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Aviation History
1978
1978 - 2754.PDF
1684 FLIGHT International, 4 November 1978 Steps and low sills make for easy passenger access, and the T&.IO has good provision for baggage An Ag Rallye is being stripped of masking after its stay in the paint shop. The hopper and tailwheel make for an unfamiliar look h.p. Lycoming O-360-A3AD. A light metal structure has been designed for ease of production, avoiding multiple curvature and reducing the number of parts to a minimum. Socata has chosen one of the Nasa general-aviation wing sections and uses flush rivets over all the area forward of the main spar, at roughly 45 per cent chord. The fuselage is built in three main components. A central metal assembly forms a punt hull from the fire wall aft to the tailcone fixing frame. The cone itself is a simple, single-curved, section. The forward fuselage is built up as a complete unit including the instrument panels, avionics rack, central console, cabin-air ducting, engine firewall, engine and nose undercarriage. By build ing this unit separately, alongside the main assembly line, Socata overcomes the common production problem of too many people needing to work in the cockpit area at the same time. The technique also allows electrical looms and avionics to be tested in situ while their constituent parts are still accessible. The TB.10 is wide enough to accommodate three people across the rear seat. The pilot and front-seat passenger are separated by a deep central console, carrying trim and engine controls. Doors on both sides open to reveal low sills and curve well over the roof for easy entry to front or back. We sat in one of the first aircraft to be fully trimmed, and while the decor may not have been definitive it showed that Socata is aiming for a high standard of comfort. The seats are raked back to give comfortable support for a long flight and front-seat occupants have a good view forward and downwards. A rather severe modular arrangement of instruments and avionics has apparently been designed for easy access as well as ergonomic suitability. The layout makes provision for comprehensive avionics. There is ample space for baggage below and behind the back seat, with access from the outside on the left of the aircraft. Plastics are used for the ailerons and flaps but the tail unit is all metal. Main spar halves are interchangeable, but otherwise the design appears to rely on simplicity and easy repairability from the outset. Provision has been made for a range of aircraft to be developed out of the basic TB.10 once the type is firmly in production. A retract able undercarriage is high on the list of items to be evaluated, and the wing structure has been designed to suit. The aircraft is likely to have sleek lines with the gear up. It will be interesting to see whether the broad cabin imposes any performance penalty in comparison with established competitors like the Cherokee Arrow 200 or the Bockwell Commander 114. Further in the future is the prospect that Socata might install more power. One of the six-cylinder units, rated at about 250 h.p., could produce a sparkling touring per formance with no installation difficulties. Dimensions and performance details of the TB.10 must await the launch during the winter, and even the Socata dealers have been allowed little advance information, H.O.F. Socata uses plas tics for ailerons and the wide flaps, seen here fully lowered
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