IAC Mamba

Last updated

Mamba
RoleTwo-seat light cabin monoplane
National originAustralia
Manufacturer Melbourne Aircraft Corporation
Australian Aircraft Industries
DesignerJess Smith [1]
First flight25 January 1989
Statusdevelopment continuing

The IAC Mamba is an Australian two-seat light aircraft. It was designed and built by the Melbourne Aircraft Corporation (MAC) and first flew in 1989 as the MAC Mamba. [2] In 1990, MAC changed its name to the International Aircraft Corporation (IAC). [3]

Contents

The Mamba was intended for general aviation purposes, including leisure, training, and agricultural use. [1] Development was supported by the Australian government's Grants for Industrial Research and Development (GIRD) scheme. [1]

Design and development

The Mamba is a strut-braced, high-wing monoplane designed over two years and first flown on 25 January 1989. It has fixed tricycle landing gear and is powered by a 116 hp (87 kW) Lycoming O-235 flat-four piston engine. It has an enclosed glazed cabin with side-by-side configuration seating for two. The fuselage is constructed of welded steel tubing with stressed aluminium skin. [1] The Mamba was designed to be rugged and easily maintained, even in remote areas where use of more advanced materials might prove a liability. [4]

MAC sought certification of the design under Australian standard ANO 101.22 and US FAR 23, and hoped to start manufacturing a two-seat version based on the prototype in 1989. [4] A four-seat version was expected to enter production the following year, [4] with a military version after that. [2] Differences from the civil version were to include armour for the cabin and provision for underwing stores, including two 20-mm cannon. [4] Intended applications included border patrol and counter-insurgency (COIN) operations. [4]

Initial production was to be in Australia [4] , at Echuca or Essendon [3] , with MAC considering offshore production for the future. [4] However, by 1992, production was still not underway, and Aviation Industries of Australia (AIA) was formed in Shepparton, to manufacture the design. [5] A mockup of the four-seat version was built the same year. [3]

A prototype of the military version was built under contract by Australian Aircraft Industries as the AA-2S Mamba powered by an IO-360.[ citation needed ] It was displayed as a static display at the 1999 Australian International Air Show at Avalon, Victoria. [3]

As of 2022, Mamba Aircraft Company aimed to restart development, possibly in collaboration with Chinese aviation manufacturers. [6]

Variants

MA-2
also known as MA-2A and AA-2, Lycoming O-235-powered prototype built by Melbourne Aircraft Corporation, registration VH-JSA [3]
MA-2C
Proposed civil production version [3]
MA-2M
also known as AA-2M Lycoming IO-360-powered military variant built by Australian Aircraft Industries, registration VH-FCX [3]
AA-2S
Lycoming IO-360-powered civilian under test by Mamba Aircraft Company
AA-4S
Lycoming O-320 four-place under development by Mamba Aircraft Company

Specifications (Prototype)

Data fromJane's All the World's Aircraft 1989-90 [2]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piper PA-28 Cherokee</span> Family of light single engine aircraft

The Piper PA-28 Cherokee is a family of two-seat or four-seat light aircraft built by Piper Aircraft and designed for flight training, air taxi and personal use. The PA-28 family of aircraft comprises all-metal, unpressurized, single piston-engined airplanes with low-mounted wings and tricycle landing gear. They have a single door on the right side, which is entered by stepping on the wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saab 91 Safir</span> Swedish trainer aircraft

The Saab 91 Safir is a three or four seater, single engine trainer aircraft. The Safir was built by Saab AB in Linköping, Sweden and by De Schelde in Dordrecht, Netherlands.

The Aero Boero AB-210 is an Argentine civil utility aircraft, a development of the AB-180 with improved performance delivered by a fuel-injected engine. Unlike previous aircraft by this manufacturer, it also featured tricycle undercarriage, but retained the same general high-wing configuration. Only a single prototype was built, first flying on 22 April 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beechcraft Musketeer</span> Family of light single engine aircraft

The Beechcraft Musketeer is a family of single-engined, low-wing, light aircraft that was produced by Beechcraft. The line includes the Model 19 Musketeer Sport, the Model 23 Musketeer, Custom and Sundowner, the Model 23-24 Musketeer Super III the retractable gear Model 24R Sierra and the military CT-134 Musketeer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman American AA-5</span> Family of light single engine aircraft

The Grumman American AA-5 series is a family of American all-metal, four-seat, light aircraft used for touring and training. The line includes the original American Aviation AA-5 Traveler, the Grumman American AA-5 Traveler, AA-5A Cheetah, and AA-5B Tiger, the Gulfstream American AA-5A Cheetah and AA-5B Tiger, the American General AG-5B Tiger, and the Tiger Aircraft AG-5B Tiger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Champion Citabria</span> Type of aircraft

The Citabria is a light single-engine, two-seat, fixed conventional gear airplane which entered production in the United States in 1964. Designed for flight training, utility and personal use, it is capable of sustaining aerobatic stresses from +5g to -2g. Its name, "airbatic" backwards, reflects this.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AESL Airtourer</span> Australian single-engine light utility aircraft, 1959

The Victa Airtourer is an all-metal light low-wing monoplane touring aircraft that was developed in Australia, and was manufactured in both Australia and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SOCATA Rallye family</span> French light aircraft

The SOCATA Rallye is a light aircraft that was manufactured by French aviation company SOCATA. It was originally developed during the 1950s by French aircraft manufacturer Morane-Saulnier as the MS.880.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Avia F.22</span> Type of aircraft

The General Avia F.22 Pinguino is an Italian two-seat aircraft by GeneralAvia. The aircraft has two side-by-side seats in an enclosed canopy cockpit. It was the 22nd aircraft designed by Stelio Frati. The aircraft was manufactured in four configurations, as well as a prototype four-seater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Found FBA-2</span> Type of aircraft

The Found FBA-2 is a 1960s Canadian four/five-seat cabin monoplane that was produced by Found Aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CallAir Model A</span> Type of aircraft

The Call-Air Model A is an American two- to three-seat utility aircraft designed by the Call brothers and built by the Call Aircraft Company, later developed into a successful line of agricultural aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piper Aerostar</span> Type of aircraft

The Piper Aerostar is an American twin-engined propeller-driven executive or light transport aircraft, designed by Ted R. Smith. It was originally built by Ted Smith Aircraft Company, but the design was acquired in 1978 by the Piper Aircraft Corporation, which continued production of the aircraft as the PA-60.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin HR100</span> Type of aircraft

The Robin HR100 is a French four-seat light monoplane, designed by Chris Heintz and built by Avions Pierre Robin as metal-winged version of the Robin DR253 Regent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Buccaneer</span> American amphibious light airplane

The Lake Buccaneer is an American four-seat, light amphibious aircraft derived from the Colonial C-2 Skimmer, itself a development of the three-seat Colonial C-1 Skimmer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Procaer Picchio</span> Type of aircraft

The Procaer F.15 Picchio is an Italian-designed light utility aircraft built by Procaer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maule M-5</span> American light aircraft

The Maule M-5 is an American four-seat cabin monoplane designed and built by the Maule Aircraft Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wassmer WA-51 Pacific</span> Type of aircraft

The Wassmer WA-51 Pacific is a French four-seat cabin monoplane designed and built by Société Wassmer. Different-powered variants include the Wassmer WA-52 Europa and the Wassmer WA-54 Atlantic. It was the world's first composite material-built aircraft.

The Omega BS-12 was a utility helicopter with high ground clearance designed to carry loads behind the cabin at, or near, the center of gravity. It was one of the early twin engine designs to be developed, and had a unique pod-and-boom style design similar to the later Sikorsky S-60

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylorcraft F22</span> American light aircraft of the 1980s

The Taylorcraft F22 is a two-seat American light aircraft produced in small numbers by Taylorcraft in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It is a further development of the Taylorcraft F-19 via the F-21 design. Manufacturing and marketing of the F22 was halted by the financial difficulties of Taylorcraft, although plans to restart production existed in 2007.

The Aircorp B2-N Bushmaster is a prototype Australian light aircraft designed for aerobatic, touring, and utility use. It first flew in 1989 and did not enter production.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 New Australian Light Aircraft, p.26
  2. 1 2 3 Taylor 1989, p. 6
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Eyre
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 New Australian Light Aircraft, p.28
  5. Gunston 1993, p.17
  6. Mamba Aircraft Company 2022

Bibliography

  • Eyre, David C. (8 May 2019). "IAC MA-2 Mamba". Aeropedia. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  • Gunston, Bill (1993). World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers. Anapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.
  • "Mamba Aircraft Company". 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  • "New Australian Light Aircraft". Air Progress. Vol. 51, no. 8. Canoga Park, California: Challenge Publications. August 1989. pp. 26–28.
  • Taylor, John W.R., ed. (1989). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1989-90. London, United Kingdom: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN   0-7106-0896-9.