |
| Primary users | Spanish Air Force Brazilian Air Force Polish Air Force Portuguese Air Force |
| Number built | 78 |
| Developed from | CASA CN-235 |
The EADS CASA C-295 is a twin-turboprop tactical military transport aircraft manufactured by Airbus Military in Spain.
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The C-295 is a further development of the commercially successful Spanish transport aircraft CASA CN-235 with a stretched fuselage, 50% more payload capability and new PW127G turboprop engines. The C-295 made its maiden flight in 1998. The first order came from the Spanish Air Force.
They are manufactured and assembled in the Airbus Military facilities in the San Pablo Airport, in Seville, Spain.
The C-295 is in service with the Armed Forces of 13 countries. As of 4 August 2011, 85 C295s have been contracted and 75 are in service, one was lost in accident.[1]
The C-295 was also a major bidder for the US Army/US Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) awarded to the L-3 Communications/Alenia team on June 13, 2007.[2] The C-295 was considered a higher risk by the Army due to its use of a new operational mode to meet altitude and range requirements.[3]
The C-295 is a candidate to replace the Canadian Forces's de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo.[4]
This aircraft, along with the C-27J Spartan, is also a candidate to replace the Indonesian Air Force's Fokker F27 and the Peruvian Air Force's Antonov An-32.[5][6][7]
In November 2011, the Australian Department of Defence put out an request for information on the C-295 and C-27J as a belated replacement for Australia's already retired de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou.[8]
Mirosławiec air accident: on January 23, 2008 a Polish Air Force CASA C-295 flying from Warsaw via Powidz and Krzesiny to Mirosławiec crashed during approach to the 12th Air Base near Mirosławiec. All passengers and crew aboard were killed.[18] The number of victims were 20.[19] All Polish C-295s were grounded after the incident.[20] Polish defence minister Bogdan Klich dismissed five air force personnel after the accident investigation, which concluded that multiple failings contributed to the 23 January crash.[21]
The Czech Army grounded its fleet of four CASA C-295M aircraft on October 31, 2011 due to equipment failure. A Navigation Display and other equipment "stopped working during landing" in a plane flying in from Seville, Spain, on Oct. 30- the Czech Army spokesperson Mira Trebicka said in a statement. "One of the two engines then stopped working." The two pilots managed to land with one engine. Army Gen. Vkastimil Picek has ordered the immediate grounding of all planes, until the inquiry has ended. The aircraft were already grounded in February, following a severe drop in altitude in mid-flight and again in May, after problems with an avionics system.[22]
Data from Airbus Military[23] c-295.ca[24]
General characteristics
Performance
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