See also
Related development
| Victa Aircruiser | |
|---|---|
| Role | Four-seat light touring monoplane |
| National origin | Australia |
| Manufacturer | Victa Ltd |
| Designer | Henry Millicer |
| First flight | 18 July 1966 |
| Number built | 1 |
| Developed from | Victa Airtourer |
| Variants | AESL CT/4 Airtrainer |
The Victa Aircruiser was a 1960s Australian four-seat touring monoplane designed by Henry Millicer and built by Victa. It was not put into production by Victa, and the rights were sold to AESL in 1969.
Following the success of the earlier Airtourer, Millicer designed a four-seat version which he called the Aircruiser. The prototype registered VH-MVR first flew on 18 July 1966. [1] Like the Airtourer it was a low-wing monoplane with a fixed nosewheel landing gear and powered by a 210 hp (157 kW) Continental IO-360-H piston engine. [1] Rather than the sliding clear Perspex canopy of the Airtourer, the four-seat Aircruiser had a fixed cabin roof with a single "car type" door on the left hand side. [2]
Although Victa completed certification testing, no production of the Aircruiser followed, as Victa closed down its Aviation Division after failing to get financial assistance from the Australian government. [3] Both Victa and Transavia Corporation had requested subsidies for Australian-designed and -built light aircraft, with Victa seeking a subsidy of up to 60% of the factory cost. [4]
Following the sale of the design rights of the Airtourer to Aero Engine Services Limited (AESL) of New Zealand, the rights to the Aircruiser were also sold to AESL in 1969. [1] AESL's Chief Designer Pat Monk re-designed the aircraft as the AESL CT/4 Airtrainer, a fully aerobatic (+6G, -3G) military trainer.
In 2013 Brumby Aircraft Australia announced the company had purchased the type certificate for the Victa Aircruiser to be developed into the Brumby Aircruiser. [5]
The specifications of the Aircruiser 2010 (with performance estimated) are as follows: [2]
Data from Janes All the World's Aircraft 1966–67
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
The IMCO CallAir A-9 is an agricultural aircraft that first flew in 1962, a development of the company's previous successful crop-dusters. It is typical of aircraft of its type - a single-seat aircraft with a low wing incorporating spraying gear.
The Pacific Aerospace Corporation CT/4 Airtrainer series is an all-metal-construction, single-engine, two-place with side-by-side seating, fully aerobatic, piston-engined, basic training aircraft manufactured in Hamilton, New Zealand.
The Taylor Titch is a British fixed-wing homebuilt aircraft, developed in the 1960s by J.F. Taylor. As of 2015, examples are still being built and flown.
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.
The Aerotécnica AC-14 was a Spanish five-seat light helicopter of the 1950s, designed by Jean Cantinieau, based on enlarging his Nord Norelfe design.
The Cessna Model 411 is an American twin-engined, propeller-driven, non-pressurized light aircraft built by Cessna Aircraft. It was that company's largest business aircraft to enter production when it first flew in 1962.
The Bölkow Bo 207 was a four-seat light aircraft built in West Germany in the early 1960s, a development of the Klemm Kl 107 built during World War II.
The Funk F-23 was an agricultural aircraft produced in the United States during the 1960s. It was designed by Donald Funk using the fuselage frame of military surplus Fairchild PT-23 trainers as a starting point. The resulting aircraft was a low-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed, tailwheel undercarriage and all-metal construction. The main structural changes were in the wing, which had all-new outer panels. The space occupied by the forward cockpit of the PT-23 was used to accommodate a 200 U.S. gallon hopper for chemicals. Production continued until 1970, when manufacturing rights to the design were purchased by Cosmic Aircraft. The new owner, however, produced no further examples of the type.
The DINFIA IA 46 Ranquel, IA 46 Super Ranquel, and IA 51 Tehuelche were Argentine utility aircraft developed in the late 1950s.
The Fike Model D was a light aircraft built in the United States in the early 1950s. Designed by airline pilot William Fike, it was a conventional high-wing strut-braced monoplane with tailskid undercarriage and seating for one or two people in an enclosed cabin. In appearance, the aircraft strongly resembled a Piper Cub, with only the tail surfaces sourced from one. An unusual feature was that the flight controls were mounted to the ceiling of the cabin, rather than the floor. This facilitated the folding or removal of the seat or seats to enable the aircraft's use as a sleeping space when camping with it. Plans were marketed for homebuilding.
The Luscombe 10 was a single-seat sport aircraft built in the United States in 1945. It was a conventional, low-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed, tailwheel landing gear, designed for aerobatics. The wings, tail unit, and engine section were all adapted from the Luscombe 8, while the fuselage center section was an all-new design, relocating the Model 8's wings from a high to low position.
The Wassmer WA-80 Piranha is a French two-seat low-wing cabin monoplane trainer designed and built by Société Wassmer. Based on the same construction as the company's WA-50 four-seater, the WA-80 was a scaled down version. The prototype, registered F-WVKR, first flew in November 1975 powered by a 100 hp Rolls-Royce Continental O-200 engine. Wassmer appointed a receiver and suspended production in 1977 after 25 had been built.
The NAC-1 Freelance, originally the BN-3 Nymph, is a British four-seat touring monoplane.
The Valentin Taifun is a two-seat self-launching sailplane designed and built by Valentin Flugzeugbau GmbH of Hasfurt, Germany.
The GY-80 Horizon is a French four-seat touring monoplane of the 1960s designed by Yves Gardan and built under licence, first by Sud Aviation, and later by that company's SOCATA subsidiary.
The Dätwyler 1038 MDC Trailer was a 1960s Swiss glider tug variant of the American Piper PA-18 Super Cub.
The Mitchell Kittiwake is a British single engine sporting aircraft designed for amateur building. Plans were available for both single-seat and two-seat versions, but only four were constructed.
The Pilatus PC-8D Twin Porter was a Swiss ten-seat light transport built by Pilatus Aircraft. The type did not go into production and only one was built.
The Brumby Aircruiser is a four-seat general aviation aircraft currently under development by Brumby Aircraft Australia. The design has its origins in the 1960s Victa Aircruiser, itself a development of the successful Victa Airtourer.
The Victa R-2 was a prototype Australian single-engine four-seat light aircraft built by Victa Ltd in the early 1960s. A single example was built, first flying in February 1961, but no production followed.