Aviat Husky

Aviat Husky

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviat_Husky

Aviat Husky

Role	Light utility aircraft
Manufacturer	Aviat
Designed by	Christen Industries
First flight	1986
Introduced	1987
Status	Active service
Number built	650+^[1]

Aviat A-1B Husky

The Aviat Husky is a two seat, high wing, utility light aircraft built by Aviat Aircraft of Afton, Wyoming.

It is the only all-new light aircraft that was designed and entered series production in the United States in the mid to late 1980s.

Development

Design work by Christen Industries, began in 1985. The aircraft is one of the few in its class designed with the benefit of Computer Aided Design. The prototype first flew in 1986, and certification was awarded the following year.

Design Features

The plane features a braced high wing, tandem seating and dual controls. The structure is steel tube frames and Dacron covering over all but the rear of the fuselage, plus metal leading edges on the wings. The high wing was selected for good all-around visibility, making the Husky ideal for observation and patrol roles. Power is supplied by a relatively powerful (for the Husky's weight) 134 kW (180 hp) Textron Lycoming O-360 flat four piston engine turning a constant speed propeller. The Husky's high power loading and low wing loading result in good short-field performance.

Options include floats, skis and banner and glider tow hooks.

Production and Roles

Husky has been one of the best-selling light aircraft designs of the last twenty years, with more than 650 sold since production began.

Many of the aircraft are used for observation duties, fisheries patrol, pipeline inspection, border patrol, glider towing and other utility missions. Notable users include the US Departments of the Interior and Agriculture and the Kenya Wildlife Service, which flies seven on aerial patrols of elephant herds as part of the fight against illegal ivory poaching.

Variants

The Husky comes in five versions:

Husky A-1B powered by a Lycoming 0-360-A1P of 180hp (135 kW)
Husky A-1A powered by a Lycoming 0-360-A1P of 180hp (135 kW)
Husky A-1B-160 Pup powered by a Lycoming 0-320-D2A, 160 hp (119 kW)
Husky A-1C-180 powered by a Lycoming 0-360-A1P of 180 hp (135 kW)
Husky A-1C-200 powered by a Lycoming 0-360-A1D6 of 200 hp (149 kW)

The Pup has a smaller engine, a Lycoming O-320, rated at 160 hp (119 kW), a fixed pitch propeller, and its wing has no flaps. The Pup has the highest useful load, since it has the same gross weight but a lower empty weight.

Specifications (A1 Husky)

Aviat A-1B Husky

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Capacity: 2
Length: 22 ft 7 in (6.88 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft 3 in (10.73 m)
Height: ft in (m)
Wing area: 180 ft² (17 m²)
Empty weight: 1,190 lb (540 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 1,800 lb (820 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Lycoming O-360 horizontally opposed four-cylinder piston engine, 180 hp (134 kW)

Performance

Cruise speed: 122 knots (140 mph, 225 km/h)
Stall speed: 37 knots (43 mph, 67 km/h)
Range: 550 nm (630 mi, 1,020 km)
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Rate of climb: 1,500 ft/min (7.6 m/s)
Max wing loading: 10 lb/ft² (49 kg/m²)
Minimum power/mass: 0.10 hp/lb (160 W/kg)

External links

Aviat homepage

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Published in July 2009.

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