NAC Freelance

NAC-1 (BN-3) Freelance
Norman NAC-1 Freelance at Cotswold Airport, England, in 2018
General information
Type	Four-seat monoplane
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Britten-Norman NDN Aircraft Norman Aircraft Company
Designer	Desmond Norman
Status	Operational in 2003, now stored
Number built	2
History
First flight	17 May 1969 (BN-3) 29 September 1984 (NAC-1) [1]

The NAC-1 Freelance, originally the BN-3 Nymph, is a British four-seat touring monoplane.

Development

Designed by Desmond Norman when with Britten-Norman, the BN-3 Nymph was an all-metal high-wing braced monoplane powered by a 115 hp Lycoming O-235 engine. It was designed to allow it to be assembled in under-developed countries which would build the aircraft under a technology transfer scheme. ^[2]

With the demise of the original Britten-Norman company, Norman took the design with him to his new company NDN Aircraft. NDN planned to build and sell the Nymph with a lengthened cabin as the NAC-1 Freelance. The Nymph was reworked as the prototype Freelance and first flew in that configuration on 29 September 1984. ^[1] In 1985 NDN Aircraft was renamed the Norman Aircraft Company (NAC) and components and fuselage sections for six aircraft were built. Following the failure of the company to win a military order with the NDN Firecracker military trainer the company was closed down.

Specifications (BN-3)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1969–70 ^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 3 passengers
• Length: 23 ft 7 in (7.20 m)
• Wingspan: 39 ft 4 in (11.98 m)
• Height: 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)
• Wing area: 169.0 sq ft (15.70 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 9.1:1
• Airfoil: NACA 23012
• Empty weight: 1,140 lb (517 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,925 lb (873 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-235-C1B air-cooled flat-four, 115 hp (86 kW)
• Propellers: 2-bladed Sensenich, 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 117 mph (188 km/h, 102 kn) at sea level
• Cruise speed: 113 mph (182 km/h, 98 kn) at 7,500 ft (2,300 m)
• Range: 600 mi (970 km, 520 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 11,200 ft (3,400 m)
• Rate of climb: 600 ft/min (3.0 m/s)
• Take-off run to 50 ft (15 m): 1,550 ft (470 m)
• Landing run from 50 ft (15 m): 920 ft (280 m)

References

1. Simpson 2001, p. 400
2. Taylor 1969, pp. 198–199.

• Jackson, A.J. (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN   0-370-10006-9.
• Simpson, Rod (2001). Airlife's World Aircraft. Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN   1-84037-115-3.
• Taylor, John W. R. (1969). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1969–70. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd.
• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.

External links

• Photo of the sole Norman NAC-2 Freelance 180