| XP-99 Prop-Jet | |
|---|---|
| Role | Six seat business aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Mike Smith Aero Inc |
| Designer | Mike Smith |
| First flight | 29 July 1982 |
| Number built | 1 |
The Smith X-99 Prop-Jet was a six-seat turboprop powered business aircraft designed in the United States in the 1980s. Only one was built.
The Prop-Jet was an attempt to produce a small, propeller driven business aircraft capable of cruising at speeds above 350 mph (560 km/h). It was powered by a 550 shp (410 kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engine, mounted in a long nose and driving a four blade, constant speed propeller. The fuselage was a monocoque constructed from graphite and glass-fibre epoxy sandwich. The pressurised cabin accommodated pilot and five passengers in three rows of seats, with a baggage space behind. Access was by port side doors forward and another over the trailing edge on the other side. The tail unit was made from Kevlar/graphite/glass fibre epoxy sandwich. The fin was swept and the tailplane mounted, with anhedral, almost at the top of it. The elevator carried an electrically driven trim tab. [1]
To speed the completion of the first prototype, the Prop-Jet used the wing and undercarriage of a Beechcraft Baron 58P, though a composite structure wing was envisaged for production aircraft. The Beech wing was a two spar aluminium box structure, without sweep and mounted between mid and low positions with dihedral of 6° and fitted with slotted Fowler flaps. The tricycle undercarriage was enclosed behind doors after retraction. [1]
The Prop-Jet flew for the first time on 29 July 1982. By 1985 Mike Smith was reported as seeking financial backers [1] but only the one prototype Prop-Jet was built. [2]
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1985–86 [1] All performance figures at maximum take-off weight except where noted.
General characteristics
Performance
Avionics
