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Aviation History
1984
1984 - 0864.PDF
DEFENCE Pilatus PC-9 makes maiden flight STANS The Pilatus PC-9 turboprop- powered trainer flew for the first time on May 7, reports Mike Gaines. The PC-9, shortlisted for the Royal Air Force's Air Staff Target 412 Jet Provost replacement, is not a quick update of the PC-7. Pilatus started design of the PC-9 in May 1982, after a market study indicated the need for a turboprop trainer in the 1,000 s.h.p class. At that time delivery of the first production aircraft was scheduled for late 1985. Flight-testing of major PC-9 components and aero dynamic optimisation of the new design took place between 1982 and 1983. The PC-9 is envisaged as replacing jet trainers in the basic- through-advanced section of the pilot-training syllabus. Pilatus emphasises that the PC-9 is an entirely new aircraft, although it owes much to the PC-7. The PC- 9 is powered by a 1,150 s.h.p. Pratt & Whitney (Canada) PT6A-62, flat-rated to 950 s.h.p. maximum and to 900 s.h.p. for normal operations. The engine is canted 2° down wards and 2° to the right to offset the torque of the four- blade Dowty Rotol propeller. Electronic torque and temp erature control is incor porated and engine operation is via a single lever. The aircraft is of all-metal semi-monocoque construc tion. Empty weight equipped is 3,3501b. Aerobatic take-off weight is 4,8501b and utility, or maximum, take-off weight is 7,0551b. Two integral wing tanks house 230gal of useable fuel, delivered by jet and/or electric boost pumps to an engine-driven main fuel pump. Up to 60sec of inverted flight is possible. Flight controls are manu ally actuated with electric trimmers. Split flaps are hydraulically operated, as is the flat-plate airbrake be neath the fuselage, a feature new to the PC-9. The hydrau lically actuated tricycle undercarriage, unlike that of the PC-7, has drag-reducing doors on main and nose gear. Nosewheel steering and brakes are also hydraulic. The most obvious differ- 1312 Hans Galli checks out the Pilatus PC-9 on its first flight last week ence between the PC-9 and the PC-7 is the cockpit. The rear seat is raised 15cm (6in) to provide the instructor with a good view over the student's head. Martin-Baker CH-11 ejection seats are installed. These are modifications of the Mkll rocket-powered zero-zero seat, and are not fitted with the rocket pack, resulting in an ejection envelope from 0ft/60kt up to maximum altitude and 400kt. The ' headrest parachute containers are sculptured to improve the view, and ejec tion is through a new one- piece canopy. Instrument layout is partic ularly neat, and is dominated by two Rockwell-Collins mini-CRTs stacked vertically in the centre of each panel. The upper CRT is an electro nic altitude director indicator (EADI), while the lower is an electronic horizontal situ ation indicator (EHSI). These are not fitted to the first prototype PC-9, but the second aircraft will have full production-standard instru mentation. This includes a King Radio navigation and communication system with digital readouts arranged in four blocks across the bottom of the panel—two for nav and two for comms. The first flight of the PC-9, made with a three-blade propeller fitted, lasted 24min. It was preceded by a high speed taxi run, checking the controls and confirming the calculated rotation speed of 80kt. On the second run the PC-9 was rotated at 80kt and "positively leapt into the air", according to Pilatus chief test pilot Hans Galli. With the PT6 turboprop delivering 900 s.h.p., climb- out to 5,000ft was maintained at 80kt. Control checks were then carried out, Galli describing harmonisation as good, with low stick forces. The first prototype will have accumulated sufficient hours to be displayed at the Farnborough Air Show in September, and the second aircraft will be flying in July. Pilatus is aiming for certifica tion by the end of 1985, and the first Swiss-built PC-9s should be available early in 1988. Should the RAF chose the PC-9 to replace its Jet Provosts, the 155 aircraft required would be built by British Aerospace, with final assembly probably located at Brough. The AST should firm up to an Air Staff Require ment within the next two weeks. The PC-9 will be made available for flight evaluation against the competing Embraer/Shorts EMB-312 Tucano, NDN Aircraft NDN-1T Turbo-Firecracker, and the Australian Aircraft Consortium A.20 Wamira II still on the drawing board. If the PC-9 is chosen, BAe would prepare for licence manufacture in 1986, opening the assembly line in 1987. BAe and Pilatus have joined forces to promote their FLIGHT International, 19 May 1984
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