Aerotec Uirapuru
| A-122 Uirapuru | |
|---|---|
 | |
| T-23A Uirapuru. | |
| Role | Primary Trainer |
| National origin | Brazil |
| Manufacturer | Aerotec |
| First flight | 2 June 1965 |
| Produced | 1968-1977 |
| Number built | 155 |
|
| |
The Aerotec A-122 Uirapuru was a Brazilian military trainer aircraft. It was a low-wing monoplane with tricycle undercarriage that accommodated the pilot and instructor side-by-side. It first flew on 2 June 1965.[1]
In October 1967, the Brazilian Air Force ordered 30 aircraft to replace the obsolete Fokker S.11s and S.12s (T-21s and T-22s) that were operating in the Air Force Academy.[2] Later, they ordered another 40, and then 30 more. These were designated T-23.
The Bolivian Air Force ordered 36 examples in 1974, which flew until 1997, and in 1975 the Paraguayan Air Force bought 8 aircraft to replace the Fokker T-21 (S.11). In 1986, six more were donated by the FAB. Most of them were withdrawn from service in 1992, replaced by the Enaer T-35 Pillán. As of 2009, only one T-23 is in flying conditions. Thirty others were sold in the civilian market. A total of 155 were built including prototypes by the time production finished in 1977.[3]
The T-23 suffered fatal accidents during spin training. The problem was resolved after a crash in which an instructor described his stricken aircraft's responses to his control inputs all the way to the end. Uirapurus then received a fin under the rear fuselage to correct the issue.
In 1980 interest by the airforce in an improved version led to the development of the Uirapuru II.
Variants
- A-122A Uirapuru - T-23 - Military trainer
- A-122B Uirapuru - Civil version[4]
- A-122C Uirapuru - T-23C
- A-132 Uirapuru II - enlarged version with improved canopy and larger vertical tail surfaces.[4]
Operators
- Bolivian Air Force - 18 A-122A purchased in 1974.[5]
- Paraguayan Air Force - 14 aircraft (8 in 1975 and 6 in 1986)
- Escuela Nacional de Aeronáutica Civil - 1 aircraft (early 70s)
Specifications (T-23)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1971-72 [6]
General characteristics
- Crew: Two
- Length: 6.60 m (21 ft 8 in)
- Wingspan: 8.50 m (27 ft 10¾ in)
- Height: 2.70 m (21 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 13.50 m² (145.3 ft²)
- Airfoil: NACA 43013
- Empty weight: 540 kg (1,191 lb)
- Max. takeoff weight: 840 kg (1,825 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320-B2B 4-cylinder horizontally opposed air cooled, 119 kW (160 hp)
Performance
- Never exceed speed: 307 km/h (165 knots, 190 mph)
- Maximum speed: 225 km/h (122 knots, 140 mph)
- Cruise speed: 185 km/h (100 knots, 115 mph)
- Stall speed: 88 km/h (48 knots, 55 mph)
- Range: 800 km (429 nm, 495 mi)
- Service ceiling: 4,500 m (17,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 4.0 m/s (787 ft/min)
- Endurance: 4 hours
See also
- Related development
References
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Pereira, Roberto (July 1977). "Songbird of the Amazon". Air International. Vol. 13 no. 1. pp. 13–17.
- Siegrist, Martin (October 1987). "Bolivian Air Power — 70 Years On". Air International. Vol. 33 no. 4. pp. 170–176, 194. ISSN 0306-5634.
- Taylor, John W.R. (editor) (1971). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1971-72. London: Sampson Low. ISBN 0-354-00094-2.
- Taylor, John W R (ed.) (1980). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1980-81. London: Jane's Publishing. ISBN 0-7106-7105-9.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 39.
External links
Media related to Aerotec A-122 Uirapuru at Wikimedia Commons