Neiva Universal

Universal
Role Basic trainer and ground attack aircraft
Manufacturer Neiva
First flight 29 April 1966
Primary users Brazilian Air Force
Chilean Air Force
Number built 189


|} The Neiva N621 Universal is a Brazilian propeller-driven basic trainer and ground attack aircraft manufactured by Indústria Aeronáutica Neiva. It is a cantilever, low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction, with retractable undercarriage and side-by-side seating.

Design and development

The Universal was designed in 1963 as a new primary trainer for the Brazilian Air Force, as a replacement for the T-6 Texan and Fokker S-11/S-12 types then in use. The prototype (Registration PP-ZTW) first flew on 29 April 1966. The Brazilian Air Force ordered 150 aircraft as the T-25 Universal, and increased this order in 1978 by an additional 28 aircraft. A further developed version (designated the YT-25B Universal II) first flew on 22 October 1978 but was not put into production.

The Universal was also adopted as a counter-insurgency aircraft. It was later replaced by the Tucano in both the advanced training and attack roles, but it is still used as a primary and basic trainer at the Academia da Força Aérea Brasileira (Brazilian Air Force Academy).

Ten aircraft were ordered by the Chilean Army. These aircraft were later transferred to the Chilean Air Force. In 1983 five FaCH T-25s were donated to the Paraguayan Air Force.

In 2005, the Brazilian Air Force donated six T-25s to the Fuerza Aérea Paraguaya and another six to the Fuerza Aérea Boliviana.

Operators

Protopype of the YT-25A Universal II
 Bolivia
 Brazil
 Chile
 Paraguay
  • Paraguayan Air Force

Specifications (Universal)

Data from Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide [1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2: student, instructor
  • Length: 8.76 m (28 ft 9 in)
  • Wingspan: 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in)
  • Height: 2.97 m (9 ft 9 in)
  • Wing area: 17.20 m² (185.15 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 1,150 kg (2,535 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 1,700 kg (3,747 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1× Lycoming O-540 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled piston engine, 300 hp (224 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 277 km/h (172 mph, 150kt)
  • Range: 1,150 km (621 nm)

Armament

two hardpoints; 7.62 mm machine gun pods; bombs; rockets

References

  1. ↑ Rendall, David (1995). Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide. Glasgow, UK: HarperCollinsPublishers. p. 505. ISBN 0-00-4709802.

External links

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