- AESL Airtourer
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AESL Airtourer
AESL Airtourer 100/A1 inflight near Shepparton Airport Role Light utility aircraft Manufacturer Aero Engine Services Ltd Designer Henry Millicer First flight 1959 Produced 1962-1982 Number built 168 (Aust); 80 (NZ) Variants Victa Aircruiser The AESL Airtourer is an all-metal light low-wing monoplane touring aircraft developed in Australia and manufactured in New Zealand. It was the winning design in a competition organised by Australia's Royal Aero Club in the early 1950s. A wooden prototype, the Henry Millicer designed Airtourer was constructed by a small group of enthusiasts in the Melbourne suburb of Williamstown during the late 1950s. This prototype, registered VH-FMM (also well known as Foxtrot Mickey Mouse in Australian aviation history) was first flown in March or April 1959.
The prototype was demonstrated to aero clubs and flying schools where significant interest was shown as a Tiger Moth or Chipmunk replacement. After trial flights over Melbourne and then to the Latrobe Airfield development continued to the all-metal version. The all-metal prototype to production standard (VH-MVA) followed on 12 December 1961.
Interest was shown in the design by Mervyn Richardson, Chairman of Victa Ltd —best known for making lawn mowers — who at the time had some aviation manufacturing interests. VH-MVA was later re-engined and was the first Airtourer 115 around 1963. As for FMM, it is owned by the Museum of Victoria having last been displayed at the Australian Naval Aviation Museum in Nowra, NSW.
During the period 1961 to 1966, Victa Ltd. undertook production of the all-metal Airtourer, building both 100 hp and 115 hp models. Production by Victa took place until 1966 when the line closed down.
As the Australian Government had rejected Victa’s appeals for tariff protection assistance, and for funding assistance to keep the production lines open, the company had no choice other than to close down its Aviation Division in February 1966, by which time it had built 168 aircraft.
The manufacturing rights to the Airtourer were purchased the following year by the maintenance firm Aero Engine Services Ltd (AESL) in New Zealand where further production of 115 hp and 150 hp models took place until 1971. Ironically, one of its largest offshore orders came from the Royal Australian Air Force which purchased fifty-one uprated Airtourers (known as CT4 Airtrainers) between 1975 and 1982. These remained in service as the RAAF’s ab initio trainer until 1993 and indeed, the CT4 is still being used (in Tamworth) as the basic trainer for all Australian military pilot training.
A total of 168 were completed or significantly completed by Victa in Sydney and a further 80 built by AESL in Hamilton NZ. Actually it would be correct to say that 170 serial numbers were issued by Victa and 80 by AESL.
Examination of the records show that some of the late serial numbers issued by Victa were completed in NZ and issued with a NZ serial number (starting at 501). In addition, some of the Victa-built aircraft were rebuilt in the factory by AESL and issued with NZ serial numbers which accounts for some duplication.
The Australian Certificates of Type Approval for the Victa Air Tourer 100 and 115 are now held by the Airtourer Cooperative Ltd of New South Wales, Australia.[1][2]
Some 90 aircraft remain in Australia with around 20 or so elsewhere, mainly in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Contents
Variants
AESL produced 7 Airtourers from parts provided by Victa, before launching production of its own aircraft, ultimately produced in 7 different variants:
- T1 powered by a 100 hp Continental O-200 engine
- T2 powered by a 115 hp Lycoming O-235 engine
- T3 powered by a 130 hp Rolls-Royce O-240 engine
- T4 powered by a 150 hp Lycoming O-320-E1A - fixed pitch propellor
- T5 powered by a 150 hp Lycoming O-320-E1A - Controlled Speed propellor
- T6 initially a small run of 4 aircraft for the RNZAF, powered by a 150 hp Lycoming O-320-E1A - Constant Speed propellor with gross weight increased from T-5 and 24 volt electrics.
- T8 powered by a 160 hp Lycoming AEIO-320 with fuel injection.
(The T7 was offered as a fixed pitch T6, but none were ordered).
AESL delivery pilot Cliff Tait used an Airtourer for a record breaking flight, circumnavigating the world between May and August 1969 and covering 53,097 km in 288 flying hours in ZK-CXU.
A higher powered 4 seat variant, called the Aircruiser, had been built as a one-off by Victa in 1966. Ownership of this aircraft passed to AESL who rebuilt it as a prototype of the successful CT/4 Airtrainer, production of which continues by AESL descendant, Pacific Aerospace.
AESL production of the Airtourer commenced in July 1967 and terminated after the delivery of 87 aircraft in July 1973. Rights to produce the Airtourer were sold to Edge Aviation of Australia, who rebuilt a single AESL aircraft, but no further production followed. A large number of Airtourers continue to fly, particularly in Australasia.
Operators
Military operators
- Thai Border Patrol Police - One aircraft only.
- Tonga Defence Services - Former operator, one aircraft only.
Specifications (Victa Airtourer AT.115)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67[3]
General characteristics
- Length: 6.55 m (21 ft 5⅞ in)
- Wingspan: 7.92 m (26 ft 0 in)
- Height: 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in)
- Wing area: 11.15 m2 (120 ft2)
- Empty weight: 490 kg (1,080 lb)
- Gross weight: 748 kg (1,650 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-235-C1B air-cooled flat four piston engine, 86 kW (115 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 230 km/h (142 mph)
- Cruising speed: 200[4] km/h (124 mph)
- Range: 1,140 km (710 miles)
- Service ceiling: 4,275 m (14,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 4.6 m/s (900 ft/min)
Gallery
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VH-CFE in the Queensland Air Museum collection
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Airtourer 115 VH-MTH at Toowoomba in 2008
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Victa factory staff in front of what's believed to be the first Airtourer exported to the USA
Trivia
- Probably not the 1st 2 seat side by side aircraft designed with a central 'stick' but one of the 1st with a 'square hand grip' version.
- Easy to fly from both seats due to the central stick design and arm rest.
- When fitted with a 150 hp engine - was a reasonable trainer in aerobatics. It also gave a fair amount extra ground speed for long distance/cruising.
- Had central mounted ashtray above the panel (with a non spring-loaded top). Pre flight checks always included emptying the ashtray before aeros....
References
- Notes
- ^ Certificate of Type Approval No. 34-1
- ^ Certificate of Type Approval No. 34-3
- ^ Taylor 1966, pp. 9–10.
- ^ econ. cruise
- Bibliography
- Ewing, Ross and MacPherson, Ross The History of New Zealand Aviation, Heinemann, 1986
- Knowles, Alan, New Zealand Aircraft, IPL Books, Wellington, 1990
- Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1966.
External links
Categories:- Australian civil utility aircraft 1950–1959
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