FMA IA 63 Pampa
The FMA IA 63 Pampa is a two-seat light attack and trainer aircraft of the Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA ) in Cordoba, Argentina.
- 4.1 IA 63
- 4.2 AT / IA 63 Pampa II
- 4.3 Vought Pampa 2000
Development
I Pampa
Starting point of the development was a statement of the commander of Fuerza Aérea from March 1977, which provided for a strengthening of the domestic aviation industry in addition to the procurement of a new coach. A feasibility study was conducted in 1979 and early 1981 launched the official development. After budget cuts by domestic political pressure in 1983 two cells for fracture tests and three prototypes were built from the mid. Flight tests began with the 45 minute maiden flight of the first prototype EX -01 on October 6, 1984 Genora Mario Sciola and Horacio Armando Orefice in the cockpit. In June 1985, the prototype was presented at Air Show in Le Bourget. The second and third prototype took on August 7, 1985 and 25 March 1986, the tests. The trial proceeded without problems and so the first delivery to the IV Brigada Aérea began in El Plumerillo in the spring of 1988. The last aircraft were delivered in 1992.
Pampa II
In 1995, the Argentine government transferred the management of the FMA at Lockheed -Martin, which decided a development for AT -63 in June 2000. Financial problems of Argentina led to the first converted aircraft took off on its first flight until 25 June 2005. The first new machine followed in December 2007. Machines were equipped with a stronger engine, improved avionics and weapons control system. It initially only six new copies of AT were 63 sold to the Argentine Air Force and converted twelve machines that are now referred to as IA 63 Pampa II. In 2008, Argentina announced the re-nationalization of FMA, which was completed in March 2009. In September 2011, announced that Argentina's Minister of Defence to procure 40 more with Honeywell TFE731 -40 -N2 engines (21% more thrust than the original TFE731 -2C ) equipped Pampa II. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in late 2012. Ten to twelve copies to receive the Navy, and the remainder will go to the Air Force.
Pampa III
For the future it is planned, the machines ( as Pampa III) equipped with stronger TFE731 -40 engines with 18.7 kN of thrust. In addition, ten other cells are ordered ( not complete machines ) and in August, the Senate approved the plan to buy back the work from Lockheed -Martin.
Technology
The IA 63 is a one-beam wing monoplane with a conventional tail unit. It has a tandem -pressurized cockpit with 0/0-Schleudersitzen.
The plane is very similar to the Alpha Jet. The Dornier in Friedrichshafen worked as a subcontract ( contract development ) with the Alpha - Jet Development team on site in Cordoba and in Friedrichshafen. Large parts of the prototypes and the first flight with the first testing took place at Dornier in Oberpfaffenhofen. In contrast to the Alpha Jet aircraft has only one engine and a straight wing. However, the latter was a modern design with supercritical DoA-7/DoA-8 profile. Otherwise was placed on robust systems and easy maintenance value. The three-piece retractable tricycle landing gear was frosted individually. The two -man crew is behind the other housed in a generously glazed cabin on Stnecil SIII - S31A -63 ejection seats with zero -zero skills.
Construction
The FMA was looking for with the project following the modern aircraft and the aircraft offered on the world market mainly as a coach / trainer aircraft to, although support tasks for ground attack missions were provided. The Argentine Air Force procured initially only 14 aircraft, with FMA reckoned with orders for 100 or more aircraft. Offers a variety of countries, including the United States in cooperation with the company Ling- Temco - Vought (LTV ), were not crowned with success.
Variants
IA 63
Original version with the TFE731 -2 -2N - engine 1588 kg thrust. Top speed 755 km / h in 7000 m height.
AT / IA 63 Pampa II
Engine TFE731 -2C with 16.5 kN thrust, digital cockpit with 2 × 2 MFDs of Elbit Systems Ltd.. and HUD, mission computer. Optional you also thought of the installation of radar, radar warning receivers and chaff launchers. The machine has five attachment points for external loads ( external tank, bombs, rocket pods or canon container with a 30mm MK- Defa - Giat -554 ).
Vought Pampa 2000
The prototype (EX- 01) for the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System of the U.S. armed forces in 1994, together with LTV rebuilt. In this machine, the cockpit was heavily revised and made changes on the chassis and other systems. The second of the three prototypes crashed on 31 August 1992. After extensive and successful testing by American air and naval personnel in August 1994, the U.S. armed forces in 1995 but opted for the Beechcraft T -6A.