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The Blume Bl.500, Bl.502, and Bl.503 were a family of four-seat light aircraft designed in West Germany by Dr Walter Blume in the late 1950s. Derived from his Arado Ar 79, the basic design shared by all models was that of a conventional low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable tricycle undercarriage and all-metal construction. The Bl.500 prototype was built for Blume at the Focke-Wulf plant and was powered by a Lycoming O-320 engine of 112 kW (150 hp). This led to a modified version, the Bl.502 that achieved German type certification and was offered for sale alongside the generally similar Bl.503 with a more powerful engine. However, no orders were forthcoming and Blume abandoned the project. The final example of the design, the Blume Bl.503 was still active in 1965. Variants Bl.500 prototype Bl.502 intended production version with Lycoming O-320 Bl.503 proposed production version with Lycoming O-360. A single example was completed.

The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, designed and first manufactured by Dornier GmbH (later DASA Dornier, Fairchild-Dornier) from 1981 until 1998. 245 were built in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. In 1983, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) bought a production licence and manufactured another 125 aircraft in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. In July 2017, 63 aircraft were still in airline service. In 2009, RUAG started building a Dornier 228 New Generation in Germany. The fuselage, wings and tail unit are manufactured by HAL in Kanpur, India, and transported to Oberpfaffenhofen, where RUAG Aviation carries out aircraft final assembly. The Dornier 228NG uses the same airframe with improved technologies and performances, such as a new five-blade propeller, glass cockpit and longer range. The first delivery was made in September 2010 to a Japanese operator. In 2020, RUAG sold the Dornier 228 program to General Atomics subsidiary General Atomics AeroTec Systems. Subsequently production was resumed and the newest version called Do228 NXT is currently being developed and manufactured. For details of development, design and more, click here.

The Bloch MB.160 was a fourteen-seat French airliner intended for use in the French African colonies. Three were built and two entered service with Régie Air-Afrique at the start of World War II. Developments included the Bloch MB.162 bomber which was too late for service and the Sud-Est SE.161 Languedoc, one hundred of which were built post-war. The first flight of the Bloch MB.160 was on 18 June 1937, piloted by André Curvale at Villacoublay, Marcel Bloch's base. On 20 August, now named the Lieutenant-Génin, it was one of thirteen aircraft from three countries (France, Italy and the UK) to take part in a 6,190 km (3,850 mi) race from France to Syria and back, flying from Istres to Damascus and returning to Paris. Nine finished, with Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM.79s in the first three places; the Bloch, piloted by Captain François, was seventh, taking 17h 38 min at an average speed of 273 km/h (170 mph). On 17 October the MB.160 set a new world speed record for an aircraft carrying a 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) useful load over 2,000 km (1,200 mi), averaging 307.455 km/h (191.044 mph; 166.012 kn). By March 1938 it had completed testing at Marignane and had returned to Villacoublay for minor aileron alterations and for some internal revision. By this time a second example was under way. As late as November 1938 one Bloch MB.160 was back for further modifications to the wing. In July 1939 the first of two delivered to Air-Afrique (only the second and third Bloch 160s appeared on the French civil register) had completed its exploration flights, with passengers, in Algeria. Though only three MB.160s were built a development of it, the MB.161, was the pre-war prototype of the Sud-Est SE.161 Languedoc. Its first flight was in September 1939; one hundred of them were built post-war. The Languedoc had a 7% greater span, twin end plate fins and a slightly shorter fuselage. 1,150 hp (860 kW) Gnome-Rhône 14N44/45 radial engines replaced the Hispano-Suizas in the prototype but production aircraft had 890 kW (1,200 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp radials. The MB.162 was the final MB.160 variant, initially developed for long range flights but flown as a bomber. Like the MB.161, it had twin fins and Gnome-Rhône 14N engines. Only one was built, making its first flight on 1 June 1940. For details of design and variants, click here.

The Breda-Zappata B.Z.308 was an Italian four-engined airliner produced by Breda. it was conceived by the engineer Filippo Zappata in 1942, still in time war, with all the problems connected to the priorities of the moment, so much so that the September 8, 1943 only the fuselage of the prototype was built. In the period 1944-45 the work was blocked first by the Germans and, at the end of the conflict, by the Allies, whose Allied Armistice Commission prohibited the continuation of any aeronautical project until the beginning of 1946.Vincenzo Melecca . The B.Z.308 was a four-engined civil transport developed in the late 1940s for operation over both European and transatlantic routes. A large low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction, it was powered by four Bristol Centaurus radial engines driving five-bladed propellers. It had a large tailplane with endplate fins and rudders, and had retractable landing gear. The fuselage, oval in cross-section, accommodated a flight crew of five and 55 passengers in two cabins; a high-density model was planned with seats for 80. In early 1946 the work resumed, also slowed down by British resistance to delivering the needed engines, so the aircraft was completed in June 1946 and the first flight took place on August 27, 1948. V.Meleca Construction began during 1946, under aircraft designer Filippo Zappata at Breda's Sesto San Giovanni works. The Allied Commission halted the work, which was not resumed until January 1947. Further delays in the delivery of Bristol Centaurus engines delayed the first flight, which was on 27 August 1948, piloted by Mario Stoppani. Although flight testing went well, the project was abandoned as a result of financial problems, and anticipated competition from American airliners in the postwar market. Breda subsequently stopped producing aircraft entirely. The prototype B.Z.308 was acquired by the Italian Air Force in 1949 as a transport aircraft (MM61802). Despite orders in 1950 from India, Argentina and Persia, only the prototype was built, allegedly also due to pressure from the allies for Italy to refrain from competing in civilian aircraft manufacture after the war. On 27 August 1948 the Bz 308 made its maiden flight in front of civil and military authorities, politicians and the Italian President. The prototype, which passed to the Italian Air Force in 1950, was used to fly between Rome and Mogadishu until 21 February 1954, when it was damaged beyond repair by a collision with a cement truck, and was abandoned in a field in Somalia before being broken up. It was also the first Italian transatlantic aircraft, and the first aircraft to fly into the new Malpensa airport in 1948. The aircraft has a brief appearance in the 1953 movie Roman Holiday.

The Apollo Fox is a Hungarian ultralight and light-sport aircraft produced by Apollo Ultralight Aircraft, of Eger. The aircraft is supplied complete ready-to-fly. The Apollo Fox was derived from the Aeropro Eurofox, which itself was a metric adaptation of the Denney Kitfox. The Kitfox in turn is a derivative of the Avid Flyer. The Apollo Fox was adapted to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules and US light-sport aircraft rules. It features a strut-braced high-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, fixed tricycle landing gear or optionally conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The aircraft fuselage is made from welded steel tubing, while the wing is built with aluminum spars and ribs. The fuselage and flying surfaces are covered in doped aircraft fabric. Its 9.15 m (30.0 ft) span wing is supported by V-struts and jury struts and features Junkers-style ailerons. Standard engines available are the 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 two-stroke, the 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL and the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant. The cabin width is 110 cm (43 in). The aircraft's wings fold for storage or ground transportation and can be folded by one person in ten minutes. In 2003 a 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS-equipped Fox was flown by Andor Kántás and Csongor Lathky from Sármellék, Hungary to Sydney, Australia, a distance of 25,000 km (15,534 mi).

The Aquila A 210 is a two-seat reinforced plastic light aircraft produced in Germany from 2002. It remains in production in 2022 as the updated A211. The marketing name A 210 is usually used to refer to Aquila's light side by side two seat aircraft, though its official engineering and certification name is Aquila AT01. Design work started in 1997 and the first flight was made in March 2000. The A 210 is entirely built from carbon and glass fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP and GFRP). CRFP is used for the more highly stressed members, spars, frames and stringers, GFRP for shells and control surfaces, the latter with GFRP/polyurethane sandwich construction. The low wing has straight tapered inboard sections with increasing sweep outboard and winglets at the tips on production examples. It has a laminar flow section and 4.5° of dihedral. The ailerons are balanced and the inboard single slotted Fowler flaps have two positions. The A 210 is powered by a Rotax 912 flat four engine driving a two blade propeller. The cabin has uninterrupted transparencies fore and aft, with a slender fuselage behind. The canopy is forward hinged. The tailplane is set just above the fuselage and the fin is swept. A small ventral fin doubles as a tail bumper. The A 210 has a fixed tricycle undercarriage. Its mainwheels are fitted with hydraulic brakes and mounted on spring steel legs from the fuselage. The nosewheel has rubber suspension and is steerable; speed fairings are fitted on all wheels. German certification was achieved in 2001 and deliveries began the following year. It gained US certification in 2003. Early sales were to clubs, mostly as training aircraft. Most have been sold in Europe and overall 120 have been built by late 2010. 110 appear as Aquila AT01 on the civil aircraft registrations of European countries excluding Russia in 2010. After the acquisition of the company by a Turkish investor, one plane was gifted to Gendarmerie General Command. Variants Aquila A 210 Original model Aquila A 211 Conventional instrument panel Aquila A 211GX Glass cockpit model

The Arctic Aircraft Arctic Tern (named after the bird) is a bush plane that was produced in small numbers in Alaska in the 1970s and 1980s. It is a strengthened and modernised version of the Interstate Cadet of the 1940s. It is a high-wing braced monoplane with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. It has two seats in tandem, with the rear seat removable for added cargo carriage. It is also provided with a cargo loading door in the fuselage side to facilitate loading bulky items. Optional fittings included floats or skis in place of the wheeled undercarriage, and a ventral pod to carry extra cargo or fuel. In 2007, the Interstate Aircraft company was planning a revised and updated Arctic Tern, with US FAA certification expected in the first half of the year.

The CAB GY-20 Minicab is a two-seat light aircraft designed by Yves Gardan and built in France by Construction Aeronautiques du Bearn (CAB) in the years immediately following World War II. CAB was formed in 1948 by Yves Gardan, Max Lapoerte and M. Dubouts. The Minicab is a conventional, low-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed tailwheel undercarriage, powered by a Continental A65 engine. Its design was a scaled-down version of the aircraft that Yves Gardan had designed for SIPA, the SIPA S.90. The pilot and passenger sit side by side and access to the cockpit is via a one-piece perspex canopy that hinges forwards. Gardan's intention was to produce a low-cost, easy-to-fly, easy-to-maintain aircraft with the possibility of homebuilding. The prototype Minicab first flew at Pau-Idron on 1 February 1949 with Max Fischl at the controls. CAB manufactured a total of about 65 Minicabs when production ended in 1955. The rights for the plans were then acquired by Arthur Ord-Hume in the United Kingdom who anglicised the drawings and made various minor improvements for home-builders. A large number were completed by amateur builders in the United Kingdom, France and other countries around the world. There is about 20 Minicabs currently active in the United Kingdom, many of which were built (or rebuilt) to the JB.01 standard, developed by M. Jean Barritault, usually with a Continental C90 engine. Falconar sold plans for a tricycle gear homebuilt model named the Minihawk. Another development is the K&S or Squarecraft Cavalier which is a redesigned Minicab in several versions with plans translated from French to English and modified by Stan Mcleod. The plans were marketed by K&S Aircraft of Calgary, Alberta and later MacFam. Variants GY-20 Minicab CAB first production model. GY-201 Minicab refined version with increased fuel capacity, reduced wingspan, strengthened undercarriage, split flaps, and castoring tailwheel. CAB final production model and also principal homebuilt version. Barritault JB.01 Minicab built to the modified design of Jean Barritault. Falconar Hawk Minicabs built to plans supplied by Falconar Falconar MiniHawk plans-built design from Falconar with tricycle undercarriage. MacFam Cavalier (K&S or Squarecraft Cavalier) Redesigned in several versions principally with tricycle and swept tail surfaces, and strengthened for a more powerful engine.

The Berkut 360 is a tandem-seating, two-seat homebuilt canard aircraft with pusher configuration and retractable landing gear, built primarily of carbon fiber and fiberglass. The Berkut 360 is featured in the 2010 movie Kill Speed (Fast Glass). The prototype Berkut was designed and built by Dave H. Ronneberg as part of a business partnership between Ronneberg and Donald S. Murphy, called Experimental Aviation, that lasted from 1989 to 1992. In 1992 the partnership dissolved and Ronneberg, incorporating as Experimental Aviation, Inc., brought the aircraft to market as a kit, while Murphy wanted to shelve the project entirely. A subsequent series of lawsuits between the two resulted in bankruptcy for Ronneberg and Murphy as individuals and for Experimental Aviation as a corporation. The kit was resurrected in 1996 by Richard Riley and Renaissance Composites, with Ronneberg working as a consultant. In January 2001, under pressure from Ronneberg, Renaissance sold the assets to Vicki Cruse, an American aerobatic pilot,[failed verification – see discussion] who then formed Berkut Engineering and Design, Inc. That company withdrew the aircraft from the market in 2002. Ronneberg continued with the project, which is now directed at UAV markets. A deal was struck in 2003 to sell the project to Republic Aerospace, but the deal fell through. Cruse was no longer involved with day-to-day operations, but maintained ownership until her death on August 22, 2009, when the aircraft she was flying — a borrowed Zivko Edge 540 — crashed in Buckinghamshire, England, during a qualifying flight for the World Aerobatic Championships. Through the various incarnations, approximately 75 kits were sold and 20 airplanes completed. The Berkut is derived from the Rutan Long-EZ, with the primary differences being retractable main landing gear, dual canopies, and molded fuselage, strakes, and wing spar. Like the Long EZ, the Berkut carries two people in a tandem seating arrangement. The front seat occupant has access to all instrumentation and controls. The rear seat, normally holding the passenger, is equipped with a side stick and throttle, but no rudder pedals, brakes, or instruments. Aerodynamic optimizations to the original Long-EZ airframe were made to increase performance and interior space. The fuselage was stretched and the nose, canard, instrument panel and pilot moved forward one foot (300 mm), to allow a heavier engine to be used in the rear. The main wing trailing edge was straightened, removing a small bend in the trailing edge of the Long EZ wing. The lower winglet was removed and the aileron size increased in both chord and span, significantly increasing roll rate. Early Berkuts used wings and canard that were structurally similar to the Long-EZ and used solid blue 2 lb/cu. ft. density Dow STYROFOAM PI cores cut to shape with a hot-wire foam cutter, but with carbon fiber reinforced polymer skins instead of fiberglass. The fuselage and winglets remained fiberglass. Later versions (kits produced after spring 1999) used fully molded carbon fiber canards and wings with high density, 5 lb/cu. ft. 1/4" thick PVC or SAN foam cores, leaving only minor fairings and tip surfaces to be carved from foam. The Berkut has always used the Roncz 1145MS canard airfoil, which is more tolerant of insect and rain contamination than the GU 25-5(11)8 airfoil originally used on the Long-EZ. The Berkut used a retractable main (rear) landing gear system designed by Shirl Dickey for his E-Racer homebuilt. Originally, Berkut used gear parts produced by Dickey, but over time they were repeatedly re-engineered and strengthened. Later kits had gear components produced entirely in-house. Like the earlier Vari-Eze and Long EZ, the Berkut kneels with its nose gear retracted to prevent the aircraft from tipping over backwards when parked without a pilot in the front seat. Some early Berkuts utilized hydraulic nose-gear extension systems, but most have used an electro-mechanical jack-screw. With the electric system, the pilot and passenger can climb into the cockpit, then extend the nose gear, raising the airplane with occupants inside. While the Long-EZ, originally designed for the Lycoming O-235 108-118 hp engine, was closer in the design of the Berkut, the latter was designed from the outset for the larger Lycoming IO-360 180 hp engine. The aircraft was later adapted, with a different engine mount, cowls and battery location, to accept the 260 hp Lycoming IO-540, which most builders chose. With the O-540, some have reportedly reached speeds of 300 mph in level flight. Variants Berkut 360 Original configuration, retractable gear, Lycoming 4-cylinder 360-cubic-inch, fuel-injected, 180 hp engine. Berkut FG360 Fixed-gear version of the 360. (Offered but never built, except as a UAV by Geneva Aerospace ) Berkut 540 Lycoming 6-cylinder, 540-cubic-inch, 260 hp engine upgrade. Changes consisted of larger cowls, a different engine mount, custom engine mount ears, stiffer engine isolators, a custom sump modification and different cooling baffles. Berkut FG540 Fixed-gear version of the 540. (offered, but never built) Mobius A modified Berkut with a single canopy and automated flight equipment where the second seat would be located, for UAV research and development with a 20-hour endurance. Two aircraft have been built with a third one in development. N442LT is the first tail number. N497LT is the second. Berkut Jet A Berkut using a modified GE T-58 turbine engine, built by Jerrold Jorritsma, registration number N3255U. Crashed in Loveland, Colorado on May 9, 2010. Berkez or Berk-EZ Heavily modified Rutan Long-EZ homebuilt with Berkut components.

The Vidor Champion V is an Italian homebuilt aircraft that was designed by Giuseppe Vidor, first flying on 10 June 1995. The aircraft is supplied in the form of plans for amateur construction. It is also known as the Asso Aerei V Champion. The Champion V was developed into the Alpi Pioneer 300, with the addition of composite skin. The Champion V features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed or optionally retractable tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The aircraft is made from wood, with its flying surfaces covered in doped aircraft fabric. Its 8.321 m (27.3 ft) span wing mounts flaps and has a wing area of 11 m2 (120 sq ft). The wings are removable in about 15 minutes for ground transport or storage. The cabin width is 42 in (110 cm). The acceptable power range is 75 to 100 hp (56 to 75 kW) and the standard engine used is the 75 hp (56 kW) Volkswagen air-cooled engine four cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke automotive conversion powerplant. The Champion V has a typical empty weight of 272 kg (600 lb) and a gross weight of 480 kg (1,058.2 lb), giving a useful load of 208 kg (459 lb). With full fuel of 49 litres (11 imp gal; 13 US gal) the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage is 173 kg (381 lb). The manufacturer estimates the construction time from the supplied kit as 1500 hours. By 1998 the company reported that 15 kits had been sold and three aircraft were completed and flying. In January 2014 one example was registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Shenyang J-15 (Chinese: 歼-15; pinyin: Jiān-Shíwǔ), also known as Feisha (Chinese: 飞鲨; pinyin: fēi shā; lit. 'Flying Shark'; NATO reporting name: Flanker-X2, Flanker-K) is a Chinese all-weather, twin-engine, carrier-based 4.5 generation multirole fighter aircraft developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) and the 601 Institute, specifically for the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) to serve on People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) aircraft carriers. The aircraft entered active service with the PLAN in 2013. An improved variant, named J-15T, incorporating CATOBAR launch capability, modern fifth-generation avionics, entered active service in the South China Sea in October 2024. In 2001, the T-10K-3, an unfinished prototype of the Su-33, was acquired by SAC from Ukraine[8] and is claimed to have been studied extensively and reverse-engineered, with development on the J-15 beginning immediately afterward. China had sought to purchase Su-33s from Russia on several occasions—an unsuccessful offer was made as late as March 2009—but negotiations collapsed in 2006 after it was discovered that China had developed a modified version of the Sukhoi Su-27SK, designated the Shenyang J-11B, in violation of intellectual property agreements. However, according to Chinese sources, the reason China withdrew from talks was that Russia wanted large payments to re-open Su-33 production lines and insisted on a Chinese purchase of at least 50 Su-33s, about which China was reluctant, as it believed the aircraft would become outdated in a few years. China hence decided on an indigenous variant instead of continuing to assemble the J-11, the licensed Chinese version of Su-27. The J-15 program was officially started in 2006 with the codename Flying Shark. The program goal was to develop a naval-capable fighter aircraft from the Shenyang J-11, with technologies reverse-engineered from T-10K-3, a Soviet Su-33 prototype that had been acquired from Ukraine. The first J-15 prototype made its maiden flight on August 31, 2009, believed to have been powered by Russian-supplied Saturn AL-31 turbofan engines. Video and still images of the flight were released in July 2010, showing the same basic airframe design as the Su-33. On May 7, 2010, the aircraft conducted its first takeoff from a simulated ski-jump on land. On November 25, 2012, the aircraft successfully performed its first takeoff and landing on Liaoning, China's first operational aircraft carrier. The twin-seat variant, J-15S, made its maiden flight on November 4, 2012. After conclusion of the flight-test phase, in 2013 the first 24 J-15 aircraft were delivered to the Naval Aviation’s Carrier Fighter Group. For more details of development, design, operational history, and 5 variants, click here.

The ANF Les Mureaux 110 and its derivatives were a family of all-metal military reconnaissance aircraft developed and produced by the French aircraft manufacturer ANF Les Mureaux. It was designed in response to a requirement issued by the French air ministry. Introduced to service during the 1930s, in excess of two hundred aircraft were procured for the French Air Force to equip not just its frontline units but also to replace aircraft such as the Potez 25s from reserve units. Multiple variants were operated by the service, perhaps most noteworthy was the conversion of 40 aircraft to serve as dedicated night fighters. The family was in widespread usage at the start of the Second World War, and thus saw intense combat during the Battle of France. All remaining aircraft were scrapped in the aftermath of the armistice with Germany. The ANF Les Mureaux 110 originated with a French air ministry requirement for an aircraft to replace the Breguet 19 in Armée de l'Air service in the "R2" two-seat reconnaissance role. ANF Les Mureaux opted to produce a clean-sheet response to this requirement. It was during this design work that the firm developed a new technique for metal construction, it was promptly incorporated into the new long distance observation aircraft, which was later designated 111. Two slightly different variants, the 110 and 111 were presented to the air force for evaluation, and were ordered into production soon thereafter. The first mass-production version was the 113 in 1933, of which 49 examples were purchased. This was supplanted in production by the 115 in 1935 and the 117 later than year. Both these series were given light bombing capability as well. For details of design, operational history and 10 variants, click here.

The Antonov An-24 (Russian/Ukrainian: Антонов Ан-24) (NATO reporting name: Coke) is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport/passenger aircraft designed in 1957 in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau and manufactured by the Kyiv, Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude Aviation Factories. It was the first of a future family of turboprops by Antonov. The An-30 came next with a cartographic configuration, then the An-26 with a military configuration and lastly the An-32 with modernized equipment. The An-132 was intended to be the next member of the An-24 family, but Saudi Arabia's Taqnia ceased cooperation and the only prototype was destroyed, which led to the project being cancelled. A Chinese licensed-built version, the Xi'an Y-7, is heavily based on the An-24, but is not a member of the family. First flown in 1959, the An-24 was produced in some 1,000 units of various versions; in 2023, 93 were still in service worldwide, mostly in the Commonwealth of Independent States and Africa. It was designed to replace the veteran piston Ilyushin Il-14 transport on short- to medium-haul trips, optimised for operating from rough strips and unprepared airports in remote locations. The high-wing layout protects engines and blades from debris, the power-to-weight ratio is higher than that of many comparable aircraft, and the machine is rugged, requiring minimal ground-support equipment. Due to its rugged airframe and good performance, the An-24 was adapted to perform many secondary missions, such as ice reconnaissance and engine/propeller test bed, as well as further development to produce the An-26 tactical transport, An-30 photo-mapping/survey aircraft and An-32 tactical transport with more powerful engines. Various projects were envisaged such as a four-jet, short- and medium-haul airliner and various iterations of powerplant. The main production line was at the Kyiv-Svyatoshino (later renamed "Aviant") aircraft production plant, which built 985, with 180 built at Ulan Ude, and a further 197 An-24T tactical transport/freighters at Irkutsk. Production in the USSR was shut down by 1978. Production continued at China's Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation, which made licensed, reverse-engineered, and redesigned aircraft as the Xian Y-7 and its derivatives. Manufacture of the Y-7, in civil form, has now been supplanted by the MA60 derivative with western engines and avionics, to improve performance and economy, and widen the export appeal. The aircraft introduced in Mongolia was initially planned to be used by the air force, but was eventually handed over to a private airline company for use, and some were later used in research facilities. Since then, as the aircraft has deteriorated, it has been stored in Ulaanbaatar. A total of 1367 units in 24 variants produced. For details, click here.

The Hawker Sea Hawk is a British single-seat jet day fighter formerly of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), the air branch of the Royal Navy (RN), built by Hawker Aircraft and its sister company, Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. Although its design originated from earlier Hawker piston-engined fighters, the Sea Hawk was the company's first jet aircraft. Following acceptance in the RN, the Sea Hawk proved to be a reliable and sturdy workhorse. A considerable number were also produced for the export market and were operated from aircraft carriers in Dutch and Indian service. The last operational Sea Hawks, operated by the Indian Navy, were retired in 1983. Towards the end of the Second World War, Hawker's design team had become increasingly interested in developing a fighter aircraft that took advantage of the newly developed jet propulsion technology. Prior to this, Hawker had been committed until late 1944 to the production and further development of its piston-powered aircraft, such as the Hurricane, Tempest and Typhoon, to meet the wartime demands for these aircraft. On 1 September 1944, the first prototype of the company's latest fighter aircraft, the Hawker Fury/Sea Fury, conducted its maiden flight; it was this aircraft that would serve as the basis for Hawker's first jet-powered aircraft. The design team studied the potential adaption of the aircraft, having opted to use the Rolls-Royce Griffon-powered Fury prototype as the starting point. The team started with the deletion of the piston engine, with its replacement, a single Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet engine, being fitted in a mid-fuselage position, along with lateral air intakes and a tailpipe which emerged beneath the tailplane. The prospective modifications also included "stretching" the fuselage and moving the cockpit to the extreme front of the fuselage in a re-contoured nose; this design received the internal designation P.1035. Use of the Rolls-Royce Derwent engine had been studied but quickly discarded as lacking power for an aircraft of this size. In November 1944 the P.1035 design was submitted for evaluation by the Air Ministry. In December 1944 Hawker refined the proposed design substantially. The jet exhaust was moved from beneath the tail and re-designed as two short split-lateral bifurcated exhausts (which gained the name "trouser legs"), embedded in the trailing edge of the wing root, which needed a corresponding thickening of the wing root; the air intakes were moved to the wing root leading edge, similar to the contemporary de Havilland Vampire. The shorter unusual bifurcated jet pipe reduced pressure losses in the jet pipe and had the additional advantage of freeing up space in the rear fuselage for fuel tanks, which gave the aircraft a longer range than many other early jets. The absence of wing fuel tanks also meant a thinner wing could be adopted without the penalty of reduced range; to ease manufacture, the elliptical wingform of the Fury was discarded in favour of a straight tapered wing design. The fuselage fuel tanks, being fore and aft of the engine, also provided for a stable centre of gravity during flight. The tail plane was raised to clear the jet exhausts. The Sea Hawk also featured a nose wheel undercarriage arrangement, the first for a Hawker-built aircraft. The aircraft was built to accommodate four 20mm Hispano-Suiza Mk. V cannon. For more details of development, design, operational history and 10 variants, click here.

The Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann (freshman, young man) is a basic biplane trainer aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Bücker Flugzeugbau. It was the company's first aircraft, as well as being the final biplane to be produced in Germany. On 27 April 1934, the first prototype Bü 131 performed its maiden flight, which was roughly two years after the company had been founded in Berlin-Johannisthal by Carl Bücker. Anders J. Andersson had led the aircraft's design effort. Comprising both metal and wooden construction, the Bü 131 was designed to be suitable in the trainer role, and even to perform aerobatic manoeuvres. The first deliveries of the Bü 131 occurred in 1934, the Deutscher Luftsportverband (DLV) being a key early customer for the type. Later on, the Bü 131B was selected as the primary basic trainer for the German Luftwaffe. In this capacity, it was operated in large numbers throughout the Second World War. Throughout the 1930s, there had been substantial demand for the Bü 131, multiple large export orders and production licenses were issued as a result. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was the largest pre-war export customer for the type, flying as many as 400 Bü 131s at one point. Hundreds were produced locally by the Spanish aircraft company Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA). In excess of 1,300 Bü 131s were operated by the military air services of Imperial Japan under local designations of Kokusai Ki-86 and Kyūshū K9W Momoji. The Bü 131 remained operation with numerous air forces for decades after the conflict, some choosing to retain the type through to the late 1960s. It has proved to be a relatively popular biplane with private pilots, who have often elected to have their aircraft refitted with modern engines for increased performance. The origins of the Bü 131 can be traced back to the work of one man, Carl Bücker. After serving in the Kaiserliche Marine during the First World War, Bücker relocated to Sweden and became the managing director of Svenska Aero AB (Not to be confused with Svenska Aeroplan AB, SAAB). He later returned to Germany with Anders J. Andersson, a young designer from SAAB, and founded a new company, Bücker Flugzeugbau GmbH, in Berlin-Johannisthal during 1932. From the onset, Anderson headed up the company's design team,[note 2] and immediately set about developing the company's first aircraft, out of the efforts for which ultimately emerged the Bü 131. The aircraft was designed to be suitable for aerobatic manoeuvres and training activities. It featured numerous conventional features for such aircraft at that time, being a biplane with two open cockpits in tandem along with fixed landing gear. Both the upper and lower wings were broadly identical in terms of design, to the extent that they could be readily interchanged with on another. Accordingly, all of the wings, which had an 11 degree sweep back and positive stagger, were equipped with ailerons. The wings had a structure largely composed of I-section wooden spars along with a fabric covering. The fuselage of the Bü 131 comprised a structure of welded steel tubing, the covering of which was metal for the front section and fabric around the rear section. Both fuel and oil were accommodated in tanks within the fuselage. Hinged to the side of the fuselage was the twin main legs of the undercarriage, which were furnished with both spring and oil-based shock absorbers, while a spring tailwheel was also present on the underside of the aft fuselage. The mainwheels were outfitted with balloon tyres and brakes. For more details of development, operational history and 13 variants, click here.

The Airbus Helicopters H160 (formerly X4) is a medium utility helicopter developed by Airbus Helicopters. Formally launched at Heli-Expo in Orlando, Florida on 3 March 2015, it is intended to replace the AS365 and EC155 models in the firm's lineup. In June 2015, the first test flight took place. It received its EASA type certification in July 2020, and first deliveries were in December 2021. The Airbus Helicopters H160 was first revealed to the public in 2011, at which point it was referred to by company representatives by the designation X4—a designation which implied it to be a follow-on from the Eurocopter X3, a high-speed hybrid helicopter technology demonstrator. Speaking in early 2011, Eurocopter (later renamed as Airbus Helicopters) chief Lutz Bertling declared that the X4 would be a "game changer", contrasting significance of the innovations it would feature with Airbus' development of fly-by-wire controls. Early features alluded to include Blue Edge active tracking rotor blades, advanced pilot assistance functionality, and reduced vibration to "near-jet" levels of smoothness.[2] The X4 was also described as having a "radically different" cockpit, Bertling stating that "The cockpit as we know it today will not be there". It was also announced that the X4 would be introduced in two stages: an interim model in 2017 with some of the advanced features absent, and a more advanced model following in 2020. The development program for the X4 cost €1 billion ($1.12 billion). Cutting-edge features, including proposed highly advanced control systems, were toned down or eliminated as too risky or costly. On 3 March 2015, the X4 was formally unveiled under the H160 designation. It has been marketed as a successor to the company's existing Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin and competes with the AgustaWestland AW139, Sikorsky S-76, and Bell 412; Guillaume Faury, Airbus Helicopters Chief Executive, referred to the H160 as being "the AW139 killer". The H160 began Airbus Helicopter's re-branded naming convention; starting 1 January 2016, helicopters in the same range shall bear the 'H' designation, resembling how Airbus names their commercial aircraft. The Airbus Helicopters H160 takes advantage of several advanced manufacturing technologies and materials in order to produce a lighter, more efficient design. One weight-saving measure was the replacement of conventional hydraulic landing gear and brakes with electrical counterparts, the first helicopter in the world to do so; according to Airbus the elimination of hydraulic components makes the rotorcraft both lighter and safer. In 2015, Airbus claimed that the all-composite H160 would deliver the same basic performance as the rival AgustaWestland AW139 while being 1 tonne lighter, having a lower fuel consumption and offering 15–20% lower direct operating costs. The composite fuselage also provided for greater design freedom of the rotorcraft's external styling. During the aircraft's development features such as full de-icing equipment and a fly-by-wire control system were deemed too heavy or costly for the benefits they would deliver and were eliminated. The H160 is the first rotorcraft to feature the Blue Edge main rotor. The main rotor has five blades which incorporate a double-swept shape that reduces the generation of blade–tip vortices. The resulting reduction in Blade-vortex interactions, a phenomenon which occurs when the blade impacts a vortex created at its tip, allows for a 3–4 dB noise reduction and raises the effective payload by 100 kg (220 lb) compared with a scaled Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin rotor design. The main rotor is also tilted 4° forward to reduce excessive pitching in forward flight and 2° to the right to compensate for translating tendency from the tail rotor's thrust. Aerodynamic innovations include a biplane tailplane stabiliser for greater low speed stability, and a quieter canted fenestron which combined produce an extra 80 kg of lift. The H160 is the first civilian helicopter to utilise a canted fenestron anti-torque tail rotor. The H160 will be powered by two Safran Arrano turboshaft engines; a second engine, the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210E, was to be offered as an alternative option, but this was eliminated due to insufficient power output and to reduce design complexity. A redundant backup for the gearbox lubrication system enables in excess of five hours of flight following a primary failure without causing mechanical damage. For more details of desvelopment, design, flight testing and variants, click here.

The Airbus Helicopters H140 is a light twin-engine utility helicopter developed by Airbus Helicopters. Formally launched at VERTICON in Dallas, Texas on 11 March 2025, it is intended primarily as a medical helicopter. It is planned to enter service in 2028. The Airbus Helicopters H140 was publicly unveiled in March 2025. The H140 incorporates several design elements from the Airbus Helicopters fleet, including a fenestron tail rotor, a five-blade bearingless main rotor, Helionix avionics with a four-axis autopilot, dual-channel FADEC and a rear clamshell door for patient and cargo loading. A notable addition is a T-tail-shaped tail boom, which Airbus claims provides 80 kg of additional lift in forward flight compared to the H135 and was first used on the Airbus Bluecopter Demonstrator. The H140 is powered by dual Safran Arrius 2E engines, a variant of those used in the H135, producing a combined output of 1,400 shp—approximately 6% more power than the H135 T3. Airbus has identified helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) as the primary market for the H140, citing improvements in cabin vibration and noise reduction due to the new rotor system. Additional features include built-in medical lighting in the cabin roof and an increase of approximately 1 cubic meter in cabin space compared to the H135. The tail boom has been raised slightly from the H135. at the rear, providing improved access to the rear doors for patient and cargo loading, as well as increased ground clearance for the fenestron, enhancing operational safety. No performance spec yet on Airbus website.

The Aero Eli Servizi Yo-Yo 222 (sometimes written YoYo) is an Italian helicopter designed and produced by Aero Eli Servizi of L'Aquila. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly. The Yo-Yo 222 was initially designed for a higher gross weight of 495 kg (1,091 lb), but later versions were lightened to allow a gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb) to qualify under the European Class 6 microlight helicopter rules. The aircraft features a single main rotor and tail rotor, a two-seats-in side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, skid landing gear and an American-made four-cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke 172 hp (128 kW) Lycoming O-320 engine. Greatly resembling the Robinson R22, reviewer Werner Pfaendler, describes it as "obviously the result of a close look at the world's bestselling two-seater helicopter, the R22." For lightness the aircraft fuselage is made with extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer and fibreglass. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of 7.66 m (25.1 ft). The initial version of the aircraft has a typical empty weight of 322 kg (710 lb) and a gross weight of 495 kg (1,091 lb), giving a useful load of 173 kg (381 lb). With full fuel of 68 litres (15 imp gal; 18 US gal) the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage is 124 kg (273 lb).

The Aer Lualdi L.55 was a prototype Italian helicopter, a development of the Lualdi-Tassotti ES 53 featuring a far more powerful 134 kW (180 hp) Lycoming O-360. While the ES 53 had been purely experimental, the L.55 was Lualdi's first step towards a marketable aircraft.

The Sikorsky S-97 Raider is a high-speed scout and attack compound helicopter based on the Advancing Blade Concept (ABC) with a coaxial rotor system under development by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky planned to offer it for the United States Army's Armed Aerial Scout program, along with other possible uses. The S-97 made its maiden flight on 22 May 2015. Sikorsky's earliest attempt at a fast compound helicopter with stiff coaxial rotors was the Sikorsky S-69 (XH-59A) flown in the 1970s. Its top speed was over 260 knots but its excessive fuel consumption, vibration and complexity requiring the full-time attention of two pilots led to the program's cancellation. These problems were largely solved on another attempt by the Sikorsky X2 technology demonstrator in 2010. First proposed in response to a Request for Information for the Armed Aerial Scout (AAS) program in March 2010, the S-97 was formally launched on 20 October 2010. It was intended as a contender for a United States Army's requirement to replace the Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. Other military roles are possible, the U.S. Special Operations Command having expressed interest in the S-97 as a replacement for the MH-6 Little Bird, and the possibility of adapting it for civilian applications also exists. Sikorsky plans to build two prototypes of the S-97 as demonstrators. One prototype (P1) will be used for flight testing, while the second (P2) is planned for use as a demonstrator. The first prototype was planned to fly in late 2013 or early 2014. Sikorsky started construction of the two prototypes in October 2012. In September 2013, Sikorsky began final assembly of the first S-97 following delivery of the single-piece, all-composite fuselage by Aurora Flight Sciences. In February 2014, construction of the first S-97 prototype was one-quarter complete. Simulated bird strikes testing had been conducted on the fuselage at speeds of up to 235 kn (435 km/h; 270 mph), the S-97's expected maximum flight speed. Drop tests were also performed to ensure the fuel tanks' safety in the event of a crash. Sikorsky is exploring civil applications for the S-97, such as transporting personnel between offshore oil platforms. Sikorsky and partner Boeing are to use the S-97's technology and design process as a basis to develop the SB-1 Defiant, a high-speed rigid rotor co-axial rotorcraft, for the army's Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR TD) program. The JMR TD is the precursor to the army's estimated US$100 billion Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter and AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. Sikorsky targeted the S-97 for the AAS program, aiming for the helicopter to fly before the Army downselected. Sikorsky invested $150 million and its 54 suppliers[16] (who provide 90% of the parts) spent the remainder of a total of $200 million on two prototypes; production models aim to meet the program's $15 million unit cost target. However, the Army ended the AAS program in late 2013. Budget projections for FY 2015 included retiring the U.S. Army's OH-58 Kiowa fleet and transferring AH-64 Apache attack helicopters from U.S. Army Reserve and U.S. Army National Guard to the active Army to perform the aerial scout role. Sikorsky suggested the possibility of buying the S-97 to replace lost Apache for armed helicopter needs. Sikorsky proposes S-97 as FVL-CS1; the light scout helicopter. On 5 May 2014, Sikorsky opened the S-97 production hangar during the rollout of the CH-53K King Stallion. At that point, the mostly-composite airframe was almost assembled, including some of the electrical wiring and avionics, missing elements were the transmission, drive train, engine, coaxial rotor, and pusher propeller. The S-97's first military customer is aimed to be the U.S. Special Operations Command to replace the MH-6M Little Bird. Unspecified foreign militaries have shown interest in the S-97; it may be difficult to get approval for export for a next-generation helicopter if the US military does not yet have it. The Raider is a prototype, so the first customer would need to finance a production development program. Its avionics were powered on in June 2014, with rollout on 2 October 2014. For details of design and operational history, click here.

The Ultracraft Calypso is a family of Belgian homebuilt aircraft designed and produced by Ultracraft of Heusden-Zolder, introduced in the 1990s. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly aircraft or as a kit for amateur construction. The Calypso line all feature a strut-braced high wing, fixed conventional landing gear with optional wheel pants and a single engine in tractor configuration. The single-seat Calypso 1 is made from a combination of wood and metal with its flying surfaces covered in doped aircraft fabric and a fibreglass cowling. Its 8.84 m (29.0 ft) span wing has a wing area of 11.6 m2 (125 sq ft) and is supported by "V" struts and jury struts. The cabin width is 61 cm (24 in). The acceptable power range is 40 to 65 hp (30 to 48 kW) and the standard engines used are the 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 or the 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 two-stroke powerplants. The Calypso 1A has a typical empty weight of 155 kg (342 lb) and a gross weight of 285 kg (628 lb), giving a useful load of 130 kg (290 lb). With full fuel of 40 litres (8.8 imp gal; 11 US gal) the payload for the pilot and baggage is 103 kg (227 lb). The standard day, sea level, no wind, takeoff with a 40 hp (30 kW) engine is 61 m (200 ft) and the landing roll is 46 m (151 ft). The manufacturer estimates the construction time for the Calypso 1A from the supplied kit to be 300 hours. By 1998 the company reported that 12 kits had been sold and five Calypso 1s were completed and flying. Variants Calypso 1A Initial version, single-seat with 40 to 65 hp (30 to 48 kW) engine. Calypso 1B Single-seat version with Citroën Visa automotive conversion engine or 65 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 two-stroke, liquid-cooled powerplant. Calypso 2A Two-seat version with a wingspan of 9.05 m (29.7 ft) and a wing area of 15 m2 (160 sq ft), powered by a 65 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 aircraft engine or a BMW automotive conversion engine. The 2A was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category, including the category's maximum gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb). The aircraft has a maximum gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb). Calypso 2B Two-seat version with a wingspan of 8.05 m (26.4 ft) and a wing area of 13.4 m2 (144 sq ft), powered by an 85 hp (63 kW) Jabiru 2200 aircraft engine or a BMW automotive conversion engine. The 2B was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category, including the category's maximum gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb). The aircraft has a maximum gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb).