Pitcairn PA-3 Orowing

Pitcairn PA-3 Orowing
1926 Pitcairn PA-3 Orowing model on display at the EAA Airventure Museum
General information
Type	Biplane
National origin	United States of America
Manufacturer	Pitcairn Aircraft Company
Designer	Agnew E. Larson
Number built	35 [1]
History
Introduction date	1926
First flight	1926

The Pitcairn PA-3 Orowing is an early Pitcairn biplane designed for light commercial use in the early 1920s when aircraft production rates did not meet demand for airmail, training, and passenger aircraft. ^[2]

Development

The Orowing was the first production aircraft from Pitcairn. Pitcairn purchased surplus Curtiss Oriole wings and mated them to production fuselages. The name "Orowing" is a mix of the PA-2 "Sesquiwing" and the Curtiss "Oriole". The initial production run also was powered by 250 surplus Curtiss OX-5 engines. ^[3]

Design

The three place Biplane was made of welded steel tube fuselage with an OX-5 engine. The aircraft featured dual controls for flight instruction. The wings were purchased from Curtiss and were the same design as a Curtiss Oriole. ^{[4] [5]}

Operational history

Most Orrowing production was sold to Pitcairn Aviation for flight training and charters.

An Orowing flew in the 1926 Ford National Reliability Air Tour. ^[6]

Specifications (Pitcairn PA-3 Orowing)

Pitcairn PA-3 Orowing 3-view drawing from Le Document aéronautique February,1927

Data from The Pitcairn Aerowing ^[7]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 2 passengers
• Length: 26 ft 2 in (7.98 m)
• Wingspan: 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m)
• Height:2 ft 2+1⁄2 in (0.673 m)
• Wing area: 338.37 sq ft (31.436 m²)
• Airfoil: RAF 15 modified
• Empty weight: 1,345 lb (610 kg)
• Gross weight: 2,100 lb (953 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 30 US gal (25 imp gal; 110 L)
• Powerplant: 1 × Curtiss OX-5 , 90 hp (67 kW)
• Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance

• Maximum speed: 78 kn (90 mph, 140 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 70 kn (80 mph, 130 km/h)
• Stall speed: 39 kn (45 mph, 72 km/h)
• Range: 350 nmi (400 mi, 640 km)
• Endurance: 4 hr
• Service ceiling: 10,500 ft (3,200 m)

References

Notes

1. "Harold Pitcairn" . Retrieved 18 Jan 2011.
2. William F. Trimble (1982). High frontier: a history of aeronautics in Pennsylvania . ISBN   9780822953401.
3. Sport Aviation. November 1991.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
4. "Orowing" . Retrieved 18 January 2011.
5. Janet Rose Daly Bednarek, Michael H. Bednarek. Dreams of flight: general aviation in the United States.
6. "Ford Air Tour" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 18 Jan 2011.
7. Aviation November 22, 1926, pp. 882, 884.

Bibliography

• "The Pitcairn Orowing" . Aviation . Vol. XXI, no. 21. November 22, 1926. pp. 882, 884.