Aermacchi S-211
Encyclopedia
The Aermacchi S-211 is a turbofan
-powered military trainer aircraft
designed and originally marketed by SIAI Marchetti as the S.211. Some 60 aircraft have been sold to air forces around the world. Aermacchi bought the production rights in 1997. The redesigned M-311
is currently under development by Alenia Aermacchi.
The S-211 is a small tandem two-seat shoulder-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear and powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-4C turbofan. Also, the aircraft was designed for a secondary close air support capability with four underwing hardpoints for the carriage of weapons and other external stores.
The S-211A was a slightly modified and updated variant of the S-211, was a losing contender in the USA's Joint Primary Aircraft Training System
(JPTATS) aircraft selection. Among the seven to enter, the Raytheon/Pilatus entry won, which became the T-6 Texan II
. The S-211 team was initially partnered with Grumman, and then Northrop Grumman
after 1994.
S-211A: Proposed version developed with input from Grumman for the JPATS
(two prototypes, converted from two former Haitian S-211 aircraft).
M-311
: Modernized and uprated version announced by Aermacchi in 2004
(two prototypes built).
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Turbofan
The turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...
-powered military trainer aircraft
Trainer (aircraft)
A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate in-flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristics and a simplified cockpit arrangement—allows...
designed and originally marketed by SIAI Marchetti as the S.211. Some 60 aircraft have been sold to air forces around the world. Aermacchi bought the production rights in 1997. The redesigned M-311
Alenia Aermacchi M-311
|-See also:-External links:* *...
is currently under development by Alenia Aermacchi.
Design and development
SIAI Marchetti began work on the aircraft in 1976 as a private venture basic trainer, hoping to offer it to the company's existing customer base of small air forces operating their piston-engined SF.260. Formally announced in Paris the following year, interest was strong enough to justify the construction of two prototypes, the first of which flew on 10 April 1981. The Singapore Air Force placed the first order for ten aircraft in 1983.The S-211 is a small tandem two-seat shoulder-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear and powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-4C turbofan. Also, the aircraft was designed for a secondary close air support capability with four underwing hardpoints for the carriage of weapons and other external stores.
The S-211A was a slightly modified and updated variant of the S-211, was a losing contender in the USA's Joint Primary Aircraft Training System
Joint Primary Aircraft Training System
The Joint Primary Aircraft Training System was an aircraft procurement program of the United States in the 1990s by the United States Air Force and United States Navy, a merger of 1980s era training aircraft programs. The winner was declared in 1995 and entered service a few years later as the...
(JPTATS) aircraft selection. Among the seven to enter, the Raytheon/Pilatus entry won, which became the T-6 Texan II
T-6 Texan II
The Beechcraft T-6 Texan II is a single-engined turboprop aircraft built by the Raytheon Aircraft Company . Based on the Pilatus PC-9, the T-6 is used by the United States Air Force for basic pilot training and by the United States Navy for Primary and Intermediate Joint Naval Flight Officer and...
. The S-211 team was initially partnered with Grumman, and then Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
after 1994.
Variants
S-211: Original production version with total of approximately sixty built and was operated by the Air Forces of Haiti, Philippines and Singapore.S-211A: Proposed version developed with input from Grumman for the JPATS
Joint Primary Aircraft Training System
The Joint Primary Aircraft Training System was an aircraft procurement program of the United States in the 1990s by the United States Air Force and United States Navy, a merger of 1980s era training aircraft programs. The winner was declared in 1995 and entered service a few years later as the...
(two prototypes, converted from two former Haitian S-211 aircraft).
M-311
Alenia Aermacchi M-311
|-See also:-External links:* *...
: Modernized and uprated version announced by Aermacchi in 2004
2004 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 2004:-January:* 2 - Several British Airways flights from London Heathrow Airport to Washington D.C. and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia are cancelled due to security fears....
(two prototypes built).
Current operator
- Philippine Air ForcePhilippine Air ForceThe Philippine Air Force is the air force of the Republic of the Philippines, and one of the three main services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas....
(PAF) - 25 aircraft, including one partially completed airframe as spare parts and 15 assembled locally by Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation. Due to accidents, 13 remaining in inventory, 5 in service but only 2 are airworthy, as of July 2011.- 105th Training Squadron
- 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Former operator
- Republic of Singapore Air ForceRepublic of Singapore Air ForceThe Republic of Singapore Air Force is the air arm of the Singapore Armed Forces. It was first established in 1968 as the Singapore Air Defence Command...
(RSAF) - total of 32 aircraft including 24 assembled locally by Singapore Aircraft IndustriesST AerospaceSingapore Technologies Aerospace is a subsidiary of ST Engineering based in Singapore, with international offices and facilities located in key aviation hubs in Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and the US...
and two former Haitian aircraft were acquired as attrition replacements.- 130 Sqn - 25 airframes in operational use (7 airframes were write offs due to accidents). These were replaced by the Pilatus PC-21Pilatus PC-21|-See also:-External links:*http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com*http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/pc_21**...
from end 2008. After retirement, 4 airframes were shipped back to Singapore and preserved as museum display pieces, while the remaining 21 airframes (including one airframe that had been used for spare parts) were sold off to International Air Parts (IAP) Group Australia Pty Ltd in 2009. - 131 Sqn - disbanded in 1996, following the move of RSAF Flight Training School to RAAF Base PearceRAAF Base PearceRAAF Base Pearce is the main RAAF base in Western Australia. The base is located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the Royal Australian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force...
in Bullsbrook, Western AustraliaBullsbrook, Western AustraliaBullsbrook is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia in the outer metropolitan area. It is located with the City of Swan. The original Bullsbrook townsite is located slightly west of the current town, on the 17 km mark of the Midland Railway...
, all remaining aircraft transferred to the former.
- 130 Sqn - 25 airframes in operational use (7 airframes were write offs due to accidents). These were replaced by the Pilatus PC-21
- Haitian Air ForceArmed Forces of HaitiThe Armed Forces of Haiti, , consisted of the Haitian Army, Haitian Navy , Haitian Coast Guard, the Haitian Air Force, and some police forces . The Army was always the dominant service with the others serving primarily in a support role...
(HAF) - Four aircraft were delivered in June 1985, they were retired and put up for sale on 23 April 1990.
Civilian
- 21 ex-RSAF S-211s were retired and sold to the IAP Group Australia in December 2009 (including a cannibalised airframe), ten have since been sold off and placed on the Australian civil registry.
- Two second-hand aircraft (ex-Haitian AF) are operated by private companies.
Accidents and incidents
- On 14 January 2002, Philippine Air Force S-211 #017 crashed into houses inside the National Food Authority compound in Brgy. M.S.Garcia, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, due to mechanical problems after making several low passes over Cabanatuan during a „contact proficiency“ flight from Basa AB. Both pilots and 3 civilians on the ground were killed.
- On 26 November 2007, Philippine Air Force S-211 #804 went missing after it failed to return to Palawan base after a security patrol and search mission over the disputed Kalayaan Islands in the south China sea, both pilots still missing and their fate remains unknown.
Specifications (S-211)