Pilatus P-3

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P-3
Role Trainer aircraft
Manufacturer Pilatus Aircraft
First flight 3 September 1953
Introduction 1956
Status in use in private hands
Primary users Swiss Air Force
Brazilian Navy
Number built 79
Developed into Pilatus PC-7
A civil Pilatus P-3-05
Pilatus P-3-05

The Pilatus P-3 was a military training aircraft built by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. The plane was designed for primary and advanced training (including night flying, aerobatics and instrument flying). The military version was designated P-3-03. It was of all-metal construction with a retractable tricycle undercarriage and tandem seating. There was provision for underwing racks for light practice bombs or rockets and a machine gun in a pod below the port wing.

The first prototype was built in 1953 and flew on September 3 the same year.

The Swiss Air Force received 72 examples of this aircraft while the Brazilian Navy acquired 6. The Swiss Air Force used the P-3 as a training aircraft until 1983, although it continued to be used as a liaison aircraft for another decade. In 1993–1995 65 ex-Swiss Air Force aircraft were sold to a private market.[1]

Contents

[edit] Operators

 Brazil
 Switzerland

[edit] Specifications (Pilatus P-3-03)

[2]

[edit] General characteristics

  • Crew: two, student and instructor
  • Length: 8.75 m (28 ft 8 in)
  • Wingspan: 10.40 m (34 ft 1 in)
  • Height: 3.05 m (10 ft)
  • Wing area: 16.55 m2 (177.6 ft2)
  • Empty: 1,090 kg (2,400 lb)
  • Loaded: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb)
  • Maximum takeoff: 1,530 kg (3,374 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1x Lycoming GO-435-C2-A2, 6-cylinder horizontally opposed, 180 kW (240 hp)

[edit] Performance

  • Maximum speed: 310 km/h (194 mph)
  • Economical cruising speed: 255 km/h (155 mph)
  • Minimum speed: 100 km/h (62 mph)
  • Range: 650 km (400 mi)
  • Service ceiling: 5,500 m (18,040 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 7.0 m/s (1,380 ft/min) at sea level
  • Wing loading: 90.6 kg/m2 (18.5 lb/ft2)
  • Power/Mass: 0.12 kW/kg (0.072 hp/lb)

[edit] See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

[edit] References

[edit] External links


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