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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 1289.PDF
CANADAIR CL-41 in the Air BY MARK LAMBERT No 152 of the series NOW coming forward into the international sales arena isCanadair's two-seat basic trainer, the CL-41. An orderfrom the RCAF is expected at any moment—by the time this appears it may actually have been announced—and theprototype is now well into an extensive European sales tour in Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. Although the programme has lagged somewhat because ofthe uncertainty of the Canadian military market during recent years, the CL-41 design team has always enjoyed the closestco-operation with the RCAF. In addition, there are several versions of the basic type, each of which can fill a real NATO.as well as a Canadian, need. The CL-41 A is the pilot trainer, capable of replacing the present basic and applied trainers: theCL-41 R (Flight, June 8, 1961, page 806) is an advanced systems trainer, with the full Autonetics Nasarr radar and inertialsystem which is standard in the F-104G; and the CL-41 G has a not inconsiderable weapons capability. Two other factors make the aircraft particularly attractive.First, the RCAF specified an airframe life of no less than 15,000hr. so that the aircraft is extremely strong: they alsorequired operation in extreme cold. Secondly, the Pratt & Whitney JT12 (military: J60) turbojet has now been widelyadopted, and the derated version proposed for the CL-41A will have an overhaul life of l.OOOhr as soon as it enters service.The full thrust rating will be available for the heavier CL-41 versions. In addition, the CL-41 design team included from the startCanadian test pilot Ian MacTavish. a man of considerable proportions and great experience; and the cockpit has beendesigned to accommodate comfortably two men of such stature. More than 200 hours' flying has been completed since Januarylast year, and a large number of pilots have flown the aircraft. Flutter tests, using the RAE "bonker" system for the firsttime in North America, have already cleared the CL-41 for speeds of MO.75 (design limit, M0.8). The "bonker" chargesran out at this point, but no untoward effects were found and there is no reason to suppose that the full Mach limit will not "Flight" photograph be satisfactorily reached. Almost all the wide range of spinningtrials are complete and excellent low-speed handling has been proved. Serviceability and accessibility are good and theprototype airframe looks remarkably sound after its tough flight-test and evaluation programme. Honeycomb stiffening isextensively used in the ailerons, elevator and neighbouring structure: and plastics have been employed, notably in theintake ducts. The fuselage is based on two longitudinal keels which provide belly-landing protection. Fuel has been con-centrated in a five-cell cluster in the fuselage, thus avoiding fuel-management problems and any e.g. effects on handling orspinning characteristics. Hydraulic power operates under- carriage, flaps and airbrakes, but the flying controls are purelymanual, in the interests of simplicity. Spring-tabs, geared tabs and trimming tabs on the ailerons will, in production, bereplaced by a finalized combination of spring and trimming tabs. Airbrake shape will also be modified to provide roughly100 per cent increase in effectiveness. The slotted flaps are very efficient. Last week I flew the CL-41 with Ian MacTavish fromFrankfurt Rhein-Main. just after the aircraft had been re- assembled following air-freighting from Montreal by Lufthansa.Air-space for any sort of "local" flying is virtually unobtainable in that area, and ample fuel reserves have to be allowed foreventual holding before one is allowed to re-enter the circuit. Our flight was therefore somewhat limited, but 1 was able tofly the CL-41 by myself throughout, and to make three circuits in amongst the Connies and Convairs landing simultaneouslyon the two parallel runways. I must admit that my impressions are somewhat influencedby the sheer joy of flying a jet again, and also of handling something designed to the much more stringent military hand-ling requirements rather than for the over-forgiving executive clientele. The CL-41 has a spacious cockpit in which pilot andinstructor will not rub elbows. The panel/windscreen com- promise has been chosen to provide a large panel placed wellabove the control column, leaving a relatively shallow screen. Most controls, including throttles, toe-brakes and flap lever—but not undercarriage control and indicator—are duplicated. Starting, air-conditioning, electrical and radio controls are dis-posed on a central console. The CL-41 is pressurized so that training flights up to the ceiling of above 40.000ft can beprolonged in comfort. The two Weber ejection seats are relatively "basic" devices, with a simple lanyard connectionbetween seat-harness opener and parachute barostat to get the pilot clear of the unstabilized seat 4sec after ejection. Theseats will operate at down to about 200ft: runway-level capa- bility is hardly necessary for an aircraft which unsticks veryhappily at below 80kt. A six-instrument blind-flying panel, including a very usefulRMI-type gyro compass, is provided in front of each pilot, and there are engine instruments, a warning panel, and temporaryfire-extinguisher panel in the centre. Canopy and undercarriage controls are on the left. The straight stick does not obscureany of the instruments, and there is plenty of room for the full aileron throw without striking the knees. Pedal-reach is adjust-able. Differential braking can be used for steering, but The wide, roomy cockpit has a central console for radio, electrics and air-conditioning and instructor's throttle and flap lever. The bank of warning indicators is in the centre with the engine instruments. Background colour is pale grey
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