Hongdu N-5

N-5

National origin: Peoples Republic of China
Manufacturer: Hongdu Aviation Industry Group
First flight: 26 December 1989
Introduced: 1992

The Hongdu N-5 (originally known as the Nanchang N-5) is a Chinese agricultural aircraft. First flown in 1982, and entering into production in 1992, the N-5 is a single engined low wing monoplane, and is available in versions powered by a piston engine or a turboprop.

Development and design

In November 1987, the Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company (which was renamed the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group in 1998) began design of a modern, purpose designed agricultural aircraft, with the intention of replacing some of the large numbers of license-built Antonov An-2s in use for that purpose in China. The resulting design, the N-5 (Nongye-Feiji 5) first flew on 26 December 1989. It is a single-engined monoplane of conventional layout for an agricultural aircraft with a low-wing situated ahead of the cockpit. It is of all metal construction, except for a glassfibre hopper for chemicals ahead of the cockpit, which is sealed and pressurised to protect the crew during spraying operations, and has a undercarriage. It is flown by a single pilot, with a tandem jump-seat provided to allow a mechanic to be carried. It is powered by a single Lycoming O-720 eight cylinder piston engine, and was certified as airworthy in this form by the Civil Aviation Administration of China on 12 August 1992. The N-5A was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration for use in the United States on 26 February 2007.

In response to demands from Chinese operators for a more powerful aircraft, studies were made of versions powered both by more powerful piston and turboprop engines, before settling on a Czech Walter M601 turboprop to produce the N-5B, this variant replacing the nosewheel undercarriage of the N-5A with a tailwheel undercarriage. The N-5B first flew on 28 December 2006.

Variants

N-5A Main production version, with nosewheel undercarriage and 298 kW (400 hp) Lycoming IO-720 piston engine. N-5B Version powered by 580 kW (777 hp) Walter M601F turboprop engine. Tailwheel undercarriage.

Specifications (N-5A)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993-4

General characteristics

Crew: 2 (pilot and loader/mechanic)
Capacity: 1.2 m³ capacity hopper, 960 kg (2,116 lb) powdered or liquid chemicals
Length: 10.487 m (34 ft 4.9 in)
Wingspan: 13.418 m (44 ft 0.3 in)
Height: 3.733 m (12 ft 3.0 in)
Wing area: 26.0 m (280 sq ft)
Aspect ratio: 6.80
Airfoil: LS(1)-0417 Mod
Empty weight: 1,328 kg (2,928 lb)
Gross weight: 2,250 kg (4,960 lb) (normal max take-off weight)
Max takeoff weight: 2,450 kg (5,401 lb) (overload)
Fuel capacity: 315 L (83.2 US Gal) in wing tanks
Powerplant: 1 x— Textron Lycoming IO-720-D1B air-cooled flat-8 piston engine, 300 kW (400 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 205 km/h (127 mph; 111 kn) (with dispersal equipment)
Cruising speed: 170 km/h (110 mph; 92 kn)
Stall speed: 86 km/h (53 mph; 46 kn) (flaps down)
Range: 250 km (155 mi; 135 nmi)
Ferry range: 979 km (608 mi; 529 nmi)
Endurance: 1.94 hr
Service ceiling: 3,750 m (12,303 ft)
Rate of climb: 4.28 m/s (843 ft/min)

Lambert, Mark (ed.). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993-94. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Data Division, 1993. ISBN 0 7106 1066 1.
Sobie, Brendan. "Hongdu switches engines to uprate agricultural aircraft". Flight International, 15-21 June 2004. p.29.
Taylor, Michael J.H. (ed.). Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000. London:Brassey's, 1999. ISBN 1 85753 245 7.

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Hongdu N-5 Pictures

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Source: WikiPedia