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Aviation History
1973
1973 - 0089.PDF
FLIGHT International, II January 1973 59 The AM-C 1I1 has a high, cantilever wing and a main undercarriage which partially retracts into fuselage fairings tion of parts for communications satellites. Twenty-two companies in France, Germany and Britain will supply components for the AM-C 111. *" When 20 passenger seats are installed the Stol-Lifter has a disposable payload of 4,1891b, 1,900kg, which in creases to 4,7401b, 2,150kg when seats are removed for the carriage of cargo. The installation of pressurisation reduces payloads by about 2201b, 100kg. The cabin measures 17ft lin, 5-2m between cockpit and aft pressure bulkheads and has a usable volume of 734-5 cu ft, 20-8m3. With a cabin height of 6ft 3in, 1 • 9m, a width of 8ft 2in, 2 • 5m and a floor stressed for a distributed loading of 2001b/sq ft, 975kg/m-, the Stol-Lifter has been designed to accommodate two standard (LD-1 or LD-3) cargo containers, a range of cargo pallets or a vehicle of the Land Rover or Minibus type. There is a 2ft 4in X 4ft 8in, 0-7m X l-4m door on the left side of the fuselage, forward of the propellers, which incorporates an integral stair. The 6ft lOin X 10ft lOin, 2m X 3-2m rear cargo door is hydraulically operated and located aft of the rear pressure bulkhead. It hinges at floor level and can be adjusted in height to assist loading. All interior equipment is mounted on Tails and may be removed or exchanged via the ramp, allowing layouts to be changed rapidly. As an alternative to 20 passengers, four abreast at 33in, 0 • 84m pitch, eight seats can be provided with an executive interior or an ambulance version could carry 12 stretchers and three medical attendants. A military derivative which has been discussed would have a new ramp, cleared for operation in flight, and there are also possible versions for aerial photography, radio calibration, patrol, training and crop-spraying. Unlike the marketing arrangements, the layout and construction of the AM-C 111 are entirely straightforward. A high-wing layout has been chosen to provide a low sill height and ground clearance for the large-diameter propel lers. The two-spar wing has an area of 398-3 sq ft, 37m2, an aspect ratio of 9-75 and is attached to the fuselage at four points. Unlike other high-wing aircraft in its class the wing is not strut-braced. The Naca 23015 wing section of the parallel portion reduces to Naca 23012 at the tips. Three fuel cells are located in each wing between the spars, providing a total volume of 418 Imp gal, l,9001it. Two additional fuel cells can be installed in the centre- section to increase fuel capacity to 528 Imp gal, 2,4001it. The part-span, double-slotted trailing-edge flaps which can be deflected to 53° for landing are supplemented by drooping ailerons. Leading-edge slats were not considered to be cost-effective. The fuselage is of non-circular cross-section and has five elliptical cabin windows on each side. Control tubes and cables, electrical wiring, air conditioning, heating and hydraulic pipes run in the space above the cabin ceiling. Powerplants 2 X Turbomeca Astazou 16 Max take-off weight Max landing weight Empty weight (max zero fuel not limiting) Max payload passenger version cargo version Wing area Wing span Max speed at 10,000ft Max cruise speed at 10,000ft Econ cruise speed at 10,000ft Performance at 12,5001b, 5,670kg, ISA, s.l. Stalling speed flaps up Stalling speed flaps down Take-off run Take-off to 50ft, 15m Landing run Landing distance from 50ft, 15m each rated at 1,088 e.s.h.i at take-off 12,5001b, 5,670kg 12,5001b, 5,670kg 6,8341b, 3,100kg 4,1891b, 1,900kg 4,740lb, 2,150kg 398-3 sq ft, 37m2 62ft 4in, 19m 202kt, 375km/hr 192kt, 355km/hr 183kt, 340km/hr 80kt, 148km/hr 62kt, 115km/hr 377ft, 115m 951ft, 290m 640ft, 195m 1,296ft, 395m The forward fuselage has provision for housing a radar scanner and a 23 cu ft, 0-65m2 baggage hold. All flying controls are manually operated and dual controls are provided. Retraction, lowering and steering of the nose landing gear, raising of the main undercarriage and operation of the main-wheel brake are effected hy draulically. The nose undercarriage has twin wheels and retracts rearwards. The single-wheel main undercarriage partially retracts into fairings on the sides of the fuselage, a feature which affords some protection in a wheels-up landing. The aircraft will be offered with detachable floats and skis which can be hydraulically raised and lowered. The AM-C 111 will be sold in a market in which the Twin Otter and Skyvan are already well established. It is significantly larger than the Skyservant, Islander, TVislander or Nomad and has a very similar layout to the Czech L-410 Turbolet. The quoted stalling speeds suggest a maximum lift co-efficient, flaps down, rather lower than those of the Nomad, Twin Otter or Skyvan, while the maximum wing loading of 31-41b/sq ft, 150kg/m2 is some what higher. The high power loading of 5-751b/e.s.h.p., however, provides an unfactored take-off distance to 50ft, 15m at maximum weight about 350ft, 106m shorter than the comparable landing distance, and the AM-C 111 has a similar field performance to the Britten-Norman, DHC, GAF and Short designs. The retractable undercarriage and the clean aerodynarnic design provide a higher cruise speed than those of oiher utility aircraft, while the pro vision of a large freight door and the large fuselage cross-section put the Air-Metal product in a rather different class from the low-wing commuter airliners manufactured in the United States. Air-Metal obviously hopes that its marketing policy and low price will provide an added competitive advantage. A.N.H.
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