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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 1444.PDF
548 FLIGHT, 5 October 1961 Raked-back, rubber-damped main-undercarriage legs are a distinctive feature of the Santa Maria. The cabin is 11 ft lOin long and of 120 cu ft capacity. Permissible e.g. travel is I3in few differences between TSIO-470 and plain IO-470—the compres-sion ratio of the TS1O is indeed slightly lower. Maximum allow- able boost is 35Ln, which is reached at the end of a sea-level take-off run. A clip is attached to the throttle plunger shaft to act as a gate and is removed when necessary to maintain 35in at abovearound 5,OOOft. The turbo-supercharger is in fact adapted from an industrial unit widely used on tractors and other vehicles working athigh altitudes. The only extra instrument is a second oil pressure gauge. There are no operating "corners"—you can slam the throttleopen up to the 35in mark. Fuel injection also gives you that precise fuel-flow regulation which is useful for cruise control. Before freezing the Santa Maria design the Mooneys and Lock-heed evaluated about nine configurations, including a pod-boom rear-loader a la Prospector, but they settled on the straightforwardcabin layout. There is 120 cu ft of cabin space and Macchi have been asked to prepare an eight-seat layout for short-range passengerwork. The thick wings carry 20 sq ft of Fowler-type extending flaps and plain piano-hinged ailerons. The v.i. tailplane and elevator arelarge. Undercarriage suspension is all by rubber discs in compres- sion. Nosewheel steering is by light spring-linkage to the rudder SANTA MARIA in the Air BY MARK LAMBERT No 154 of the series Illustrated with "Flight" photographs WHEN one of the giants of the aircraft industry sets aboutdesigning a small aircraft, it ought to be the best thatanyone could do. Yet the prospects of success are no more certain for the giant than for the back-yard man—exceptthat resources count in production and sales. The small aircraft is just as hard to get right as a big one. But Lockheed do seem tohave hit the nail on the head with the Santa Maria. First, the design was laid out by the Mooney brothers before being detailedby Lockheed. Then Lockheed arranged for manufacture outside the USA where costs are lower. Now production is launched and apowerful sales drive is pushing Santa Marias around the world. Macchi, part-owned by Lockheed, have now made about 27 aircraftand are putting the traditional Italian craftsmanship into their work. Lockheed-Azcarate are also in production in Mexico, butthat is a separate venture. Some 25 Santa Marias have been sold in the US by Macchi, a number of them to Alaska Airlines, andthree have already been flown across the Atlantic via the Azores. Others have been sold in Africa, the Middle East and Scandinavia.Several air forces are interested. The Italian air force is reported to have planned to buy 300. The Santa Maria is offered in two versions, either with theContinental 10-470 engine of 260 h.p. or with the turbo-super- charged TSIO-470B, which has the same rated power, but maintainsit constant up to no less than 13,000ft. It was one of the latter, registered I-ECAR, that I flew from Panshanger last week when theSanta Maria began its British sales tour. The effect of the turbo- supercharger is truly remarkable. Take-off distance to 50ft at fullload increases by only 300ft between sea level and 8,000ft; a more or less constant indicated cruising speed is held up to that height;rate of climb is 800ft/min at 12,000ft and 300ft/min at 20,000ft; and the aircraft has taken off from Nairobi at 5001b over grossweight. Overhaul life for the TSIO-470 is 800hr, plus two optional extensions of 10 per cent—a possible total of l,000hr. There are pedals, the toe-operated, hydraulic disc brakes being used for tightturns. The structure is stout, being based on a heavy freight floor andcabin frame. When the flaps are extended, the operating linkage, wing interior and tankage is easily visible and much of it is acces-sible. The structure is corrosion-proofed throughout. Access is by a small door giving on to the middle row of seats on the left or a31ft by 44ft, upward-opening freight door on the right. A small passenger door is built into the freight door, opposite the rear rowof seats. A separate door for the pilot is now being added. Permis- sible e.g. travel is a full 13in with an ingenious method of checkingit. The tail is pulled down to the ground and if the aircraft does not right itself, the e.g. is too far aft—no calculations or pre-weighedloads. Fuel tankage is for 25 Imp gal in each wing, but the present piping allows only 20 each side to be used. Modifications are inhand. Flaps can be lowered to 15° for take-off or 27° maximum by a big roof-mounted lever which is the easiest I have yet found, tooperate. Normal gross weight is 3,5321b and useful load, l,5O8lb. Plenty of special layouts are available for the Santa Maria.Wild in Switzerland and Fairchild have prepared installation designs for complete photographic survey versions—a guaranteedoperating height of 20,000ft with a Wild R.8 and spare magazines —and Micronair have fitted four spray units and 178 Imp gal hoppercapacity. Dust and other chemical installations are ready. Fit- tings for up to three stretchers can be supplied. Ski gear has beentested and floats are being designed. Increases in gross weight, horsepower (for the float version) and maximum flap angle are inhand. A cargo door that can be opened in flight and underwing racks for droppable loads will follow. The Santa Maria seems tobe on its way to becoming a successful small man's Beaver and more. The aircraft was being demonstrated in this country bythe Astravia Group, UK and African agents, who can be contacted through Shackleton Aviation Ltd, 175 Piccadilly, London Wl.Price in UK, duty paid, of a Santa Maria with IO-470 engine, two seats and basic instruments is £9,075. With the TSIO-470 it willbe £10,025. Incidentally, the Santa Maria is exceptionally fast in its class. It will maintain an i.a.s. of 125 m.p.h. up to well over 10,000ft.which will true out at nearly 150 m.p.h. 1 flew I-ECAR with Mr G. T. Bedggood, the Astra pilot, sittingon my right. The aircraft had Narco MkV VHF and Motorola ADF-T-12 with a full blind-flying panel to the left, All switcheswere grouped in a row, low on the left, near the keyed starter ignition switch and fuel selector. The single switchable fuel gaugeon the right gave considerable parallax error so that "full" looked like "'£." The tailplane trim scale was marked 1 to 4, with neutralat 1\ and the wheel was set low so that I had to duck below the The six track-mounted seats can be removed to make room for freight Folding seats could even be stowed in the cabin with freight. Note absence of door sill-ledge for ease of loading
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