The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of five-abreast single-aisle airliners developed by McDonnell Douglas. It was produced by the developer company until August 1997 and then by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The MD-80 was the second generation of the DC-9 family, originally designated as the DC-9-80 (DC-9 Series 80) and later stylized as the DC-9 Super 80 (short Super 80). Stretched, enlarged wing and powered by higher bypass Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200 engines, the aircraft program was launched in October 1977. The MD-80 made its first flight on October 18, 1979, and was certified on August 25, 1980. The first airliner was delivered to launch customer Swissair on September 13, 1980, which introduced it into service on October 10, 1980.

Keeping the fuselage cross-section, longer variants are stretched by 14 ft (4.3 m) from the DC-9-50 and have a 28% larger wing.

The larger variants (MD-81/82/83/88) are 148 ft (45.1 m) long to seat 155 passengers in coach and, with varying weights, can cover up to 2,550 nautical miles [nmi] (4,720 km; 2,930 mi). The later MD-88 has a modern cockpit with Electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) displays. The MD-87 is 17 ft (5.3 m) shorter for 130 passengers in economy and has a range up to 2,900 nmi (5,400 km; 3,300 mi).

Specifications below for MD-87. For other models, and details of development, click here.

The MD-80 series initially competed with the Boeing 737 Classic and then also with the Airbus A320ceo family. Its successor, introduced in 1995, the MD-90, was a further stretch powered by IAE V2500 high-bypass turbofans, while the shorter MD-95, later known as the Boeing 717, was powered by Rolls-Royce BR715 engines. Production ended in 1999 after 1,191 MD-80s were delivered, of which 116 aircraft remain in service as of August 2022.

The MD-80 series is a mid-size, medium-range airliner, featuring a fuselage 14 ft 3 in (4.34 m) longer than the DC-9-50. The small, highly efficient wing design of the baseline aircraft was enlarged by adding sections at the wing root and tip for a 28% larger wing. The aircraft derivative retains the configuration of two rear fuselage-mounted turbofan engines, a T-tail, and has cockpit, avionics and aerodynamic upgrades. The airliner is designed for frequent, short-haul flights for up to 172 passengers depending on airplane version and seating arrangement.

The flight deck of the MD-80 aircraft featured advancements from the previous DC-9 series aircraft. Electro-mechanical instrumentation with an attitude-heading reference system was standard, with a multi-panel electronic flight instrument system standard on later build aircraft. Earlier aircraft were upgradeable to EFIS instrumentation. A full flight management system or Performance Management Computer was offered. A traffic alert and collision avoidance system, a state-of-the-art inertial reference system, and LED dot-matrix displays for engine and system monitoring were all available on later build aircraft as standard.

The Mitsubishi Ki-57 was a Japanese passenger transport aircraft, developed from the Ki-21 bomber, during the early 1940s.

In 1938, when the Ki-21 heavy bomber began to enter service with the Imperial Japanese Army, its capability attracted the attention of the Imperial Japanese Airways. In consequence, a civil version was developed and this, generally similar to the Ki-21-I and retaining its powerplant of two 708 kW (950 hp) Nakajima Ha-5 KAI radial engines, differed primarily by having the same wings transferred from a mid- to low-wing configuration and the incorporation of a new fuselage to provide accommodation for up to 11 passengers. This transport version appealed also to the navy, and following the flight of a prototype in August 1940 and subsequent testing, the type was ordered into production for both civil and military use.

This initial production Ki-57-I had the civil and military designations of MC-20-I and Army Type 100 Transport Model 1, respectively. A total of 100 production Ki-57-Is had been built by early 1942, and small numbers of them were transferred for use by the Japanese navy in a transport role, then becoming redesignated L4M1. After the last of the Ki-57s had been delivered production was switched to an improved Ki-57-II, which introduced more powerful 805 kW (1,080 hp) Mitsubishi Ha-102 14-cylinder radial engines installed in redesigned nacelles and, at the same time, incorporated a number of detail refinements and minor equipment changes. Civil and military designations of this version were the MC-20-II and Army Type 100 Transport Model 2, respectively. Only 406 were built before production ended in January 1945. Both versions were covered by the Allied reporting name "Topsy".

Variants

Ki-57-I Army Type 100 Transport Model 1: Powered by two 708 kW (950 hp) Nakajima Ha-5 KAI radial engines and a redesigned fuselage to accommodate 11 passengers. About 100 aircraft of this type were built including the civil version.
MC-20-I: Same as above but built for civil use with Imperial Japanese Airways (Dai Nippon Koku KK).
Ki-57-II Army Type 100 Transport Model 2:Powered by two 805 kW (1,080 hp) Mitsubishi Ha-102 Zuisei 14-cylinder radial engines installed in redesigned nacelles. Minor equipment and detail refinements were also incorporated. 306 aircraft of this type were produced before the end of production in January 1945.   Specifications of this model below.
MC-20-II: Same as above but built for civil use with Imperial Japanese Airways (Dai Nippon Koku KK).
L4M1: A small number of Ki-57-Is were transferred for test by the Japanese navy as transports and were redesignated L4M1.

MHI first announced the concept in June 2007, then targeting certification for 2012, as the first Japanese airliner since the 1962 NAMC YS-11. After a delayed development, the maiden flight of the MRJ90 took place on 11 November 2015. In June 2019, Mitsubishi rebranded the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) program as the SpaceJet. As flight testing was longer than expected, service entry was pushed back until development was paused amid the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation.

The airframe is made mainly in aluminium with a carbon fibre composites empennage. The low-wing twinjet is powered by underwing Pratt & Whitney PW1000Gs, and was the first program to select the geared turbofan. The M90 (the MRJ90 renamed) should seat 86 to 96, while the smaller MRJ70 was to accommodate 70 to 80 passengers. The MRJ70 was replaced by the SpaceJet M100, stretched by 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in) to better meet US scope clauses at 76 seats with premium seating. It is comparable with the Embraer E-Jet E2.

MHI officially launched the Mitsubishi Regional Jet Program on March 28, 2008 with an order for 25 aircraft (15 firm, 10 optional) from All Nippon Airways, targeting a 2013 introduction. Mitsubishi is targeting a 20% share of 5,000 sales forecast in the 70-90-seat bracket over 20 years. Flight testing was scheduled for late 2011 and the $1.9-billion programme necessitates 300-400 sales to recoup its cost. Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation (MAC) is a partnership between majority owner Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and minority owner Toyota Motor Corporation with design assistance from Subaru Corporation, itself already an aerospace manufacturer.

For details of the development and production of the SpaceJet, click here.

The specifications below are for the larger M90 model.

It was the only post-war airliner to be wholly designed and manufactured in Japan until the development of the Mitsubishi SpaceJet during the 2010s, roughly 50 years later.

Development of the YS-11 can be largely attributed to Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), which had encouraged Japanese aircraft companies to collaborate on the development of a short-haul airliner as early as 1954. In 1959, NAMC was formed to design and produce an aircraft to satisfy MITI's requirements, dubbed the YS-11. On 30 August 1962, the first prototype performed its maiden flight. Deliveries commenced on 30 March 1965 and commercial operations began the following month. The majority of orders for the type were issued from various Japanese airliners. While sales to such customers were swift in the YS-11's initial years of availability, this limited market soon became saturated, leading to a slump in demand.

Following efforts to acquire more sales from international customers, including the development of the improved YS-11A variant, production of the type ceased during 1974. A total of 182 aircraft were produced. On 11 May 1973, the last YS-11 was delivered to the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF).

For details of the design and development, operational history and ten variants, click here.

The specifications below are for the YS-11A-200 model.

Originally designed to replace the Douglas DC-3/C-47 Skytrain, the prototype utility transport aircraft was designed by Max Holste and designated the Max Holste MH.250 Super Broussard it first flew on 20 May 1959. The initial design had the aircraft rather square in shape, and fitted Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engines to the aircraft. The second prototype, known as the MH.260, was equipped with 980 hp Turbomeca Bastan turboprop engines and eventually took its flight just over a year later on 29 July 1960.

The Prototype Nord 262 at the 1963 Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport

Eventually, wholly state-owned Nord Aviation (later renamed Aérospatiale) took over the further development of the aircraft. The new changes that Nord brought to the aircraft were a rounded, pressurized cabin and the new name Nord 262. The new cabin design enabled the aircraft to carry between 24–26 passengers.

As for the American designation, the "Mohawk 298" airplanes were modified Nord 262s and first flew on 7 January 1975, equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-45 turboprops. Built in order to meet United States FAR 298 regulation, the modification of the aircraft was overseen by Mohawk Air Services and outsourced to Frakes Aviation. Allegheny Airlines was the initial operator of the aircraft.

Four Mohawk 298's were imported to Australia, servicing Central Queensland with a number of operators. Full details can be found here. The last remaining airframe, VH-HIX, is on display at the Queensland Air Museum, Caloundra, minus engines and propellers. The QAM website can be found here.

More details of the design and development, and other variants, can be found here.

Specifications below are for the N262A model.

Aerospatiale (Nord) 262 - 980 hp Turbomeca Bastan turboprop engines

Nord 262 Mohawk 298 - Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-45 turboprops

Nord 262 Mohawk 298 VH-HIX at QAM

The Northrop Alpha is an American single-engine, all-metal, seven-seat, low-wing monoplane fast mail/passenger transport aircraft used in the 1930s. Design work was done at the Avion Corporation, which in 1929, became the Northrop Aircraft Corporation based in Burbank, California.

Drawing on his experience with the Lockheed Vega, John K. Northrop designed an advanced mail/passenger transport aircraft. In addition to all-metal construction, the new Alpha benefitted from two revolutionary aerodynamic advancements: wing fillets researched at the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, and a multicellular stressed-skin wing of Northrop's own design which was later successfully used on the Douglas DC-2 and Douglas DC-3. In addition, the Alpha was the first commercial aircraft to use rubber deicer boots on wing and empennage leading edges which, in conjunction with state-of-the-art radio navigation equipment, gave it day or night, all-weather capability. The aircraft first flew in 1930, with a total of 17 built.

The Alpha was further developed into a dedicated fast transport, the Northrop Gamma.

The Alpha entered service with Transcontinental & Western Air (TWA) making its inaugural flight on April 20, 1931. The trip from San Francisco to New York required 13 stops and took just over 23 hours. TWA operated 14 aircraft until 1935, flying routes with stops in San Francisco, California; Winslow, Arizona; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Amarillo, Texas; Wichita, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; Terre Haute, Indiana; Indianapolis, Indiana; Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and New York. Three Alphas were operated by the US military as C-19 VIP transports until 1939.

TWA's were initially operated as a passenger service but the Alpha's were later modified at the Stearman factory in Wichita into the cargo-carrying 4A model with a new type certificate. Stearman and Northrop had the same parent company at the time.

The third Alpha built, NC11Y, was reacquired by TWA in 1975, and is preserved at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

The Alpha also entered service in the Chinese Nationalist Air Force and placed in the 8th bomber group but were converted into scout bombers during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Variants
Alpha 2             (Specifications below)
six-passenger version
Alpha 3
two-passenger plus cargo version, several Alpha 2s were converted to this configuration
Alpha 4
cargo version with 2 ft (0.6 m) increased wingspan and large metal fairings encapsulating the main gear for drag reduction. All were converted from Alpha 3s
Alpha 4A
cargo version, all converted from Alpha 4s
YC-19 & Y1C-19
military VIP transport, seating reduced to four passengers, serial numbers 31–516 to 31-518, YC-19 had a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-7, while the Y1C-19s had the R-1340-11 engine

The Saab 2000 is a twin-engined high-speed turboprop airliner built by Swedish aircraft manufacturer Saab. It is designed to carry 50–58 passengers and cruise at a speed of 665 km/h (413 mph). Production took place in Linköping in southern Sweden. The Saab 2000 first flew in March 1992 and was certified in 1994. The last aircraft was delivered in April 1999, a total of 63 aircraft being built. By October 2022, 27 Saab 2000s were in airline and military service.

In December 1988, Saab decided to build a stretched derivative of its successful Saab 340 twin-turboprop regional airliner. The new aircraft was planned to meet a perceived demand for a high-speed 50-seat turboprop with good climb performance which could operate over short- and medium-range routes with similar block times to jet aircraft while retaining the efficiency provided by turboprop engines. The new airliner, called the Saab 2000, was formally launched in May 1989, with Saab already having firm orders for 46 aircraft and options for a further 147. The aircraft was assembled at Saab's Linköping factory, with major subcontractors including CASA, who built the aircraft's wings, Short Brothers, who built the rear fuselage and Valmet who built the aircraft's tail surfaces. The Saab 2000 first flew on 26 March 1992 and entered into scheduled airline service in September 1994, a few months after its certification by the Joint Aviation Authorities in March and the Federal Aviation Administration in April.

The Saab 2000 has a 15% greater wingspan than the Saab 340, and being 7.55 metres (24 ft 9 in) longer can carry up to 58 passengers in a high-density layout and 50 with a more comfortable 32 inches (81 cm) seat pitch. The 2000 was the first commercial aircraft to use the Allison GMA 2100 turboprop engines, which are derated to 3,390 kW (4,550 shp) for the plane. One engine was mounted on each wing, as in the 340, with the engines placed further from the fuselage than those of the 340 to reduce cabin noise. The Dowty-Rotol propellers are 3.81 m (12.5 ft) in diameter, and they have a slow rotational speed of 1,100 rpm at takeoff and 950 rpm in cruise. The aircraft was designed to operate at a maximum cruise speed of Mach 0.62.

Variants

Saab 2000: 50–58 seat regional airliner.
Saab 2000FI: Flight inspection aircraft for the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau, two produced.[citation needed]
Saab 2000 AEW&C: Airborne early warning and control variant fitted with Erieye active electronically scanned array radar and associated mission systems. (Aircraft/Military)
Saab 2000 Airtracer: SIGINT aircraft[citation needed]
Saab 2000 MPA: Maritime patrol aircraft

 It is designed to seat 30-36 passengers and, as of July 2018, there were 240 operational aircraft used by 34 different operators.

On 25 January 1983, the Saab 340 conducted its maiden flight. During the early 1990s, an enlarged derivative of the airliner, designated as the Saab 2000, was introduced. However, sales of the type declined due to intense competition within the regional aircraft market. In 1998, Saab decided to terminate production of the Saab 340.

On 6 June 1984, the Saab 340's launch customer, Swiss operator Crossair, received its first 340 aircraft. One week later, the type performed its first flight with paying customers on board; passengers on board this flight included Pope John Paul II.

During 1989, US regional airline American Eagle placed a large order for the type, procuring a total of 50 340Bs along with options for an additional 50 aircraft.[18] However, business conditions and demand for turboprop-powered regional airliner transformed dramatically during the 1990s; this can be perhaps best summarised by AMR Eagle's decision in October 1999 to announce its intention to phase out its 340 fleet.[19] Faced with diminished value and demand for the 340, Saab chose to shutter production in 1999.

Even after production was terminated, a large number of 340s have remained in commercial service in the following decades. By 2006, there was a resurgence in demand for turboprop-powered airliners, in part due to the rising price of oil; during this year, Saab announced the largest ever leasing deal for the 340, providing a total of 25 340s to Australian operator Regional Express Airlines. By late 2010, Saab was evaluating the option of extending the certified lifespan of the 340 which, under the Maintenance Review Board programme, is typically limited to 60,000 hours; the company believes the maintenance programme could be extended to accommodate up to a 75,000 hour limit.

For more details of the development, operational history and 11 variants, click here.

The design of the 90 Scandia was quite similar to the DC-3. The most distinct visible difference was that the 90 had tricycle landing gear while the DC-3 had a tailwheel. The Scandia also had a quite different vertical stabilizer shape, and numerous more subtle differences. The 90 had to compete with the many surplus DC-3s available on the market at the same time, making sales difficult.

Development started in February 1944. Takeoff weight was specified at about 11,600 kg, with a range of about 1,000 km. The prototype Saab 90 (Scandia) first flew in November 1946. It was capable of seating 24–32 passengers, with low-speed capability. It was to be fitted with Pratt & Whitney R-2000 engines. 

The Scandia project was initiated in 1944 by a supposed need (after World War II) for an aircraft carrying 25–30 passengers for a distance of up to 1000 km.

Main design objectives were: safety; two engines; long life; economic operation.

The wing was shaped, using NACA profiles, to provide good stalling characteristics. Low wing design was chosen since it provided:

• Less structural weight
• Better safety in an emergency landing
• Possibility for one continuous flap.
•  

The wing was built in three pieces. The centre section with engine mounts, and left and right sections which were bolted to the centre section, immediately outboard of the engine nacelles.

The fuselage diameter was chosen to allow for four seats per row. This configuration gave a capacity of 32 passengers. A configuration with wider and more comfortable seats, three seats per row, carrying a total of 24 passengers was also offered. The prototype (90.001) was equipped with 1,450 bhp (1,080 kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R2000 engines (changed to 1,650 bhp (1,230 kW) P&W Twin Wasp R2180 on the production version).

The entire aircraft was built of metal except for the rudders which were fabric-covered metal frames.

A total of 18 units were built. 

The Saunders ST-27 was a regional aircraft built in the 1970s by the Canadian Saunders Aircraft Company based at Gimli, Manitoba.

The aircraft was designed as a conversion of the earlier de Havilland Heron. The conversion program was extensive and featured two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprops and a stretched fuselage. Despite its promise as a regional airliner, the project collapsed when Manitoba government funding was withdrawn in 1976.

Using 13 surplus de Havilland Herons airframes, Saunders designed the conversion and utilized some engineering input from Aviation Traders (Engineering). The remanufactured design was based on a stretched fuselage to accommodate 23 passengers, a lengthened nose to fit radar, reshaped vertical tail (also increased in size) and two Pratt and Whitney PT6A turboprops replacing the original four Gipsy Queen piston engines, along with other minor changes. All of the aircraft's systems, including the brakes, were pneumatic with the exception of the windshield wipers, which were hydraulic.

The prototype made its first flight on 28 May 1969.

Originally based in Montreal, Quebec, the Saunders operation moved to Gimli, Manitoba in 1971 after substantial start-up funding was obtained from the Manitoba provincial government. The government eventually invested $52 million (Canadian) until 1976 when the funding was cancelled. Only 12 ST-27s were built. Although the improved performance of the turboprops was appreciated by prospective customers, the lack of a US certification limited potential sales. Two Saunders ST-27s were dry-leased to "Sky-West" in order to provide scheduled air service to Yorkton, Dauphin and Brandon (from Saskatoon and Winnipeg) as an economic development project. Other ST-27s served as regional airliners in Ontario and elsewhere but few air carriers were exploiting this route system at the time. The notable exception was Air Otonabee (from 1980: Air Atonabee) operating scheduled passenger service from the Island Airport (Toronto), using ST-27 aircraft beginning in 1974; by 1984, it was carrying 25,000 passengers annually.

Saunders ST-28

With only meager sales success due to the certification issue and with old Herons becoming more expensive, the company decided to manufacture a new version based on the original ST-27, compliant with US Federal Aviation Regulation Part 23 (FAR 23).[2] The first ST-28 was manufactured at the Gimli, Manitoba factory using new jigs and tooling supplied by Hawker Siddeley Aviation. Although superficially similar to the earlier ST-27, the new aircraft benefited from the experiences of flying the earlier airliner in regular service. Larger cabin windows, an increased rudder size, four-bladed propellers and a host of other enhancements were incorporated in the ST-28, including a 1,000 lb (450 kg) increase in maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) and extra fuel capacity.[2] The first flight of the prototype, C-FYBM-X took place on 18 July 1974.

While testing was taking place towards an American certification, the Saunders company had plans for series production but no firm orders and a tremendous drain on available funding. The precarious financial situation eventually led to a review by the Manitoba government and the withdrawal of funding in 1976. The company was forced to wind down operations and sold all assets and rights to Air Otonabee, one of the primary operators of the earlier ST-27. By the early 1980s, the sturdy airliners began to fade from service with the last ST-27 being retired during this period.

The Savoia-Marchetti S.74 was a four-engine airliner developed by Savoia-Marchetti for Ala Littoria.

The prototype first flew on 16 November 1934. Only three were ever built.

The aircraft were used in passenger service. On 22 December 1937, one broke the speed record over 1,000 kilometres (620 mi), at 322.089 km/h (200.137 mph). When Italy entered World War II in 1940, they were put into service as military transport aircraft for the Regia Aeronautica. None of the three survived the war.

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.75 Marsupiale (Italian: marsupial) was an Italian passenger and military transport aircraft of the 1930s and 1940s. It was a low-wing, trimotor monoplane of mixed metal and wood construction with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage. It was the last of a line of transport aeroplanes that Alessandro Marchetti began designing in the early 1930s. The SM.75 was fast, robust, capable of long-range flight and could carry up to 24 passengers for 1,000 miles.

The SM.75 was designed in response to an enquiry from the Italian airline Ala Littoria, which was seeking a modern, middle-to-long-range airliner and cargo aircraft as a replacement for its Savoia-Marchetti S.73 aircraft. Savoia-Marchetti chief designer Alessandro Marchetti (1884–1966) retained the general configuration of the S.73 but introduced retractable main landing gear to reduce aerodynamic drag. The SM.75s airframe consisted of a steel-tube frame with fabric and plywood covering, and its control surfaces were plywood-covered. The SM.75 had a four-man crew, and its cabin was built to accommodate up to 25 passengers. Its short take-off run of 337 metres (1,105 feet) and shorter landing distance of 280 m (920 ft) meant that it could operate from short runways on secondary airfields.

The SM.75 was powered by three 559 kW (750 hp) Alfa Romeo 126 RC.34 radial engines. Eleven aircraft fitted with three 641 kW (860 hp) Alfa Romeo 126 RC.18 14-cylinder engines were designated SM.75bis.

The Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) was interested in the SM.75, resulting in the development of a militarized version. This had much smaller cabin windows and was reinforced for a dorsal gun turret, as well as being equipped with a retractable bomb aimer's cupola, and a bomb bay. It was powered by three Alfa Romeo 128 RC.21 engines and had a greater cargo capacity than the SM.75, and entered military service as the Savoia-Marchetti SM.82.

In 1939, a floatplane version of the SM.75 was built as the SM.87, powered by three 746 kW (1,000 hp) Fiat A.80 engines. It could reach a speed of 365 km/h (227 mph), had a ceiling of 6,250 m (20,510 ft), and a range of 2,200 km (1,400 mi). With a crew of four, it could accommodate 24 passengers. Four were built.

For more information on operational history and variants, click here.

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.95 was an Italian four-engine, mid-range transport aircraft, which first flew in 1943. It was the successor of the Savoia-Marchetti SM.75.

The SM.95 was announced in 1937, when the future was seen in the 4-engined aircraft. Until that time Italy had mainly used 3-engined aircraft. The SM.95, designed by Alessandro Marchetti, first flew on 8 May 1943. Originally named SM.76 it was fitted with four 750 hp A.R. 126 RC.34. In 1939 the project was renamed SM.95C (C for Civil), with the more powerful Alfa Romeo RC.18 (860 hp) engine.

With the start of World War II, this project was stopped until December 1941, when L.A.T.I. called for a 4-engined useful for South American routes. It had, nevertheless, inferior performances compared to Piaggio P.108C and CANT Z.511A, both metallic and more powerful. But the new SM.95 had lower costs and a swifter development.

The aircraft was similar to other contemporary airliners, but the construction was mixed. Welded steel was used for the fuselage structure, with light alloy covering fitted to the nose, underside and rear fuselage, and fabric covering for the fuselage sides and roof. The three-spar wing was also of wooden construction, with plywood skinning. The engines drove three-bladed metal constant speed propellers.

The two pilots sat side by side in an enclosed cockpit, while behind them sat the flight engineer (on the left) and radio operator (on the right). Behind the cockpit, there was normally seating for 20–30 passengers, with up to 38 being able to be carried over short ranges.

There was an initial need for a bomber version, SM.95B, with enhanced engines and a weapon set. Nevertheless, the first to fly was the SM.95C, on 3 August 1943, at Vergiate, with Guglielmo Algarotti flying. Number built: 20

For detais of operational history, click here.

 It seats up to 30 people and was relatively inexpensive and had low maintenance costs at the time of its introduction in 1976. The 330 was based on the SC.7 Skyvan.

The Short 330 was developed by Short Brothers of Belfast from Short's earlier Short Skyvan STOL utility transport. The 330 had a longer wingspan and fuselage than the Skyvan, while retaining the Skyvan's square-shaped fuselage cross section, allowing it to carry up to 30 passengers while retaining good short field characteristics. The first prototype of the 330 flew on 22 August 1974.

The Short 330 is unusual in having all of its fuel contained in tanks located directly above the ceiling of the passenger cabin. There are two separate cockpit doors for pilot and co-pilot for access from inside the cabin.

While Short concentrated on producing airliners, the design also spawned two freight versions. The first of these, the Short 330-UTT (standing for Utility Tactical Transport), was a military transport version fitted with a strengthened cabin floor and paratroop doors,[7] which was sold in small numbers, primarily to Thailand, which purchased four. The Short Sherpa was a freighter fitted with a full-width rear cargo door/ramp. This version first flew on 23 December 1982, with the first order, for 18 aircraft, being placed by the United States Air Force (USAF) in March 1983, for the European Distribution System Aircraft (EDSA) role, to fly spare parts between USAF bases within Europe. Subsequently, a further 16 were ordered as C-23B Sherpas.

The basic Short 330 was a passenger aircraft intended as a short-range regional and commuter airliner, and had been designed to take advantage of US regulations which allowed commuter airlines to use aircraft carrying up to 30 passengers, thereby replacing smaller types such as the Beechcraft Model 99 and the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter. The Short 330 entered service with Time Air (a Canadian airline) in 1976. Despite its somewhat portly looks (one regional airline affectionately dubbed it the "Shed" ), it soon proved to be an inexpensive and reliable 30-seat airliner. The 330's design was refined and heavily modified, resulting in the Short 360.
 

For more details of the operational history and five variants, click here.

Short 360

The Short 360 (also SD3-60; also Shorts 360) is a commuter aircraft that was built by UK manufacturer Short Brothers during the 1980s. The Short 360 seats up to 39 passengers and was introduced into service in November 1982. It is a larger version of the Short 330.

During the 1970s, the world's commuter airline market began to evolve from the 20-seat class to larger and more comfortable cabins. Short Brothers of Northern Ireland had created the Skyvan in 1962, followed by the related but larger Short 330 in 1974. The Short 360 development was announced in 1980, with the prototype's first flight on 1 June 1981 and type certification awarded on 3 September 1981.

The first production Short 360 had its maiden flight on 19 August 1982 and entered service with Suburban Airlines (later merged with Allegheny Airlines/US Airways) in November 1982.

After initiating production with the basic model, Short marketed a number of 360 developments. First was the 360 Advanced, in late 1985, with 1,424 shp (1,062 kW) PT6A-65-AR engines. That was followed by the 360/300, in March 1987, with six-blade propellers, more powerful PT6A-67R engines, and aerodynamic improvements, giving a higher cruise speed and improved "hot and high" performance. The 360/300 was also built in 360/300F freighter configuration.

Production of the 360 ceased in 1991 after 165 deliveries.

The Short 360 is a 36-seat derivative of the 30–33 seat Short 330. In high density configuration, 39 passengers could be carried. The two Short airliners have a high degree of commonality and are very close in overall dimensions. The later 360 is easily identified by a larger, swept tail unit mounted on a revised rear fuselage. The 360 has a 3-foot (91 cm) fuselage "plug" which gave sufficient additional length for two more seat rows (six more passengers), while the extra length smoothed out the aerodynamic profile and reduced drag. Seating is arranged with two seats on the starboard side of the cabin and one seat on the port side. The 360's power is supplied by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65Rs.

Building on the strengths and reputation of its 330 antecedent, the 360s found a niche in regional airline use worldwide, being able to operate comfortably from 4,500 feet (1,400 m) runways – opening up hundreds of airfields that would otherwise be inaccessible to airliners. With a cruise speed about 215 knots (250 mph; 400 km/h), at an altitude of 10,000 feet (3,000 m), the unpressurized 360 was not the fastest turboprop in its market, but it offered acceptable performance at a reasonable price, combined with ease of service and maintainability. The PT6A turboprops are fully ICAO Stage 3 noise-compliant, making the 360 one of the quietest turboprop aircraft operating today.

Variants

360-100 - the first production model with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65R turboprop engines.
360 Advanced - with PT6A-65AR engines rated at 1,424 shp (1,062 kW) each. The aircraft was later redesignated 360-200. Introduced in late 1985.
360-300 - with more powerful PT6A-67R engines with six-blade propellers. Higher cruise speed and improved performance.
360-300F - the freighter version of the -300,[8] with capacity for five LD3 cargo containers.
Short C-23 Sherpa B+ and C variants are military-configured Short 360s operated by the United States military. Twenty-eight C-23B+ were produced by conversions of civilian Short 360 airframes, and the C-23C was a conversion of C-23B and C-23B+.

The Short L.17 Scylla was a British four-engined 39-seat biplane airliner designed and built by Short Brothers at the request of Imperial Airways to supplement the Handley Page H.P.42 fleet already in service after Handley Page quoted an excessive price for two additional H.P.42s. They were ordered in 1933.

Imperial Airways used the Scylla for scheduled flights from London to Paris and other European cities. Two aircraft were built, Scylla (G-ACJJ) and Syrinx (G-ACJK). Both served with the airline, until its merger into BOAC in 1939, when both were taken out of service the following year, Scylla after being wrecked and Syrinx being scrapped.

The Scylla was a land-based development of the Short Kent (S.17) flying boat which used the Kent's flying surfaces on a new fuselage.

It was an all-metal biplane with a wingspan of 113 ft (34 m) powered originally by four Bristol Jupiter XFBM radial engines mounted on vertical struts between the upper and lower planes. The square-section fuselage was mounted below the lower wing while the tail had a single fin and rudder with a horizontal stabilizer mounted mid way up. The Scylla was originally fitted with a Flettner-type trim tab mounted on arms extended out from the rudder's trailing edge to reduce control forces. An experimental servo tab mounted on the trailing edge of the rudder was also tested, on G-ACJJ Scylla which led to a patent application submitted jointly by Shorts and Dudley Lloyd Parkes on 7 August 1936.

The main undercarriage had one fixed wheel on each side, mounted on three diagonally-braced struts, one to the upper and two to the lower edge of the fuselage; there was a single tailwheel. Ailerons were fitted to both upper and lower wings.

The engine nacelles were designed to receive Bristol Jupiter, Pegasus or Perseus engines without modification, This later enabled the two inboard Jupiters of G-ACJK Syrinx to be easily replaced with Perseus IIL sleeve valve engines, to test their performance in airline conditions. Syrinx was fitted with four Pegasus XC engines when it was rebuilt after it had been severely damaged when blown over by crosswinds while taxiing at Brussels airport.

The SNCASE S.E.2010 Armagnac was a large French airliner of the late 1940s built by SNCASE (Sud-Est). The aircraft's disappointing performance and range prevented it from achieving commercial success. Although the SNCASE Armagnac did not have a sterling career, its passenger compartment design gave it a much roomier feel and greater capacity and foreshadowed the future wide-body jet airliners.

Designed originally around a French requirement for an 87-passenger, long range airliner issued in 1942, the S.E. 2000 was to have been powered by four 2,100 hp Gnome-Rhône 18R engines. At an early stage, the S.E. 2000 was abandoned in favour of a larger, more capable version, the S.E. 2010 Armagnac. The Armagnac was a cantilever mid-wing monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear designed for transatlantic service. A number of versions were planned from a 60-passenger "sleeping berth" version to 84-passenger, 108-passenger and 160-passenger versions.

After delays to the planning because of wartime conditions, work proceeded quickly at Toulouse, Marseilles and Paris, where various components were being built and tested. The Armagnac was designed from the outset in a Cook-Craigie production line prior to the first prototype which flew on 2 April 1949 with Sud-Est Chief Pilot Pierre Nadot at the controls but was lost on 30 January 1950 while still undergoing tests. The first production series aircraft F-BAVD flew on 30 December 1950. Examples of the S.E.2010 were demonstrated at the 1951 and 1953 Paris Grand Palais.

Although the S.E.2010 was powered by Pratt & Whitney R-4360-B13 Wasp Major engines, the most powerful piston engine ever placed into production for aircraft use, a concern that the final design was underpowered led to a planned redesign. The final (15th) production aircraft was intended to be re-engined with 5,400 hp Allison T40 turboprops, but production was curtailed at eight and the more advanced version was never built. An Armagnac, S.O. 2060, ended its days as an engine test-bed, alternately fitted with turbojet engines fitted in a nacelle below the fuselage. It was tested with two Snecma Atar 101 turbojets each engine having a different system of afterburner. The Snecma Vulcain was also tested in a similar manner.

For details of the operational history, click here.

The Spartan Cruiser was a 1930s British three-engined transport monoplane for 6 to 10 passengers built by Spartan Aircraft Limited at East Cowes, Isle of Wight. It was a development of the Saro-Percival Mailplane for passenger use.

The Saro-Percival Mailplane was a three-engined monoplane mail plane designed by Edgar Percival, and built by Saunders-Roe Limited (Saro) at Cowes in 1931, the aircraft first flying early in 1932. It was a low-winged monoplane, with a wooden wing and plywood fuselage, and was powered by three 120 hp de Havilland Gipsy III engines. When Saro was financially re-organised, Percival sold his interest in the aircraft to Saro, who re-designated it as the Saro A.24 Mailplane. Due to the close ties between Saro and Spartan Aircraft, the development of the aircraft was transferred to Spartan, and the aircraft was re-designated again as the Spartan Mailplane. The aircraft was modified to accommodate two passenger seats. Starting on 15 June 1932, the Mailplane (G-ABLI) flew from Stanley Park Aerodrome (Blackpool) to Karachi, India taking a total of 5 days 23 hours 50 minutes.

The Mailplane had seen no commercial interest, so the design was re-worked as a passenger carrier. This re-designed aircraft was designated the Spartan Cruiser, and the prototype (G-ABTY) first flew in May 1932, piloted by Louis Strange. The original three-engined low-wing format had been retained, but the plywood fuselage was replaced with an all-metal fuselage to carry six passengers and two crew.

Just one example was built of the basic Cruiser (G-ABTY, later known as the Cruiser I). Both the new Cruiser and the Mailplane were displayed at the first Society of British Aircraft Constructors (SBAC) Show at Hendon Aerodrome on 27 June 1932. It was then used for demonstrations, including a 3,593-mile European sales tour. The Yugoslavia airline Aeroput ordered two aircraft and a licence to build further examples in Yugoslavia at the Zmaj aircraft factory.

The Cruiser was re-designed as the Spartan Cruiser II, featuring a modified fuselage and cockpit. The first Cruiser II (G-ACBM) flew in February 1933, powered by Cirrus Hermes IV engines, and G-ACKG/VT-AER also used that engine type. Most Spartan-built Cruiser IIs were powered by three Gipsy Major engines, but G-ACOU/OK-ATM was powered by Walter Major engines. In 1933 and 1934, twelve Cruiser IIs were built by Spartan, five of which were exported. Just one licence-built Cruiser II (YU-SAP)[8] was built in Zemun, Yugoslavia, by Zmaj aircraft company, in 1935.

One further development was the Spartan Cruiser III, with an aerodynamically-refined fuselage accommodating eight passengers, a modified windscreen and a trousered main undercarriage. Only three Cruiser IIIs were built (G-ACYK, G-ADEL and G-ADEM), for Spartan Air Lines.

Spartan Air Lines Ltd was formed to operate Cruisers between London and Cowes, Isle of Wight. In April 1933, Spartan Air Lines initially operated the one Cruiser I (G-ABTY) and two Cruiser IIs (G-ACDW and G-ACDX) from Heston Aerodrome. Iraq Airwork Limited ordered one aircraft for an experimental air route between Baghdad and Mosul, with a further aircraft being ordered by Misr Airwork, the Egyptian branch of Airwork. Two Cruiser IIs and one Cruiser III were impressed into RAF service in 1940.

The Stinson Model A was a moderately successful airliner of the mid-1930s. It was one of the last commercial airliners designed in the United States with a fabric-covered steel tube fuselage before the introduction of stressed skin aluminum construction.

A total of 30 Stinson Model As were built until production ceased in 1936. It was one of many promising designs whose commercial success was cut short by the introduction of the stressed-skin Boeing 247 and Douglas DC-2.

Australia

Because the waiting lists for either the new Boeing or Douglas aircraft were already too long Airlines of Australia (AOA) ordered three Stinson Model As in January 1936. These aircraft were VH-UGG Lismore (arrived per s.s. City of Winchester on 27 March), VH-UHH Brisbane (arrived per s.s. Wichita on 22 June) and VH-UKK Townsville (arrived 22 July in the s.s. City of Manilla). All three were quickly reassembled and entered the Sydney - Brisbane service, proving so successful that in August AOA ordered a fourth example VH-UYY Grafton – the very last Stinson Model A to be built – which arrived at Sydney on board s.s. Port Alma on 14 December.

With posturing from both AOA and Australian National Airways (ANA) to cut into each other’s turf by late 1936, early efforts by ANA to gain a controlling interest in AOA failed, until the tragic losses of VH-UHH Brisbane in the McPherson Ranges on 19 February 1937 and VH-UGG Lismore on 28 March halved AOA’s main-line fleet. A merger took effect in March 1937, although the two companies retained separate identities until AOA was formally absorbed into ANA on 1 July 1942. The two surviving Stinsons were then renamed VH-UKK Binana and VH-UYY Tokana, in conformity with ANA nomenclature.

During the Second World War spare parts for the Stinsons' aging Lycoming R-680 engines were impossible to obtain in Australia and it was decided to re-engine both aircraft with a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp engine on each wing and eliminate the engine on the nose. The additional power allowed both aircraft to fly faster and carry heavier loads, although fuel dumps had to be fitted to allow them to remain under their maximum landing weight of 10,750 lb (4,876 kg), in case of an emergency necessitating landing shortly after take-off.

On completion at Essendon, Victoria in May 1943, Binana returned to the Brisbane-Cairns, Queensland run, while Tokana was similarly converted and re-entered service in October on the run between Melbourne (Essendon), Kerang, Victoria, Mildura, Victoria and Broken Hill, New South Wales. Binana was later transferred to the Melbourne-Tasmania service.

On the morning of 31 January 1945 Tokana was on the Essendon to Kerang leg of its regular service when the port wing separated in flight between Redesdale and Heathcote, fifty miles north of Melbourne. The aircraft then plunged to the ground, killing both crew and the full load of eight passengers. An investigation revealed that metal fatigue had developed in the wing’s lower main spar boom attachment socket, the actual failure possibly being instigated by the aircraft encountering a particularly heavy gust of wind. It was the first known occurrence of this type of accident in an aircraft anywhere in the world, but it was to become a problem all too common in later years where progressively larger aircraft would be built from light-weight alloys that were more susceptible to the underlying metallurgical phenomenon. It being assumed that the same problems could occur in Binana, its certificate of airworthiness was cancelled, and the old aircraft was subsequently broken up.

A non-flying scale replica was built for a 1987 television movie account of the 1937 McPherson Ranges disaster, The Riddle of the Stinson, in which two survivors of the crash were rescued by Bernard O'Reilly.

Outside Australia

Outside Australia, examples of the Stinson Model A remained in service in such far-flung corners of the globe as Korea and Alaska for some years. One example still survives, having crashed in Alaska in 1947, recovered and rebuilt in 1979, it passed to the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum in 1988 and then to Greg Herrick's Golden Wings Flying Museum in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[5] The aircraft is now located at the Mid America Flight Museum-Ohio Wing in Urbana, Ohio

The Stinson SM-6000 Airliner was a 1930s three-engined (trimotor) ten-passenger airliner designed and built by the Stinson Aircraft Corporation. The SM-6000 was a high-wing braced monoplane with room for a pilot and a cabin for ten passengers. It was powered by three 215 hp (160 kW) Lycoming R-680 engines strut-mounted one each side above the main landing gear units and one in the nose. A number of variants were built mainly with improved interiors. In 1932 the Model U Airliner was produced which had low-set stub wings with an engine mounted at each wingtip.

Variants

Corman 6000
The initial prototypes produced by the Corman aircraft Co. as part of the E L Cord empire.
SM-6000 Airliner
1930 initial production variant with three 215hp (160kW) Lycoming R-680 engines. 53 built.
SM-6000-A Airliner
1930 variant available with different interior configurations.
SM-6000-B1 Airliner
1931 all-passenger variant with better interior equipment.
SM-6000-B2 Airliner
As the B1 but with a mixed mail/passenger interior.
Model U Airliner
1932 improved model with three 240hp (179kW) Lycoming R-680-BA engines on stub wings. 24 built.
C-91
United States military designation for one SM-6000-A (s/n 42-79547) impressed into service in 1942.

It was developed by SNCASE in the early 1950s, and made its maiden flight on 27 May 1955. It include some de Havilland designs and components developed for the de Havilland Comet. SNCASE was then merged into the larger Sud Aviation conglomerate before the aircraft entered revenue service on 26 April 1959 with Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS). Until the production end in 1972, 282 have been built. It was operated in every continent until its retirement in 2005.

The short-range, five-abreast airliner is powered by two aft-mounted Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engines, allowing a clean low wing. The configuration was later retained in many narrow-body aircraft and regional jets. The initial I, III and VI variants could seat 90 to 99 passengers over 1,650 to 2,500 km (890 to 1,350 nmi). The later, slightly longer 10/11 variants could seat 99 to 118 passengers over 2,800 to 3,300 km (1,500 to 1,800 nmi), powered by Pratt & Whitney JT8D low-bypass turbofans. The stretched Caravelle 12 could seat 131 over 3,200 km (1,700 nmi).

The Caravelle belongs to the first generation of passenger aircraft to use newly developed jet propulsion technology, and it was the first jet airliner developed specifically for the short/medium-range sector of the market. Early in the Caravelle's career, its chief competitors were propeller-driven aircraft, such as the British-built Vickers Viscount and the U.S.-built Convair CV-440. Reportedly, the Caravelle proved to be a highly reliable airliner during its early years of service. The low accident rate for the type led to lower than average insurance premiums for Caravelle operators.

The Caravelle was typically powered by a pair of British-built Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engines, installed in a rear-mounted position close to the tail unit. Various models of the Avon engine were adopted for different versions of the airliner, often with increased thrust and additional features such as thrust reversers. Alternative powerplants were adopted or proposed for some Caravelle models, such as the U.S.-built Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1 and General Electric CJ-805-23C engines.

Variants.

For more details of the variants, click here.

For more details of the development and design, click here.

The specifications below are for the Caravelle 12 (Super Caravelle) variant.

The SNCASE SE.161 Languedoc was a French four-engined airliner produced by SNCASE (Sud-Est). Developed from the Bloch MB.160 and known in the late 1930s as the (SNCSO) Bloch MB.161, the SE.161 was in service with Air France and the French military after World War II.

In 1936, Air Afrique needed a new airliner for its African services. Marcel Bloch proposed a development of his Bloch MB.160 aircraft, the Bloch MB.161, which after World War II became the SNCASE SE.161 Languedoc. Design work on the new aircraft began in 1937. The prototype, F-ARTV, first flew on 15 December 1939. It was powered by four Gnome-Rhône 14N radial engines of 1,020 hp (760 kW) each. The aircraft underwent a slow development programme and the test flying was not completed until January 1942. The French Vichy government placed an order for twenty in December 1941, but none were built. The programme was finally abandoned following Allied bombing of the factory at Saint-Martin-du-Touch [fr], Haute-Garonne in 1944.

After the liberation of France the provisional government led by General De Gaulle authorised production to be resumed with the first series production aircraft, designated the SE.161 and registered F-BATA, first flying either on 25 August 1945 or 17 September 1945. An initial batch of 40 production examples was completed for Air France between October 1945 and April 1948.

The Languedoc was an all-metal four-engined low wing cantilever monoplane airliner with twin fins and rudders. It had a crew of five (pilot, co-pilot/navigator, radio operator, flight engineer and steward) Standard cabin accommodation was for 33 passengers seated in eleven rows of three, two on the starboard side and one to port. An alternative first class arrangement was for 24 seats. A 44-seat higher density version was introduced by Air France in 1951.

The Languedoc was fitted with underwing retractable main undercarriage wheels and a tailwheel landing gear and was powered by four 1,020 hp (760 kW) Gnome-Rhône 14N 44/45 or 54/55 radial engines in wing-leading edge nacelles, with partial convertibility to inline water-cooled pistons.

A total of 100 aircraft were built for Air France, the French Air Force and French Navy. Several examples were utilised as test aircraft with the CEV at Villacoublay and elsewhere. The only export customer for new production aircraft was the Polish airline LOT which bought five with some being refitted with Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engines.

For operational history and variants, click here.

The Sud-Ouest S.O.30 Bretagne was a 1940s French airliner built by Sud-Ouest.

he Bretagne (Engl. "Brittany") was designed by a group of designers and engineers who were based at Cannes from May 1941 following the invasion of France. The design was for a medium capacity civil transport, a twin-engined mid-wing cantilever all-metal monoplane. The prototype (designated the S.O.30N) first flew on 26 February 1945.

The initial production version was designated the S.O.30P Bretagne with two versions with different engines. The aircraft operated with a crew of five and could carry between 30 and 43 passengers. A cargo version (the S.O.30C) was produced, with a revised interior and strengthened floor and large cargo door. The aircraft was operated as an airliner, but mainly by the French military forces as a medium transport.

Some aircraft were fitted with two underwing Turbomeca Palas turbojet engines for auxiliary power. Other aircraft were used for engine-trials fitted with the SNECMA Atar 101 and licence-built Rolls-Royce Nene turbojets.

Variants

S.O.30N
Tailwheel undercarriage prototype, c/n 01 built after the 1940 armistice and stored till after the war. The second S.O.30R c/n 02 was built in 1946 and later converted to the S.O.30 Nene, jet powered airliner test-bed.
S.O.30R Bellatrix
Two prototypes of the nosewheel undercarriage production model.
S.O.30C
cargo version, one built with belly loading hatches.
S.O.30P-1
production version with Pratt & Whitney R-2800-B43 engines.
S.O.30P-2
production version with Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA13 engines.
S.O.30 Nene
One aircraft converted from S.O.30R c/n 02 for use as a testbed, powered by two Rolls-Royce Nenes.

The Sud-Ouest Corse was a French mail and passenger transport aircraft, built by SNCASO.

The Corse began as the S.O.90 Cassiopée, a nine-passenger aircraft. The S.O.93 Corse and S.O.94 Corse II prototypes were developed as the S.O.95 Corse III. The aircraft was a cantilever mid-wing monoplane, powered by two Renault 12S engines with a retractable conventional landing gear. Seating up to 13 passengers, the seats could be quickly removed in order to carry more cargo. Intended to serve Air France, it failed their aircraft requirements. 60 aircraft were built for Aeronavale, and a small number for other overseas airlines.

Variants
SNCASO SO.90 Cassiopée
Wartime prototype for 8 passengers and powered by 325 hp Bearn 6D-07 engines. First flew 16 August 1943 with 3 built.
S.O.93 Corse
Prototype powered by Renault 12S engines, 1 built.
S.O.94 Corse II
Production 10 passenger version, 15 built.
S.O.94R
Radar training conversion of S.O.94.
S.O.95M Corse III
Production 13 passenger version with tail-wheel undercarriage, all 45 built for military use.