SIPA Antilope
The SIPA S.251 Antilope was a passenger aircraft by the French company Société Industrielle Pour l' Aéronautique and was developed in the early 1960s.
History and construction
The antelope was one of the first light aircraft with turboprop engines. She was an all-metal aircraft, which was designed as a low-wing monoplane with seating for five people. The aircraft had a retractable tricycle landing gear and tanks on the wing tips. In a proposed ambulance configuration the antelope could also accommodate two stretchers and a medic to the pilot. The access to the cabin was a large rear door wing on the starboard side. A Turboméca Astazou X with 665 hp ( 495 kW) turboprop engine driving a three -blade propeller.
The first flight took place on November 1962 and the certification 7 in April 1964. In autumn were flown with the antelope by the pilot P. Bonneau six international class records, such as a speed of 432.9 km / h over a 3-km long distance and reached an altitude of 10,420 m. Beginning of 1965, the machine was equipped with a four -blade propeller and improved suitable records. After a three -blade propeller was mounted again and the aircraft presented at the 1965 Air Show in Le Borget. By mid- 1966, no decision on whether the production version should be included. Although it was announced that the production version of the name SIPA should wear S.2510 antelope, but ultimately was not built.
The only antelope is currently being restored and is located in a private museum, owned by the association antelope, the Montpelier - Mediterranee Airport, in southern France.