Aermacchi S-211
| S-211 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| An S-211 from the 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron Squadron, Philippine Air Force | |
| Role | Basic jet trainer / Light attack aircraft |
| National origin | Italy |
| Manufacturer | SIAI Marchetti (1981 - 1997) Alenia Aermacchi (1997 - present) |
| Designer | SIAI Marchetti, 1976 |
| First flight | 10 April 1981 |
| Introduction | 1984 |
| Status | Active service with the Philippine Air Force |
| Primary user | Republic of Singapore Air Force (historical) Philippine Air Force Haitian Air Force (historical) |
| Number built | ~60 |
| Developed into | Alenia Aermacchi M-311 |
The Aermacchi S-211 is a turbofan-powered military trainer aircraft designed and originally marketed by SIAI Marchetti as the S.211. Some 60 aircraft have been sold to air forces around the world. Aermacchi bought the production rights in 1997. The redesigned M-311 is currently under development by Alenia Aermacchi.
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[edit] Design and development
SIAI Marchetti began work on the aircraft in 1976 as a private venture basic trainer, hoping to offer it to the company's existing customer base of small air forces operating their piston-engined SF.260. Formally announced in Paris the following year, interest was strong enough to justify the construction of two prototypes, the first of which flew on 10 April 1981. The Singapore Air Force placed the first order for ten aircraft in 1983.[1]
The S-211 is a small tandem two-seat shoulder-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear and powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-4C turbofan.[1] Also, the aircraft was designed for a secondary close air support capability with four underwing hardpoints for the carriage of weapons and other external stores.[1]
The S-211A was a slightly modified and updated variant of the S-211, was a losing contender in the USA's Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPTATS) aircraft selection. Among the seven to enter, the Raytheon/Pilatus entry won, which became the T-6 Texan II. The S-211 team was initially partnered with Grumman, and then Northrop Grumman after 1994.
[edit] Variants
- S-211
- Original production version with total of approximately sixty built and was operated by the Air Forces of Haiti, Philippines and Singapore.[2]
- S-211A
- Proposed version developed with input from Grumman for the JPATS (two prototypes, converted from two former Haitian S-211 aircraft).[2]
- M-311
- Modernized and uprated version announced by Aermacchi in 2004 (two prototypes built).[2]
[edit] Operators
[edit] Current operator
- Philippine Air Force (PAF) - 25 aircraft, including one partially completed airframe for spare parts and 15 assembled locally by Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation.[2] Due to accidents, 13 remain in inventory, 5 in service but only 2 are airworthy, as of July 2011.[2][3][4]
[edit] Former operator
- Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) - total of 32 aircraft including 24 assembled locally by Singapore Aircraft Industries and two former Haitian aircraft were acquired as attrition replacements.[2]
- 130 Sqn - 25 airframes in operational use (7 airframes were write-offs due to accidents).[2] These were replaced by the Pilatus PC-21 from end 2008.[5] After retirement, 4 airframes were shipped back to Singapore and preserved as museum display pieces, while the remaining 21 airframes (including one airframe that had been used for spare parts) were sold off to International Air Parts (IAP) Group Australia Pty Ltd in 2009.[2]
- 131 Sqn - disbanded in 1996, following the move of RSAF Flight Training School to RAAF Base Pearce in Bullsbrook, Western Australia, all remaining aircraft transferred to the former.[6]
- Haitian Air Force (HAF) - Four aircraft were delivered in June 1985, they were retired and put up for sale on 23 April 1990.[7]
[edit] Civilian
- 21 ex-RSAF S-211s were retired and sold to the IAP Group Australia in December 2009 (including a cannibalised airframe), ten have since been sold off and placed on the Australian civil registry.[2][8][9]
[edit] Accidents and incidents
- On 14 January 2002, Philippine Air Force S-211 #017 crashed into houses inside the National Food Authority compound in Brgy. M.S.Garcia, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, due to mechanical problems after making several low passes over Cabanatuan during a „contact proficiency“ flight from Basa AB. Both pilots and 3 civilians on the ground were killed.[12]
- On 26 November 2007, Philippine Air Force S-211 #804 went missing after it failed to return to Palawan base after a security patrol and search mission over the disputed Kalayaan Islands in the south China sea, both pilots still missing and their fate remains unknown.[13]
[edit] Specifications (S-211)
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Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89[14]
General characteristics
- Crew: Two (student and instructor)
- Length: 9.31 m (30 ft 6½ in)
- Wingspan: 8.43 m (27 ft 8 in)
- Height: 3.8 m (12 ft 5½ in)
- Wing area: 12.6 m² (135.63 ft²)
- Empty weight: 1,850 kg (4,070 lb)
- Max. takeoff weight: 2,750 kg (6,050 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney JT15D-4C turbofan engine, 11.12 kN (2,500 lbf)
Performance
- Never exceed speed: Mach 0.8 (740 km/h, 400 knots, 460 mph)
- Maximum speed: 667 km/h (360 knots, 414 mph)
- Stall speed: 138 km/h (74 knots, 86 mph)
- Range: 1,668 km (900 nm, 1,036 miles)
- Service ceiling: 12,200 m (40,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 21 m/s (4,200 ft/min)
- Thrust/weight: 0.413:1
- Acceleration limits: +6g (+58.9 m/s²) /−3.0g (−29 m/s²)
Armament
- Hardpoints: 4× under-wing pylon stations for mounting up to 660 kg (1,500 lb) of air-to-ground weaponry/payload, including gun pods, unguided bombs, and rocket launchers (such as the SNEB 68 mm rocket pods).
[edit] See also
- Related development
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
[edit] References
- Notes
- ^ a b c Orbis 1985, page 2854
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "SIAI-MARCHETTI S.211 production list". www.siai-marchetti.nl. http://www.siai-marchetti.nl/s211pro.html.
- ^ Chronological Listing of Philippine Air Force Ejections
- ^ [1] news: Air Force grounds planes after Bataan crash
- ^ "RSAF Pilatus PC-21 Makes its Maiden Flight". MINDEF. http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2008/feb/15feb08_nr2.html.
- ^ "Australia - Singapore Defence Relationship". MINDEF. http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/1996/oct/17oct96_nr.html.
- ^ "World Air Forces - Haitian Air Force - SIAI-Machetti S-211 status". www.aeroflight.co.uk. http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/americas/haiti/Haiti-af-S211.htm.
- ^ International Air Parts: Aircraft Availability
- ^ International Air Parts: SIAI MARCHETTI S211 JET TRAINERS FOR SALE
- ^ Federal Aviation Authority Aircraft Inquiries for N48SM
- ^ Federal Aviation Authority Aircraft Inquiries for N852TC
- ^ [2] news about the crash
- ^ [3] news update about the accident.
- ^ Taylor 1988, pp. 157—158.
- Bibliography
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
- Taylor, John W R (1988). Janes All the World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane's. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.
[edit] External links
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