The Angel Aircraft Corporation Model 44 Angel is a twin-engine STOL utility aircraft produced in the United States since the mid-1990s. Designed by Carl Mortenson and The King's Engineering Fellowship to be well-suited for missionary work from remote locations around the world, it is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a retractable tricycle undercarriage and eight seats. The design is largely conventional, with the exception that the engine nacelles are mounted on top of the wings in a pusher configuration. Construction is aluminum throughout the airframe.
Design work began at the home of designer Carl Mortenson in 1972, with work on the prototype beginning in 1977, also from the designer's home. In 1980 the project was moved to the municipal airport in Orange City, Iowa. The first flight took place on 13 January 1984, and FAA type certification was achieved on 20 October 1992. Angel Aircraft Corporation manufactures the aircraft under a license agreement with The King's Engineering Fellowship.
Four aircraft were placed between 1984 and 2008 but Hubei Taihang Xinghe Aircraft Manufacturing of China acquired a production license in 2013. The first Chinese example was substantially completed in May 2016 before the Hubei local government financed a manufacturing plant.[1] The Model 44 was approved on 17 July 2015, by the Chinese National Civil Aviation Administration. [2]
Crashes
On 14 December 2019, an Angel 44 crashed into a field of corn near the airport at Mareeba, Queensland, Australia at 11.15am during what is believed to be a training flight. The aircraft has been said[3] to be the only example of the type in Australia. The pilot, William Scott-Bloxam (73) and male passenger (63) died at the scene of the incident.[4][5]
Specifications
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94[6]
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Capacity: seven
- Length: 33 ft 6 in (10.21 m)
- Wingspan: 39 ft 11.5 in (12.18 m)
- Height: 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
- Wing area: 225.4 sq ft (20.94 m2)
- Empty weight: 3,880 lb (1,760 kg)
- Gross weight: 5,800 lb (2,631 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Lycoming IO-540-M1C5 air-cooled flat-six, 300 hp (224 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 180 kn (207 mph, 333 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 169 kn (194 mph, 313 km/h) 65% power[1]
- Stall speed: 57 kn (66 mph, 106 km/h)
- Range: 1,720 nmi (1,980 mi, 3,190 km) max, 1,248 nmi (2,311 km; 1,436 mi) at 65%[1]
- Endurance: 13 h 6 min
- Service ceiling: 19,015 ft (5,796 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,345 ft/min (6.83 m/s)
See also
- Evangel 4500 – another Mortenson twin-engine STOL design
References
- ^ a b c Paul Jackson (8 October 2017). "Emerging Aircraft: Props And Turboprops". Aviation Week Network.
- ^ "2015国内新增飞机生产项目汇总_航空产业_中国经济网".
- ^ Man killed in Far North Queensland plane crash identified, Cheryl Goodenough, 7News, 2019-12-15
- ^ Light plane crashes in Far North Queensland cornfield, killing two, Rebeka Powell & Jesse Thompson, ABC News Online, 2019-12-14
- ^ 'Real character' dead in Qld plane crash, Cheryl Goodenough, Canberra Times/Australian Associated Press, 2019-12-15
- ^ Lambert 1993, pp. 576–577.
- Dekkers, Hans (29 September – 5 October 1993). "Flying the Angel 44". Flight International. pp. 25–26. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2008.
- Lambert, Mark, ed. (1993). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Data Division. ISBN 0-7106-1066-1.
- Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. p. 416.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 932.
- Taylor, John W R. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1987–88. London: Jane's Publishing. pp. 439–440.
- Walters, Brian M. (July 1993). "Wings of an Angel". Air International. Vol. 45, no. 4. Stamford, UK. pp. 213–214. ISSN 0306-5634.
External links
Media related to AAC Angel 44 at Wikimedia Commons