Tag Archives: LightTransportAircraft
46 Years Ago-The Atlas C4M Kudu took to the skies!
This past February this year 46 years ago, on 16 February 1974, the prototype Atlas AL60-C4M Kudu flew for the first time. The aircraft was registered ZS-IZF and had the Manufacturers Serial Number 001.
It took to the air shortly after 09.30 from Jan Smuts Airport, having been built at the Atlas Aircraft Corporation complex, the home of the fledgling South African Aircraft Industry at the time. The pilot was the Atlas Chief Test Pilot Mr.A.J.(Butch) Bester with the Flight Observer Mr.R.A.J.Steel. The flight lasted an hour and twenty minutes.
The aircraft was powered by a 340hp Avco-Lycoming-Piaggio GSO-480-B1B3 piston engine, though this was not the engine of choice for the SAAF. They had requested either a 425hp Lycoming engine or a 435hp Teledyne-Continental engine but altering the aircraft to accept the more powerful engine would have delayed the delivery of the aircraft quite considerably. Turbine engines were not considered, the feeling being that maintenance in the field would be difficult.
The impression also existed that a piston engine was more robust and therefore better suited for military operations. As the programme was already significantly behind schedule, the Chief of the Air Force accepted the specifications of the aircraft without alteration on 21 March 1972.
Although ZS-IZF was the first Kudu to fly, the first aircraft delivered to the Air Force was SAAF Serial 960 which initially flew as ZS-IZG. It was to fulfil the role of Military Prototype. The SAAF acceptance flight of this aircraft took place on 21 August 1974. Its delivery flight to the SAAF took place on 24 February 1975.
The last Kudu handed over to the SAAF was officially recorded as 997 on 31 August 1979. It flew to its new home unit on 4 September 1979. ZS-IZF continued to serve as a developmental aircraft flying with both Atlas Aircraft Corporation and the Test Flight and Development Centre of the SAAF. It was allocated the SAAF serial 999.
Both ZS-IZF and 999 were used in documentation during the 1980s. The registration ZS-IZF was eventually cancelled on 4 November 1985, the aircraft being listed in the CAA records as having been donated to the SAAF.
It is interesting to note that although ZS-IZF was the first Kudu to fly, it was the last Kudu to be received by the SAAF.
When the Kudus were withdrawn from SAAF service, 999 was returned to its civilian lifestyle as ZS-WXF, registered as such on 15 October 1991. Years later ZS-WXF was drawn into the Angels Way Trust turboprop conversion programme and proudly flew again for the first time on 22 October 2009 as ZS-WXF Atlas Angel “Gabriel”, the original airframe that flew for the first time today 37 years ago.
The first of the Atlas Angels to fly however was ZU-BSV “Michael” which took to the skies on 23 May 2009.
Long may Atlas Angels Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael and Daniel continue spreading their wings for the skydiving fraternity in South Africa with the power plants they always deserved – 726shp Walter M601D Turbines (flat rated to 550shp).
Today as the now Turbine powered Atlas Nagel can been seen at various Skydiving clubs around South Africa.
The Spanish Casa
During the late 1960s, the Spanish Airforce was still operating a number of outdated piston-engine transports, including the three-engine Junkers JU52 and Twin Engine Douglas DC3. In order to meet the Spanish Air Force’s needs to modernise its transport force. The CASA proposed the C-212, a twin engine 18 seat transport aircraft that would be capable of fulfilling a variety of military roles, including passenger transport, ambulance aircraft and paratroop carrier, while also being suitable for civil use.
The first prototype flew on 26 March 1971. In 1974, the Spanish Air Force decided to acquire the Aviocar to update its fleet. The company that now operates the Casa series is now known as Airbus Military.
In 2010, Airbus Military said it could no longer afford to produce the C212 in Europe and after production in Seville slowed to four in two years, the last C-212 produced in Spain was delivered in late December 2012 to the Vietnam Marine Police Over 42 years, 477 aircraft have been produced for 92 operators.
The South African Airforce Casa 212 in Service
The SAAF casa 212 and 235 fleet rage from former homelands The Aviocar fleet as inherited in 1994 from the air wings of the former Bophuthatswana (1, 1985), Transkei (2, 1986) and Venda (2, 1988).
With 43 Squadron at Cairo West on 12 March 1944 with Avro Anson’s, the squadron began conversion to the Dakota by the end of the month. The squadron was involved in scheduled and unscheduled flights throughout the region and even as far as Rome, Russia, Karachi and the Gold Coast (Ghana). In February 1945 the squadron moved to the Italian port of Bari for operations in the Balkans, including providing support to Yugoslav partisans.
The squadrons activities were not confined to the Balkans, with general transport and VIP flights to the south of France, Turkey, Egypt and Britain. The squadron was eventually disbanded at Bari on 6 December 1945.
The squadron was reformed in November 1953 at Swartkop as a transport unit flying Dakotas by renumbering 25 Squadron. The squadron spent a few years at Waterkloof between 1956 and 1963 before returning to Swartkop. Ex-SAA DC-4 Skymasters joining the fleet in 1966. The Vickers Viscount was transferred from 21 Squadron in October 1983 and flew with the squadron until sold in 1991. In 1992, the squadron moved to AFB Waterkloof and re-equipped with Dakotas converted to the C-47TP standard.
The Skymasters were retired in 1994. During 1998 the C-47TPs were transfered to 35 Squadron when the squadron took over the CASA 212s and CN-235 of the disbanded 86 MEFS. With the disbanding of 42 Squadron in February 2000.44 Squadron took over their Cessna 185’s as well, using them to form B Flight, while the CASAs formed A Flight.
44 Squadron had a very busy start to the year 2019,as typhoons ripped over the eastern parts of Africa including Mozambique and Malawi.The casa was tasked to take medical and food aid while other contries who also assited at the time.The casa 212 has also been a regular at South African Airshows this year as a jump ship for the Golden Eagles Parachute display team.
Today the Casa 212s still operate out of Airforce Base Waterkloof with the Casa 212 whispering over the field.
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Capacity: 26 passengers / 25 paratroops / 2,820 kg (6,217 lb) military payload / 2,700 kg (5,952 lb) cargo payload
- Length: 16.15 m (53 ft 0 in)
- Wingspan: 20.28 m (66 ft 6 in)
- Height: 6.6 m (21 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 41 m2 (440 sq ft)
- Aspect ratio: 10
- Airfoil: NACA 653-218[51]
- Empty weight: 3,780 kg (8,333 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 8,000 kg (17,637 lb) military
7,700 kg (16,976 lb) standard
- Max Landing weight: 7,450 kg (16,424 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 2,040 l (540 US gal; 450 imp gal) / 1,600 kg (3,527 lb) internal
and 1,000 l (260 US gal; 220 imp gal) auxiliary fuel tanks in the cabin or 2x 750 l (200 US gal; 160 imp gal) auxiliary fuel tanks in the cabin and/or 2x 500 l (130 US gal; 110 imp gal) underwing auxiliary fuel tanks
- Powerplant: 2 × Garrett AiResearch TPE331-10R-513C turboshaft engines, 671 kW (900 hp) each
- Propellers: 4-bladed Dowty Rotol R-334/4-82-F/13, 2.74 m (9 ft 0 in) diameter constant-speed fully-feathering reversible-pitch propellers
Performance
- Maximum speed: 370 km/h (230 mph, 200 kn) VMO (maximum operating speed) at MTOW
- Cruise speed: 354 km/h (220 mph, 191 kn) (max cruise) at 3,050 m (10,007 ft)
- Economical cruise speed: 300 km/h (190 mph; 160 kn) at 3,050 m (10,007 ft)
- Stall speed: 145 km/h (90 mph, 78 kn) in take-off configuration
- Range: 835 km (519 mi, 451 nmi) with full military payload
- Ferry range: 2,680 km (1,670 mi, 1,450 nmi) with maximum fuel and 1,192 kg (2,628 lb) payload
- Service ceiling: 7,925 m (26,001 ft)
3,380 m (11,089 ft) on one engine
- Rate of climb: 8.283 m/s (1,630.5 ft/min)
- Take-off distance to 15 m (49 ft): 610 m (2,001 ft) (MIL-7700C)
- Landing distance from 15 m (49 ft): 462 m (1,516 ft) (MIL-7700C)
- Landing run: 285 m (935 ft) (MIL-7700C)
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