Aermacchi S-211

Infobox Aircraft
name= S-211


caption= An S-211 from the 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron Squadron, Philippine Air Force
type= Light attack aircraft and basic jet trainer
national origin= Italy
manufacturer= SIAI Marchetti (1981 - 1997) Alenia Aermacchi (1997 - present)
designer= SIAI Marchetti, 1976
first flight= 10 April 1981
introduced= 1984
retired=
status= Active
primary user= Republic of Singapore Air Force
more users= Philippine Air Force
produced=
number built= ~60
unit cost=
developed from=
variants with their own articles= Alenia Aermacchi M-311

The Aermacchi S-211 is a jet-powered military trainer aircraft designed and originally marketed by SIAI Marchetti as the S.211. Some 60 aircraft have been sold to air forces around the world. Aermacchi bought the production rights in 1997. The redesigned M-311 is currently under development by Alenia Aermacchi.

Design and development

SIAI Marchetti began work on the aircraft in 1976 as a private venture basic trainer, hoping to offer it to the company's existing customer base of small air forces operating their piston-engined SF.260. Formally announced in Paris the following year, interest was strong enough to justify the construction of two prototypes, the first of which flew on 10 April 1981. The Singapore Air Force placed the first order for ten aircraft in 1983.Orbis 1985, page 2854]

The S-211 is a small tandem two-seat shoulder-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear and powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-4C turbofan. The aircraft was designed with a secondary close air support capability with four underwing hardpoints.

The S-211A was a slightly modified and updated variant of the S-211, was a losing contender in the USA's Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPTATS) aircraft selection. Among the seven to enter, the Raytheon/Pilatus entry won, which became the T-6 Texan II. The S-211 team was partnered with Grumman, and then Northrop Grumman after 1994.

Like many military trainers, the S-211 can be armed for weapons training or light ground attack duties.

Variants

;S-211 : Original production version with total of approximately sixty built and were operated by the Air Forces of Haiti, Philippines and Singapore.cite web| url=http://www.siai-marchetti.nl/s211pro.html| title=SIAI-MARCHETTI S.211 production list| publisher =www.siai-marchetti.nl] ;S-211A : Proposed version developed with input from Grumman for the JPATS (two prototypes, converted from two former Haitian S-211 aircraft).;M-311 : Modernized and uprated version announced by Aermacchi in 2004 (two protoypes built).

Operators

;PHI
*Philippine Air Force (PAF) - 25 aircraft, including one partially completed airframe as spare parts and 15 assembled locally by Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation. Due to accidents, 14 remaining in service but only 4 are airworthy. [http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Country-By-Country/Philippines.htm] [http://timawa.net/forum/index.php?topic=10208.msg92195#msg92195] [http://www.siai-marchetti.nl/s211pro.html]
**105th Training Squadron
**7th Tactical Fighter Squadron;SIN
*Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) - total of 32 aircraft including 24 assembled locally by Singapore Aircraft Industries and two former Haitian aircraft were acquired as attrition replacements.
**130 Sqn - 27 airframes in operational use (5 airframes were write offs due to accidents). Since April 2008, 130 Squadron has been gradually replacing their fleet with the newly-acquired Pilatus PC-21. [cite web| url=http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2008/feb/15feb08_nr2.html| title=RSAF Pilatus PC-21 Makes its Maiden Flight| publisher =MINDEF]
**131 Sqn - disbanded in 1996, following the move of RSAF Flight Training School to Pearce Airbase (Australia), all remaining aircraft transferred to the former. [cite web| url=http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/1996/oct/17oct96_nr.html| title=Australia - Singapore Defence Relationship| publisher=MINDEF]

Former operator

;HAI
*Haitian Air Force (HAF) - Four aircraft were delivered in June 1985 , they were retired and put up for sale on 23 April 1990. [cite web| url=http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/americas/haiti/Haiti-af-S211.htm| title=World Air Forces - Haitian Air Force - SIAI-Machetti S-211 status| publisher =www.aeroflight.co.uk]

Civilian

;USA
*Two second-hand aircraft are operated by private companies. [ [http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/nnumSQL.asp?NNumbertxt=48SM Federal Aviation Authority Aircraft Inquiries for N48SM] ] [ [http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/nnumSQL.asp?NNumbertxt=852TC Federal Aviation Authority Aircraft Inquiries for N852TC] ]

Accidents and incidents

On 21 September 1992 a Philippine Air Force aircraft crashed into the sea after taking off from Antonio Bautista Air Base, Palawan, the fate of both the crews and airframe are listed as missing by the PAF.cite web| url=http://www.hueybravo.net/Airforcepage/s211.htm| title=Philippines Air Force - Siai-Marchetti S.211 - Write-offs| publisher =www.hueybravo.net]

pecifications (S-211)

Aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet
ref=
crew=Two (student and instructor)
capacity=
length main= 9.31 m
length alt= 30 ft 7 in
span main= 8.43 m
span alt= 27 ft 8 in
height main= 3.8 m
height alt= 12 ft 2 in
area main= 12.6 m²
area alt= 135.63 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 1,850 kg
empty weight alt= 4,070 lb
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 2,750 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 6,050 lb
more general=
engine (jet)=Pratt & Whitney JT15D-4C
type of jet= turbofan engine
number of jets=1
thrust main= 11.12 kN
thrust alt= 2,500 lbf
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
afterburning thrust alt=
max speed main= 665 km/h
max speed alt= 359 knots, 415 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 2,467 km
range alt= 1,370 nm, 1,542 miles
ceiling main= 12,190 m
ceiling alt= 40,000 ft
climb rate main= 1,240 m/min
climb rate alt= 4,134 ft/min
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight= 0.413:1
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
* Acceleration limits: +7.33"g" (+71.9 m/s²)/−3.5"g" (−34 m/s²)
armament=
* Up to 600 kg (1,455 lb) of weapons on four hardpoints, including gunpods, bombs, and rockets.
avionics=

ee also

Aircontent
related=
* Alenia Aermacchi M-311

similar aircraft=
* CASA C-101
* Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet

lists=
see also=

References

Bibliography

*cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|year= |publisher= Orbis Publishing|location= |issn=|pages=

External links

* [http://www.siai-marchetti.nl/s211pro.html Unofficial S-211 site]
* [http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/mindef_websites/atozlistings/air_force/assets/aircraft/Trainers.html Republic of Singapore Air Force Trainer Factsheet]
* [http://www.aviastar.org/air/italy/siai_s-211.php SIAI-Marchetti S.211 Factsheet]
* [http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/s211a/ S211A Jet Trainer, Italy]