It was developed shortly after the Second World War and sold in large numbers during the immediate post-war years, being typically employed as a replacement for the de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane.

The Chipmunk was the first postwar aviation project conducted by de Havilland Canada. It performed its maiden flight on 22 May 1946 and was introduced to operational service that same year. During the late 1940s and 1950s, the Chipmunk was procured in large numbers by military air services such as the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Royal Air Force (RAF), and several other nations' air forces, where it was often utilised as their standard primary trainer aircraft. The type produced under licence by de Havilland in the United Kingdom, who would produce the vast majority of Chipmunks, as well as by OGMA (Oficinas Gerais de Material Aeronáutico) in Portugal.

The type was slowly phased out of service beginning in the late 1950s, although in the ab initio elementary training role, this did not happen in the Royal Air Force until 1996, when it was replaced by the Scottish Aviation Bulldog.

Many Chipmunks that had been in military use were sold to civilians, either to private owners or to companies, where they were typically used for a variety of purposes, often involving the type's excellent flying characteristics and its capability for aerobatic manoeuvres. More than 70 years after the type having first entered service, hundreds of Chipmunks remain airworthy and are in operation around the world. The Portuguese Air Force still operates six Chipmunks, which serve with Esquadra 802, as of 2018.

The de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk is a two-seat, single-engine aircraft that has been heavily used as a primary trainer aircraft. The basic configuration of the aircraft included a low-mounted wing and a two-place tandem cockpit, which was fitted with a clear perspex canopy covers the pilot/student (front) and instructor/passenger (rear) positions and provided all-round visibility. The Chipmunk uses a conventional tailwheel landing gear arrangement and is fitted with fabric-covered flight control surfaces; the wing is also fabric-covered aft of the spar. In terms of handling, the Chipmunk exhibited a gentle and responsive flight attitude. Early production aircraft were only semi-aerobatic, while later production models were almost all fully aerobatic.

For more information, click here.

It has been primarily operated as a bush plane and has been used for a wide variety of utility roles, such as cargo and passenger hauling, aerial application (crop dusting and aerial topdressing), and civil aviation duties.

The Beaver was designed to operate in all seasons and the majority of weather conditions; a large proportion were also equipped with floats for buoyancy in water; it reportedly possesses favourable performance characteristics for a floatplane. As a result of its favourable characteristics as a hard working and productive aircraft, the Beaver has had a lengthy service life and many examples have been remanufactured or have otherwise received life extension modifications.

The Beaver is typically powered by a single 450 hp (340 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior radial engine. In order to provide the necessary weight balance for optimal loading flexibility, the engine was mounted as far rearwards as possible, resulting in elements intruding into the cockpit space, such as the oil tank being positioned within the center console between the pilot and copilot's feet and the main fuel tank within the forward belly of the aircraft, which also improves accessibility for replenishment. Many Beavers have had wingtip tanks also installed; careful fuel management between the various fuel tanks is required throughout flights in order to maintain the aircraft's center of gravity. The remanufactured DHC-2T Turbo Beaver is equipped with a 680 shp (510 kW) PT6A-34 turboprop engine.

For more details on the development, history and variants of the Beaver, click here.

It was conceived to be capable of performing the same roles as the earlier and highly successful Beaver, including as a bush plane, but is overall a larger aircraft.

The rugged single-engined, high-wing, propeller-driven DHC-3 Otter was conceived in January 1951 by de Havilland Canada as a larger, more powerful version of its highly successful DHC2 Beaver STOL utility transport. Dubbed the "King Beaver" during design, it would be the veritable "one-ton truck" to the Beaver's "half-ton" role.

The Otter received Canadian certification in November 1952 and entered production shortly thereafter. Using the same overall configuration as the Beaver, the new, much heavier design incorporated a longer fuselage, greater-span wing, and cruciform tail. Seating in the main cabin expanded from six to 10 or 11. Power was supplied by a 450-kW (600 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 geared radial. The version used in the Otter was geared for lower propeller revolutions and consequently lower airspeed. The electrical system was 28 volts D.C. Many Otters have been modified with turboprop engines.

Like the Beaver, the Otter can be fitted with skis or floats. The Otter served as the basis for the very successful Twin Otter, which features two wing-mounted Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprops. A total of 466 Otters were manufactured.

For details of the many modifications and eight variants, click here.

Specifications below are for the landplane version. For specifications of the skiplane and seaplane versions, see above link.

The de Havilland DH.50 was a 1920s British large single-engined biplane transport built by de Havilland at Stag Lane Aerodrome, Edgware, and licence-built in Australia, Belgium, and Czechoslovakia.

In the early 1920s, Geoffrey de Havilland realised that war surplus aircraft would need replacing, so his company designed a four-passenger-cabin biplane, the DH.50, using experience gained with the earlier de Havilland DH.9. The first DH.50 (registered G-EBFN) flew in August 1923 and was used within a few days by Alan Cobham to win a prize for reliability during trial flights between Copenhagen and Gothenburg. Only 17 aircraft were built by de Havilland; the rest were produced under licence. The different aircraft had a wide variety of engine fits.

In 1924, Cobham won the King's Cup Race air race in G-EBFN averaging 106 mph (171 km/h). Cobham made several long-range flights with the prototype until he replaced it with the second aircraft. The second aircraft (registered G-EBFO) was re-engined with the Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar engine and was designated the DH.50J. Cobham flew the aircraft on a 16,000 mi (25,750 km) flight from Croydon Airport to Cape Town between November 1925 and February 1926. The aircraft was later fitted with twin floats (produced by Short Brothers at Rochester) for a survey flight of Australia in 1926. On the outward flight from England to Australia, Cobham's engineer (A.B. Elliot) was shot and killed when they were overflying the desert between Baghdad and Basra. He was replaced by Sergeant Ward, a Royal Air Force engineer who was given permission to join the flight by his commanding officer. Also in 1926, a DH.50A floatplane was used in the first international flight made by the Royal Australian Air Force. The Chief of the Air Staff, Group Captain Richard Williams, and two crew members undertook a three-month, 10,000 mi (16,093 km) round trip from Point Cook, Victoria to the Pacific Islands.

Licence production
The aircraft was popular in Australia and de Havilland licensed its production there, leading to 16 aircraft being built. Qantas built four DH.50As and three DH.50Js, Western Australian Airlines built three DH.50As, and Larkin Aircraft Supply Company built one DH.50A.[2] SABCA built three DH.50As in Brussels, Belgium and Aero built seven in Prague, then in Czechoslovakia.[3] The British-built QANTAS DH.50 (G-AUER/VH-UER) was modified in Longreach, Queensland, to suit the Australian Inland Mission as an aerial ambulance. The aircraft was called Victory by the Rev. J Flynn and was the first aircraft used by the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia.

Variants

DH.50 : Single-engined light transport biplane.

DH.50A : Powered by one 240 hp (179 kW) Siddeley Puma inline engine.
DH.50J : The Australian-built Qantas fleet were powered by one 450 hp (287 kW) Bristol Jupiter Mk IV radial engine. Other radial engines were fitted in other aircraft in the DH50J series.

The de Havilland DH.60 Moth is a 1920s British two-seat touring and training aircraft that was developed into a series of aircraft by the de Havilland Aircraft Company.

The DH.60 was developed from the larger DH.51 biplane. The first flight of the ADC Cirrus powered prototype DH.60 Moth (registration G-EBKT) was carried out by Geoffrey de Havilland at the works airfield at Stag Lane on 22 February 1925. The Moth was a two-seat biplane of wooden construction, it had a plywood covered fuselage and fabric covered surfaces, a standard tailplane with a single tailplane and fin. A useful feature of the design was its folding wings which allowed owners to hangar the aircraft in much smaller spaces. The then Secretary of State for Air Sir Samuel Hoare became interested in the aircraft and the Air Ministry subsidised five flying clubs and equipped them with Moths.

The prototype was modified with a horn-balanced rudder, as used on the production aircraft, and was entered into the 1925 King's Cup Race flown by Alan Cobham. Deliveries commenced to flying schools in England. One of the early aircraft was fitted with an all-metal twin-float landing gear to become the first Moth seaplane. The original production Moths were later known as Cirrus I Moths.

Three aircraft were modified for the 1927 King's Cup Race with internal modifications and a Cirrus II engine on a lowered engine mounting. The original designation of DH.60X (for experimental) was soon changed to Cirrus II Moth; the DH.60X designation was re-used in 1928 for the Cirrus III powered version with a split axle. The production run for the DH.60X Moth was short as it was replaced by later variants, but it was still available to special order.

Gipsy engine
Although the Cirrus engine was reliable, its manufacture was not. It depended on components salvaged from World War I–era 8-cylinder Renault engines and therefore its numbers were limited by the stockpiles of surplus Renaults. de Havilland therefore decided to replace the Cirrus with a new engine designed by Frank Halford built by his own factory. In 1928 when the new de Havilland Gipsy I engine was available a company DH.60 Moth G-EBQH was re-engined as the prototype of the DH.60G Gipsy Moth.

Next to the increase in power, the main advantage of this update was that the Gipsy was a completely new engine available in as great a number as the manufacture of Moths necessitated. The new Gipsy engines could simply be built in-house on a production-line side by side with the Moth airframes. This also enabled de Havilland to control the complete process of building a Moth airframe, engine and all, streamline productivity and in the end lower manufacturing costs. While the original DH.60 was offered for a relatively modest £650, by 1930 the price of a new Gipsy-powered Moth was still £650, this in spite of its state-of-the-art engine.

A metal-fuselage version of the Gipsy Moth was designated the DH.60M Moth and was originally developed for overseas customers, particularly Canada. The DH.60M was also licence-built in Australia, Canada, the United States and Norway. Also in 1931 a variant of the DH.60M was marketed for military training as the DH.60T Moth Trainer.

In 1931 with the upgrade of the Gipsy engine as the Gipsy II, de Havilland inverted the engine and re-designated it the Gipsy III. The engine was fitted into a Moth aircraft, which was re-designated the DH.60G-III Moth Major. This sub-type was intended for the military trainer market and some of the first aircraft were supplied to the Swedish Air Force.

The DH.60T Moth was re-engined with the Gipsy III and was initially re-designated the DH.60T Tiger Moth. The DH.60T Tiger Moth was further modified with swept back mainplanes and the cabane struts were moved forward to improve egress from the front cockpit in case of emergency. The changes were great enough that the aircraft was again re-designated, becoming the DH.82 Tiger Moth.

The specifications below are for the DH.60G Gipsy Moth.

For details of design, operational bistory and variants, click here.

DH60 Cirrus Moth

DH60G Gypsy Moth

VH-UAE is the world's second oldest DH.60 still airworthy (serial number 192, constructed in 1925) and was first registered in Australia as G-AUAE on 5 November 1925 making it the longest registered, airworthy aircraft in Australia. It was impressed into RAAF trainer service during WW2 (A7-88), and disposed of in 1945. The original VH registration was re-issued. Other than a brief restoration time during 2000, the aircraft has been airworthy and registered since 1925. Photographed above at the Houdini Centenary Airshow at Melton, Vic, March 2010.

DH60G-III Moth Major

Following the success of the de Havilland DH.50J in Australia, the company was asked to design a larger replacement using a Bristol Jupiter engine. The cabin had room for six to eight passengers with the pilot in an open cockpit behind the wings. The aircraft took only 10 weeks to design and the prototype first flew in December 1927. Following test flights in England, the aircraft was sent to de Havilland Australia in Melbourne. After reassembly, the prototype first flew on 2 March 1928 and was used on scheduled services between Adelaide and Broken Hill by MacRobertson Miller Aviation. The prototype was originally called Canberra which was used as a type name until it was changed to Giant Moth.

A total of 10 aircraft were built, including one in Canada built from components with the rest coming from the Stag Lane production line. Three aircraft for Canada (G-CAPG), (G-CARD) and (G-CAJT) were fitted with Short Brothers floats at Rochester before one was delivered to Canadian Vickers. 

Three aircraft were used in Australia on air mail services by Australian Aerial Services Ltd and QANTAS. The two QANTAS Giant Moths, Apollo (G-AUJB) and Diana (G-AUJC), were acquired in April  and May 1929 respectively.

 They were the first QANTAS aircraft equipped with toilets. The airline took them out of service in 1935 because the Bristol Jupiter XI engines were unreliable. Apollo was sold that year and crashed near Mubo, New Guinea, on 9 May 1938.

Another aircraft, Geraldine (G-AAAN), was bought by the Daily Mail to carry a photographer and his motorcycle around the United Kingdom.

For more information, click here.

The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a single-engine biplane light aircraft. It was developed principally to be used by private touring customers as well as for pilot instruction for both military and civil operators. It is typically powered by a de Havilland Gipsy III 120 hp engine; later models are often fitted with more powerful models of this engine, while some have been re-engined by third-party companies.ted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and many other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. In addition to the type's principal use for ab-initio training, the Second World War saw RAF Tiger Moths operating in other capacities, including maritime surveillance and defensive anti-invasion preparations; some aircraft were even outfitted to function as armed light bombers.

The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until it was succeeded and replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk during the early 1950s. Many of the military surplus aircraft subsequently entered into civil operation. Many nations have used the Tiger Moth in both military and civil applications, and it remains in widespread use as a recreational aircraft in several countries. It is still occasionally used as a primary training aircraft, particularly for those pilots wanting to gain experience before moving on to other tailwheel aircraft. Many Tiger Moths are now employed by various companies offering trial lesson experiences. The de Havilland Moth club, founded in 1975, is now an owners' association offering a mutual club and technical support.

One distinctive characteristic of the Tiger Moth design is its differential aileron control setup. The ailerons (on the lower wing only) on a Tiger Moth are operated by an externally mounted circular bellcrank, which lies flush with the lower wing's fabric undersurface covering. This circular bellcrank is rotated by metal cables and chains from the cockpit's control columns, and has the externally mounted aileron pushrod attached at a point 45° outboard and forward of the bellcrank's centre when the ailerons are both at their neutral position. This results in an aileron control system operating with barely any travel down at all on the wing on the outside of the turn, while the aileron on the inside travels a large amount upwards to counteract adverse yaw.

Read much more about the Tiger Moth here.      

The DH.83 Fox Moth was a successful small biplane passenger aircraft from the 1930s powered by a single de Havilland Gipsy MThe aircraft was designed late in 1931 as a low cost and economical light passenger aircraft.

Many components including the engine, tailplane, fin, rudder and wings were identical to those being used for the de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth then being built in large quantities as a military trainer. These were fitted to the purpose-built wooden, plywood-covered fuselage (longerons: ash forward of the pilot, aft Sitka spruce). The pilot sat in a raised cockpit behind the small enclosed passenger cabin, which was usually fitted with three seats for short-range hops. The "Speed Model" was fitted with a canopy and fairing. The wings folded for space saving storage.ajor I inline inverted engine, manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company.

The prototype first flew on 29 January 1932, and was sent to Canada gaining sufficient interest that seven were assembled at the company's Toronto plant. "Home" based production was shared evenly between sales within the United Kingdom and exports, with 49 aircraft each going onto the British register and being sent overseas.[1] British-based aircraft were mostly used on short-haul joyrides or as feeder flights around the British Isles. The DH.83 Fox Moth was the first aircraft to earn a profit in commercial airline service without subsidies.

Fox Moth VH-UQM Miss Currie was purchased by Victor Holyman for £1,450 and began operating over the 108-mile route over south-eastern Bass Strait between Launceston, Tasmania and Whitemark on Flinders Island in October 1932. It was thus the inaugural aircraft of what was to later become Australian National Airways. QANTAS used Fox Moths to replace de Havilland DH.50s on the Flying Doctor Service.

Total production of the DH.83/DHC.83C Fox Moth was 153, being 98 in England, two in Australia and 53 in Canada after WWII. A number of different engines were used, including the 130 hp (97 kW) Gipsy IIIA on most British-built aircraft and the 145 hp (108 kW) Gipsy Major 1C on the 53 postwar DH.83C Canadian-built aircraft. The DHC-83Cs were fitted with larger pilot cockpit openings, a larger windscreen and canopy, a large ambulance cabin door on the port side to accommodate a stretcher, and did not have folding wings. The DH.83C used DH.82 Tiger Moth main and tail landing gear. The DH.83C was an excellent and economical bush plane.

Variants

DH.83 Fox Moth: Light transport biplane; 98 built in the United Kingdom, plus two more in each of Australia and Canada.
DH.83C Fox Moth: 53 aircraft were built in Canada after World War II.
Gasuden KR-1: This was an unlicensed Japanese-built copy of the Fox Moth powered by a 150 hp (112 kW) Gasuden Jimpu 3 radial engine. The first prototype, J-BBJI named Chidorigo (Plover) flew on 23 December 1933. Seven KR-1s were built.
Gasuden KR-2: The KR-1 design with modified wings and other tweaks.

The de Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth is a three-seat high-wing cabin monoplane designed and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company in 1933.

It was a successor to the DH.80 Puss Moth and replaced it on the company's Stag Lane and later Hatfield production lines. It was similar in configuration to the earlier aircraft, but instead of a fuselage with tubular steel framework, a lighter all-plywood structure was used which allowed a substantial improvement in range, performance and capacity on the same type of engine. The pilot is seated centrally in front of two side-by-side passengers and the wings can be folded for hangarage.

The prototype first flew on 27 May 1933 and in July won the King's Cup Race at an average speed of 139.5 mph (224.5 km/h), piloted by Geoffrey de Havilland. A total of 133 aircraft were built, including 71 for owners in the British Isles, and 10 for Australia. Other examples were exported to France, Germany, India, South Africa and Switzerland. Production of the Leopard Moth ended in 1936.

44 Leopard Moths were impressed into military service in Britain and others in Australia during World War II, mostly as communications aircraft. Only a few managed to survive six years of hard usage although a small number were still airworthy seventy years after the last was completed. Six remained operational in the U.K. in 2009.

The de Havilland DH.87 Hornet Moth is a single-engined cabin biplane designed by the de Havilland Aircraft Company in 1934 as a potential replacement for its highly successful de Havilland Tiger Moth trainer. Although its side-by-side two-seat cabin made it closer in configuration to the modern aircraft that military trainee pilots would later fly, there was no interest from the RAF and the aircraft was put into production for private buyers.

The prototype first flew at Hatfield on 9 May 1934 and, with two other pre-production aircraft, embarked on an extensive test program that resulted in the first production aircraft (designated DH.87A) completed in August 1935 having wings of greater outboard taper. These were found to cause problems, especially when landing in three-point attitude: there was a tendency for the tips to stall, causing embarrassment to the pilot and often damage to the aeroplane. From early 1936, de Havilland offered owners of the DH.87A replacement wings of the new squarer shape at a reduced price in exchange for the original wings. Designated DH.87B, new aircraft from about manufacture Number 68 were built with the new square wings. This wing reduced the overall span by 8 inches (20 cm). The alterations slightly increased overall weight at some penalty to performance.

Production was 164 aircraft, of which 84 were placed on the British Register. Many were impressed for military service during World War II, mostly being used by the RAF as liaison aircraft.

Small numbers survived the war and with time became highly prized by vintage aircraft enthusiasts. A small number are still flying, over seventy years after production ceased.

Variants

DH.87 Hornet Moth : prototypes
DH.87A Hornet Moth : production model
DH.87B Hornet Moth : production model with wing modification

The Bushcaddy R-80 is a Canadian ultralight and light-sport aircraft that was designed by Jean Eudes Potvin of Lac Saint-Jean, Quebec in 1994 and produced by his company Club Aeronautique Delisle Incorporated (CADI). It was later built by Canadian Light Aircraft Sales and Service (CLASS) of St. Lazare, Quebec and later Les Cedres, Quebec and now Bushcaddy of Lachute, Quebec.

The R-80 designation indicates that the aircraft was originally designed for a Rotax engine of 80 hp (60 kW).

The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

The aircraft was designed to comply with the Canadian advanced ultralight rules and is also an approved US light-sport aircraft. It features a strut-braced high-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, fixed tricycle landing gear or conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft is made from 6061-T6 aluminum sheet over a cage of welded aluminum square 6061-T6 aluminum tube. The tail boom is conventional semi-monocoque construction. The non-tapered planform wings have 6061-T6 ribs and spars and employ a NACA 4413 (mod) airfoil. The airfoil modification removes the undercamber on the bottom of the wing, which makes construction easier, without giving up low speed performance. The aircraft's structure uses 2024-T3 aluminium for critical parts where extra strength is required, such as the spar, float and strut attachments as well as other critical components like the rudder horns. The R-80's structure is covered with 6061-T6 sheet of varying thicknesses; wing bottom skins are 0.016 in (0.41 mm) inches thick while the top is 0.020 in (0.51 mm) inches. The wings are supported by conventional "V" struts. 6061-T6 is predominantly used for its lower cost and also its better corrosion resistance, since many R-80s are flown on floats. Its 32 ft (9.8 m) span wing has an area of 168 sq ft (15.6 m2) and does not fit flaps.

Standard engines used on the R-80 include the 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL and the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplants. The 115 hp (86 kW) turbocharged Rotax 914 has also been fitted. The aircraft can also be mounted on floats and skis. Controls include a central "Y" control stick.

Construction time for the R-80 from the factory kit is 1,200 hours. Number built    80 (December 2011).

Variants

CADI R-80
Original production version built by CADI, about 60 produced.
CLASS R-80 BushCaddy
Version produced by CLASS of Saint-Lazare, Quebec, after buying the rights from Potvin in 1998. Production was later moved to Les Cedres, Quebec. To acknowledge the CADI name the aircraft was named the Bushcaddy as it is capable of carrying "a load of people and freight into the Canadian bush".
Bushcaddy R-80
Current production version produced by Bushcaddy of Lachute, Quebec and later of Cornwall Regional Airport in Summerstown, Ontario, after buying the rights from CLASS in 2011.

The Diamond D-JET is a composite, five-seat, single-engine very light jet developed by Austrian aircraft manufacturer Diamond Aircraft Industries. The intended cost for the aircraft was advertised by the company as being US$1.89 million dollars in March 2009.

Development of the D-JET has been disrupted by funding shortfalls during the Great Recession. By February 2013, the development program had been suspended pending company reorganization, which included the workforce related to the D-JET being laid off. During May 2014, Diamond confirmed the continued suspension of the programme, but stated that it had not been cancelled. During December 2016, a majority share of Diamond Aircraft Canada was sold to Chinese firm Wanfeng Aviation; reportedly, this shall result in a detailed re-assessment of the D-JET program, including options for the potential resumption of its development.

The Diamond D-JET is a very light jet aircraft, seating up to five personnel and powered by a single engine. A key attribute of the design was its high level of stability during flight, which was reportedly present through its full envelope even during challenging manoeuvres. As a result of its clean exterior design, the D-JET possesses relatively low drag, enabling the aircraft to glide in excess of 65 miles from its 25,000-foot ceiling altitude. The cabin of the D-JET was intended to feature various design elements to enhance onboard comfort, such as the proposed seating layout and the low vibration levels present during flight, for both passengers and crew. The center cockpit pedestal is cantilevered to ease entrance and egress in comparison to some competitors. Separated baggage compartments are located within the interior of the aircraft's nose and to the aft of the main cabin, both of which being externally accessed.

The D-JET is powered by a single Williams FJ33-4A turbofan engine, which is equipped with an electronically controlled full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) system. Various functions, such as engine startup and over-speed selection prevention, have been automated and are seamlessly performed by the FADEC system. For redundancy, the dual-channel FADEC system uses four independent electrical power sources in addition to battery backup. Diamond opted to adopt a centerline location for the engine, air for which is fed through inlets embedded into the wing roots. The central location of the engine places makes it close to the center of gravity of the D-JET, reducing pitch forces, however, there are some drawbacks to this approach, including elevated air losses within the ducting arrangement used and a greater likelihood of foreign object ingestion.

According to aviation publication Flying Magazine, the controls of D-Jet "feel completely natural...stability is excellent, and I found the workload to be very low". Akin to most jet aircraft, possessing a wide range between minimum and maximum airspeeds, the D-Jet has a larger pitch trim range than a piston-engined counterpart, thus use of the trim control through the takeoff and landing procedures is necessitated to a greater degree than propeller-driven aircraft. The D-Jet is outfitted with relatively large slotted flaps, which were reportedly crucial to achieve the 61-knot maximum stall speed certification required by any single-engine aircraft. These flaps, which resulted in no meaningful pitch changes during retraction or extension, were designed to ease their usage.

The avionics of the D-JET comprise a Garmin G1000 glass cockpit, the large multi-function display of which taking center-place on the cockpit dashboard, akin to aircraft such as the Citation Mustang. For de-icing purposes, Diamond opted for pneumatic boots on the wing's leading edges, bleed air for heating the inlets and ducts, and electric heating for the windshields and probes; in particular, Goodrich developed a considerably thinner de-icing system for the D-JET. The landing gear is electrically-actuated on later-built prototypes; atypically, the landing gear is designed to be used as an air brake during landing approaches, being deployable at speeds as high as 200 knots. Maneuvering on the ground was achieved via a nosewheel steering system, actuated via a mechanical linkage to the pedals. According to Diamond, the D-JET could be operated from 3,000-foot runways, assuming that they are both dry and uncontaminated.

For details of development, click here.

Developed and manufactured by Austrian aircraft manufacturer Diamond Aircraft, it was originally produced in Austria as the DV20.

The DV20 shares many features from the earlier Diamond HK36 Super Dimona. It was introduced to service during 1993. During the 1990s, production of the type was commenced at a new facility in Canada in order to meet demand for the type within the North American market. The Canadian-produced aircraft are designated as the DA20. It has been a relative success on the market, having sold in excess of 1,000 aircraft by 2008 and multiple improved variants of the DA20 have been developed. Additionally, it has been further developed into the four-seat Diamond DA40 Diamond Star.

The Diamond DA20 Katana is a low-wing cantilever monoplane, commonly operated as a low-cost two-seat trainer aircraft. According to Flight International, it has been considered to be relatively unorthodox amongst trainers, utilising a design that makes heavy use of the manufacturer's prior glider products. The Katana benefits in the training role from its relative ease of handling and responsive controls. In comparison to traditional trainer aircraft, it has been marketed as substantially reducing the associated fuel and maintenance costs of operation, while providing favourable flight qualities and the necessary range for trainees to gain experience with. For a time, the Katana was the only two-seat composite training aircraft available that offered both low costs and incorporated advanced technologies, giving it an effective niche in the sector.

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

Specifications below are for the DA20-C1 model.

Built in both Austria and Canada, it was developed as a four-seat version of the earlier DA20 by Diamond Aircraft Industries.

Based on the success of the earlier DV20/DA20 two-seat aircraft, the company designed a four-seat variant, the DA40 Diamond Star. The DA40 is a four-seat low-wing cantilever monoplane made from composite materials. It has a fixed tricycle landing gear and a T-tail. The Rotax 914-powered prototype DA40-V1, registered OE-VPC, first flew on 5 November 1997 and was followed by a second prototype DA40-V2 (registered OE-VPE) which was powered by a Continental IO-240. In 1998 a third prototype DA40-V3 flew powered by a Lycoming IO-360 engine. Four more test aircraft were produced followed by the first production aircraft in 2000. JAR23 certification of the IO-360 production variant was obtained in October 2000. In 2002 the production of the Lycoming-engined variant was moved to Canada and the Austrian factory concentrated on diesel-engined variants.

The DA40 has officially appeared in only three versions, the DA 40, DA 40D and DA 40F, as documented on its type certificates. The various model names that the aircraft has been sold under are marketing names and are not officially recognized by the authorities that have certified the aircraft.[2][3]

The DA40 was initially marketed as the DA40-180, powered by a fuel injected Textron Lycoming IO-360 M1A engine.[2][3]

In late 2006, the XL and FP models replaced the DA40-180. The FP replaced the fixed pitch propeller version of the 180 and the XL replaced the constant speed propeller version. The major difference between the new models and the 180 is the higher maximum cruise speeds. The DA40-XL is approximately four knots faster than the preceding DA40-180/G1000 with the two-blade Hartzell propeller and the "Speed Gear" option. The XL's speed increase is mostly due to the Powerflow exhaust system.

The DA40-XL has a constant speed propeller and is powered by a 180 hp (130 kW) Lycoming IO-360-M1A fuel injected engine. It has a maximum cruise speed of 147 knots, burning 9.2 gallons of Avgas per hour. Its maximum takeoff weight is 2,535 lb (1,150 kg).

The DA40-F (marketed as the "FP") has a fixed pitch propeller, a 180 hp (130 kW) Lycoming O-360-A4M engine, which has a carburettor rather than fuel injection and a more basic interior, but is otherwise similar to the XL

The DA40-TDI uses a Thielert "Centurion" 135 hp (101 kW) diesel engine and burns diesel or jet fuel. It has a constant speed propeller and FADEC (single lever) engine control. The first flight of the DA40D was made on 28 Nov. 2002. This model is not certified in the US.

For more details of the design, devwelopment and operational history, and all variants, click here.

The specificaions below are for the 2007 model Diamond DA40 XL Diamond Star.

 It was notable for being the first mass-produced aircraft in Germany following the end of the Second World War.

The Do 27's precursor, the Do 25, was developed by Dornier at the firm's facilities in Spain in order to satisfy a Spanish military requirement that called for a light utility aircraft with short takeoff and landing (STOL) performance. However, the Do 25 was not selected for production by Spain. Despite this, the aircraft was developed further to produce the Do 27, which was produced in quantity in both Spain and Germany. In addition to domestic sales, a large number of export customers, such as Portugal, emerged for the Do 27, and it had a lengthy service life with some examples still being used into the twenty-first century. The aircraft was appreciated for its relatively wide, comfortable cabin and excellent short-field performance. In terms of its configuration, the Do 27 was a classic high-wing, "tail-dragger" aircraft with fixed landing gear.

During 1951, a development contract was secured for a commuter aircraft that possessed short takeoff and landing (STOL) characteristics. Dornier opted to develop a new aircraft, designing a monoplane with a high-mounted wing fitted with oversized flaps, a wide wraparound windscreen, a fixed undercarriage and a relatively spacious cabin. This new aircraft was powered by a single ENMA Tigre G.V; capable of generating a maximum of 110 kW (150 hp), this engine proved to be too weak to achieve satisfactory performance. The first prototype of the Do 25 performed its maiden flight during July 1954.

Due to the Tigre's performance deficit, it was decided to equip the second prototype with an alternative powerplant; it used the American-sourced Continental O-470 engine instead. The second prototype would subsequently function as a demonstrator for an improved derivative of the aircraft, designated Do 27.

Ultimately, the Do 25 was not selected for production. Despite this setback, Dornier decided to continue refining its design to develop the Do 27, which was sized to seat between four and six personnel. On 27 June 1955, the original prototype performed its maiden flight in Spain. A total of 40 Do 27s were manufactured in Spain by Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA, designated CASA-127. However, the majority of production aircraft were constructed at Dornier's main base in Germany; the first German-built aircraft conducted its first flight on 17 October 1956. A total of 428 Do 27s would be produced in Germany.

A significant portion of the Do 27's production run were acquired by the German military. By the mid-1950s, West Germany had been permitted, and even encouraged, to reequip itself as tensions rose between East and West in what is commonly referred to as the Cold War; due to its ability to operate from compact and unprepared airstrips, the Do 27 quickly garnered favour with military planners. Both the German Air Force and the German Army placed a combined order for 428 aircraft of the Do 27A and Do 27B variants, the latter being equipped with dual controls for use as a trainer aircraft.

For more information on the development and operational history of the D0 27, and its 23 variants, click here.

Seating four, its short takeoff and landing characteristics can be adapted to land, snow, or water use. It is produced as a kit for homebuilding.

The Tundra, Dream Aircraft's first and only product to date, is a kit-built aircraft designed for robustness and STOL performance, seating four in two side-by-side rows. It is almost entirely of riveted aluminium construction, though flying surface tips are composite, and is laid out in conventional high-wing, single-engine, form. The kit parts are made by CNC-machining.

The wing has constant chord, turned-down tips and 2° of washout. It is braced by pairs of V-struts attached to the lower fuselage longerons forward of the cabin. Four-position Fowler flaps are fitted. The tailplane and elevators are rectangular in plan, with a cutout in the latter to allow rudder movement. Fin and rudder are likewise rectangular apart from the leading edge, which has a curved fillet. Both rudder and elevators are horn balanced.

Behind the engine the cabin, under the wing, is accessed via top hinged doors on both sides. There is a separate, port side door for baggage. The flat sides of the fuselage taper to the tail. Several undercarriage configurations are available; for land based operations the Tundra builder can choose between tricycle and tailwheel gear. Both use spring cantilever main legs, with large, low pressure tires for work off soft ground; these legs are positioned at the attachment point of the wing struts for the conventional arrangement and further aft for the tricycle gear. Floats can also be fitted, with their main attachment at the base of the struts and with secondary float struts further aft.

For further information, click here.

The specifications below are for the 200hp landplane variant.

The Durand Mk V was a two-seat sports biplane aircraft developed in the United States in the 1970s and marketed for home building.

The design was distinctive due to a large negative stagger on the wings, but was otherwise conventional. The single-bay wings were braced with I-struts, and while both upper and lower wings were equipped with full-span flaps, lateral control was by spoilers on the lower wing rather than ailerons. Flight testing revealed that the aircraft was impossible to stall. The pilot and single passenger sat side by side beneath an expansive canopy, and the undercarriage was of fixed, tricycle type.

Durand sold 75 sets of plans by 1987, and by that time, at least five aircraft (including the prototype) were known to be flying. By 1998 the company said 91 sets of plans had been sold and nine aircraft flown.

The Duruble Edelweiss is a light utility aircraft designed in France in the early 1960s and marketed for homebuilding. It is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable tricycle undercarriage and all-metal construction. The aircraft was designed for a load factor of 9.

Two- and four-seat versions were designed. The aircraft's creator, Roland Duruble flew the first example, a two-seater designated RD-02 in 1962, and in 1970 began to market plans for a stretched version with a rear bench seat as the RD-03. Over the next 15 years, 56 sets of plans had been sold, and at least nine Edelweisses finished and flown. In the 1980s, Duruble marketed an updated version of his original two-seater as the RD-02A, and sold around seven sets of plans, with at least one aircraft flying by 1985.

Variants

RD-02
RD-02A
Variant designed for homebuilt construction[2]
RD-03A
Two-seat variant with a 100 hp (75 kW) Continental O-200 engine.
RD-03B
Variant designed to have either a 135 hp (101 kW) Lycoming O-320 or Franklin Sport 4B engine. Utility variant with two seats or a normal variant with 2+2 seating.
RD-03C
Variant with a 150 hp (112 kW) Lycoming engine and increased fuel capacity. Utility variant with two-seats or a normal variant with 2+2 seating for four adults.

The Dyn'Aéro CR.100 is a French kit built single engine, two-seat monoplane, developed in the 1990s and intended as both an aerobatic trainer and a tourer, primarily for aero club use.

The CR.100 was designed by Christophe Robin to provide a two-seater that could both provide competitive aerobatic training and be used as a tourer. Suitability for club use, particularly low cost and maximum utility, were prime considerations. It is produced in kit form for home assembly.

The CR.100 is a conventional single engine, low-wing monoplane, with the large control surface areas and absence of dihedral expected in an aerobatic aircraft. The structure is mostly wood and fabric, though the main wing spar is a plywood and carbon laminate composite and carbon covered ply is an option for the wing surfaces. All the flying surfaces are straight edged and tapered. The ailerons take up about 60% of the wing's trailing edge. The ailerons have spades to reduce control loads. The remainder of the wing trailing edge is three-position flaps. The rudder and elevators are horn balanced and there is a fixed rudder trim tab. The width of the flat sided fuselage is determined by the side by side seating arrangement. Full dual controls, including a pair of left hand throttles, are fitted. A sliding bubble canopy covers the cockpit and is faired behind into a raised and rounded fuselage top decking. The wide track main conventional undercarriage has cantilever legs in fairings, with wheels usually in spats. The tailwheel is freely castoring. The CR.100T variant offers the alternative of a tricycle undercarriage.

The CR.100 is powered by a 180 hp (135 kW) Lycoming O-360 flat-4 engine, driving a fixed pitch, two-bladed propeller. The CR.110 variant has a Lycoming engine uprated to 200 hp (150 kW). The CR.120 high agility version is intended to be competitive in the 200 hp class of the Doret Cup and also has the uprated engine. It differs from the CR.110 aerodynamically in having almost full span ailerons and a shorter span to increase the roll rate, at the cost of the flaps, and structurally in having an entirely carbon fibre airframe. The CR.120 was also intended for use as a military trainer. The first flight of the CR.100 was on 27 August 1992. The CR.120 flew in September 1996 and the CR.100T in November 2000.

The RC.100 won the Championnat de France II, the national competition for two-seat light aircraft, in 1994 and 1995. By 2001, more than 35 kits had been sold. In 2010 13 CR.100s, 1 CR.100T and 2 CR.120s were on the French civil aircraft register. Two CR.100s flew with the l'Equipe Voltige de l'Armée de l'Air between 1995 and 1997; one of these was later registered in the UK,[8] the other is now a French civilian.

Variants

CR.100
Standard version.
CR.100T
As CR.100 but with tricycle undercarriage.
CR.110
As CR.100 but with uprated engine.
CR.120
As CR.110 but wingspan reduced from 8.50 m to 7.77 m, with full span ailerons, without flaps. Full carbon fibre reinforced wooden airframe. Standard landing gear configuration is conventional with tricycle gear optional.

The Dyn'Aéro MCR4S is a four-seat development of the French two seat, single engine Dyn'Aéro MCR01. It first flew in early 2000 and is sold as a kit for homebuilding in several versions by SE Aviation of Pontarlier.

The MCR4S is a four-seat development of the Dyn'Aéro MCR01 and retains many similarities. Both types are low wing, single engine monoplanes with T-tails. The major changes are an increase in fuselage length to accommodate an extra row of seats with generous windows and the replacement of the flaperons seen on the long span variants of the MCR01, which have wings of about the same span as those of the MCR4S, with slotted flaps.

The wing and all control surfaces of the MCR4S have carbon fibre spars and ribs, to which preformed aluminium skins are glued. The wings have constant chord and carry 3° of dihedral. The ailerons are short, leaving the rest of the trailing edge of each wing divided between two double slotted, three position flaps. Winglets were introduced in 2001 and modified to have straight (in plan) trailing edges from 2002. The MCR4S has a T-tail with an all-moving tailplane. The fin is an integral part of the carbon fibre monocoque fuselage shell which also features a small ventral fin.

The cabin seats up to four, depending on the variant, in two side-by-side rows. Entry is via the large, forward hinged, two piece canopy. Two large windows light the rear seats, the port side one doubling as an emergency exit. A variety of Rotax flat four engines may be fitted, driving a two or three blade propeller, which may have fixed or variable pitch. The MCRS4 has a tricycle undercarriage. The main wheels are mounted on short, vertical legs beneath the wings, as on the Club and ULC variants of the MCR01, with a track of 2.33 m (7 ft 8 in). All undercarriage wheels and legs are faired.

The Dyn'Aéro MCR4S flew for the first time on 14 June 2000.

The MCR4S structure has been used by EADS Defence & Security for its EADS Surveyor 2500 drone.

The first public appearance of the MCR4S was at the International Air Rally held at Cranfield just nine days after the first flight. French certification was gained in June 2001 (DGAC) and the first customer, aircraft designer Pierre Robin, flew his aircraft shortly afterwards. UK certification (LAA), though sought, had not been achieved by 2009.

In mid-2010, 90 MCR4Ss appeared on the civil aircraft registers of European countries excluding Russia.

Variants
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2011/12

Current (2010) versions are based on the MCRS4S-2002 specification.
MCR4S evolution
Powered by the new Rotax 915 iS engine and developed by SE Aviation in Pontarlier, France.
MCR2S Ibis
Two seat configuration with large baggage volume. Rotax 912 engine.
Pickup
Two seat, lightened to 290 kg (639 lb) empty, to produce a microlight aircraft with two seats, maximum internal capacity and performance. Rotax 912UL or ULS engines of 80 to 100 hp (60 to 75 kW).
Three seat
Three seat, powered by a 60 kW (80 hp) Rotax 912 UL or JPX 4TX75 engine.
Four seat
Four seat, powered by a 74 kW (99 hp) Rotax 912 UL-S engine.
Four seat Performance     (Specifications below)
Four seat, powered by an 85 kW (113 hp) Rotax 914 UL engine.
CITEC
Powered by a Wilksch-120 90 kW (120 hp) two stroke, three cylinder diesel engine.
Dyn'Aéro Twin-R
Twin engine version, first flown March 2011.[1]
MRC ULC
Version lightened to 230 kg (507 lb) empty weight, with tricycle landing gear and powered by an 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912 UL or 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912 ULS powerplant. The aircraft has a cruise speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) with the 80 hp (60 kW) engine.
MRC M
Version of the MRC ULC with conventional landing gear and powered by an 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912 UL or 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912 ULS powerplant.

The Eagle DW.1 is an American-built single-seat agricultural biplane of the late 1970s.

The DW.1 was designed by Dean Wilson of the Eagle Aircraft Company of Boise, Idaho and the first example first flew in 1977. The Eagle is a single-seat agricultural biplane with tapered long-span wings, an enclosed single-seat cockpit and fixed tailwheel undercarriage. The prototype was fitted with a Jacobs R-755-B2 radial engine but later examples were fitted with other more modern powerplants.

Production was sub-contracted to Bellanca Aircraft of Alexandria, Minnesota. The type certificate was sold to Alexandria Aircraft LLC in 2002, but no further production has been undertaken.

95 examples of the DW.1 were built between 1979 and 1983. Their use has been predominantly in the agricultural aviation field as crop dusters and sprayers. In 2001, over 40 examples remained in use throughout the United States. At least  one, VH-FXB, operated in Australlia.

Variants

Eagle 220
220 hp (164 kW) Continental W670-6N radial engine;
Eagle 300
300 hp (224 kW) Lycoming IO-540-M1B5D flat-six engine.

The aircraft was designed and originally built by Eagle Aircraft Pty Ltd, but is now manufactured in Malaysia by Composites Technology Research Malaysia.

It utilizes a three lifting surface design consisting of a forward wing (foreplane), main wing (mainplane) and horizontal stabilizer (tailplane).

The Eagle 150B is a development of the Eagle X-TS from Western Australian inventors Neil Graham and his father Deryck Graham. Australian aeronautical engineer Graham Swannell and American aerodynamicist John Roncz were then engaged to design an aircraft to meet then-current JAR VLA requirements and demonstrate minimal stall characteristics. The resulting prototype (designated Eagle 150A) was first flown in March 1988, and was certified in November 1996. The aircraft demonstrated docile stall characteristics, rapid roll rates, 125 knot cruise speed (at 75% power) and crisp handling. After 15 aircraft were built at Fremantle, Western Australia, the Eagle 150B was introduced. Roncz was presented with the Prince's Australian Medal for the design of the Eagle 150 by His Royal Highness Prince Philip at a London ceremony in 2000.

The manufacturing rights to the Eagle 150B are now owned by the Malaysian company Composites Technology Research Malaysia.

The Edgar Percival E.P.9 was a 1950s British light utility aircraft designed by Edgar Percival and initially built by his company, Edgar Percival Aircraft Limited and later as the Lancashire Aircraft EP-9 Prospector by the Lancashire Aircraft Company.

In 1954, Edgar Percival formed Edgar Percival Aircraft Limited at Stapleford Aerodrome, England, his original company had become part of the Hunting Group. His first new design, the Edgar Percival P.9 was a utility aircraft designed for agricultural use. The aircraft was a high-wing monoplane with an unusual pod and boom fuselage. The pod and boom design allowed the aircraft to be fitted with a hopper for crop spraying. The pilot and one passenger sat together with room for four more passengers. The clamshell side and rear doors also allowed the aircraft to carry standard size wool and straw bales or 45 imperial gallon (55 U.S. gallon) oil drums or even livestock. Even when the hopper was fitted, a ground crew of three could be carried when moving between sites.

The prototype (registered G-AOFU) first flew on 21 December 1955.[2] After a demonstration tour of Australia four aircraft were ordered as crop-sprayers and an initial batch of 20 was built. Two aircraft were bought by the British Army in 1958. In the same year, Samlesbury Engineering Limited acquired rights to the design and formed a subsidiary named the Lancashire Aircraft Company. Lancashire Aircraft renamed the aircraft the Lancashire Prospector E.P.9 but only six more were built, the last of which was fitted with a Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah radial engine as the sole new build Mark Two.

In 1959 Kingsford Smith Aviation of Bankstown, Australia re-engined two aircraft with an Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah 10 radial engine as the EP-9C.

The E.P.9s in their various guises had a long and successful lifespan as private aircraft, utilized in multi-role STOL operations as an agricultural sprayer, light cargo aircraft, jump aircraft, air ambulance and glider tug. One EP-9 N747JC had a more chequered career and was one of two evaluated by the British Army Air Corps with serial XM819. It was once owned in the late 1960s by a gang of international smugglers who found it the ideal way to smuggle stolen furs and counterfeit Swiss francs between England and Belgium. Although the criminals were apprehended in 1969, the EP-9 was finally offered for sale in Belgium in 1972. After three years of pleasure flying in England, the aircraft was shipped to the United States where it was stored in a Wisconsin barn until 1999. After extensive restoration, N747JC appeared at Oshkosh in 2001-03, and in 2008 the aircraft was for sale.

Variants

Edgar Percival E.P.9
Production aircraft powered by a 270 hp Lycoming GO-480-B1.B engine, 21 built.
Edgar Percival E.P.9C
Two aircraft re-engined in Australia by Kingsford Smith Aviation at Brisbane with a 375 hp Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah 10 radial engine.
Lancashire Aircraft E.P.9 Prospector
Continued production powered by a 295 hp Lycoming GO-480-G1.A6 engine, six built.
Lancashire Aircraft E.P.9 Prospector II
Prototype (c/n 47 G-ARDG) officially re-engined with a 375 hp Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah 10 radial engine.
Total produced - 27 airframes (a further unfinished fuselage was not completed).

The Emair MA-1 Paymaster was a 1960s American agricultural biplane aircraft built by Emair, which was part of the Hawaiian Murray company. The prototype was constructed and flown in New Zealand, with production aircraft built in the United States at Harlingen, Texas.

The prototype Murrayair MA-1 was built by Air New Zealand on behalf of Murrayair Limited of Hawaii, United States. Based on the Stearman 75 Kaydet, it had an increased wing area and modification to the forward fuselage to accommodate a pilot (in a raised cockpit for better visibility), a jump seat (used to carry an assistant or mechanic between stations), and a chemical hopper. The fixed tailwheel landing gear was strengthened and a more powerful Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engine fitted. It first flew in New Zealand on 27 July 1969, then it was dismantled and shipped to Hawaii to obtain United States type certification; certification was awarded on 14 April 1970.

Emair began production of the aircraft at Harlingen in Texas. The production aircraft were named Agronemair MA-1 Paymaster at first, then designated the Emair MA-1 Paymaster. Production ended in 1976 after 25 had been built.

In 1975 Emair developed an improved version, the Emair MA-1B Diablo 1200, which was essentially an MA-1 with a more powerful Wright R-1820 radial engine. The more powerful engine did not increase the maximum takeoff weight but allowed operations at higher altitudes, and its lower output speed helped reduce propeller noise.

Forty-eight MA-1s had been built by early 1980, with production being suspended by the end of the year due to poor market conditions. At the end of the 1980s the company halted production after a further 23 Diablos had been built.

Variants

Murrayair MA-1
New Zealand-built prototype with a 600hp (447kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN1 Wasp radial engine.
Emair MA-1 Paymaster
Production aircraft, 25 built.
Emair MA-1B Diablo 1200
Improved version with a 900hp (671 kW) de-rated Wright R-1820 radial engine, 48 built.