RU-38 Twin Condor

Infobox Aircraft
name = RU-38 Twin Condor


caption =
type = covert reconnaissance aircraft
national origin = USA
manufacturer = Schweizer Aircraft Corporation
designer = Leslie Schweizer
first flight = 31 May 1995 cite web|url = http://www.alexstoll.com/AircraftOfTheMonth/9-01.html|title = Schweizer RU-38A Twin Condor |accessdate = 2008-06-04|last = Stoll, Alex|authorlink = |year = 2001|month = September]
introduction = May 1997
retired =
status = In production
primary user = United States Coast Guard cite web|url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/ru-38.htm|title = Schweizer RU-38B Twin Condor |accessdate = 2008-06-04|last = Pike, John|authorlink = |year = 2005|month = April]
more users = United States Department of Justice cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/mmsinqSQL.asp?mmstxt=8059002&statetxt=TX|title = FAA Registry|accessdate = 2008-06-04|last = Federal Aviation Administration|authorlink = |year = 2008|month = June]
produced = RU-38A 1995-1997 cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/mmsinqSQL.asp?mmstxt=8059102&statetxt=NY|title = FAA Registry|accessdate = 2008-06-04|last = Federal Aviation Administration|authorlink = |year = 2008|month = June]
RU-38B 2004-2005
number built = RU-38A - 2 cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/acftinqSQL.asp?striptxt=SA238&mfrtxt=Schweizer&cmndfind.x=15&cmndfind.y=13&cmndfind=submit&modeltxt=SA+2-38|title = FAA Registry|accessdate = 2008-06-04|last = Federal Aviation Administration|authorlink = |year = 2008|month = June]
RU-38B - 3
program cost =
unit cost =
developed from = RG-8A
variants with their own articles =

The Schweizer RU-38 Twin Condor is a two or three-seat, fixed gear, low wing, covert reconnaissance aircraft. cite web|url = http://www.sacusa.com/recon/ru38b.asp|title = Reconnaissance Aircraft: RU-38B|accessdate = 2008-06-04|last = Schweizer Aircraft Corp|authorlink = |year = 2006] cite web|url = http://www.spyflight.co.uk/ru38b.htm|title = Schweizer RU-38B Twin Condor|accessdate = 2008-06-04|last = Spy Flight|authorlink = |year = undated]

RU-38 is the US military designation for the aircraft, indicating "Utility, Reconnaissance". The Schweizer company model number is Schweizer SA 2-38A Condor and, in its three-seat configuration, Schweizer SA 3-38A Condor cite web|url = http://siris-thesauri.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=120981572FNL8.17&profile=planes&uri=link=3100020~!50828~!3100001~!3100002&aspect=subtab13&menu=search&ri=2&source=~!sithesauri&term=Schweizer+SGU+1+1+SGP+1+1&index=|title = Directory of Airplanes|accessdate = 2008-05-03|last = Smithsonian Institution |authorlink = |year = 2004]

Based on the Schweizer SGM 2-37 motor glider, a total of five RU-38s have been produced between 1995 and 2005. The aircraft remains in production.

Background

The development of the Schweizer SGM 2-37 motor glider for training use at the United States Air Force Academy led to two reconnaissance versions of that design, carrying the company model numbers SA 2-37A and SA 2-37B. In Central Intelligence Agency, US Army and US Coast Guard service these were designated RG-8A and B. The RG-8s were employed in border security and surveillance missions. cite web|url = http://www.aircraftworlddirectory.com/civil/s/schweizersa237a.htm|title = Schweizer SA 2-37A |accessdate = 2008-06-03|last = World Aircraft Directory|authorlink = |year = undated]

In the mid-1990s the Coast Guard decided that the aircraft would be more useful if their capabilities were improved to include night operations by the addition of more mission sensor equipment. Discussions with Schweizer Aircraft resulted in a plan to upgrade two RG-8As and build one new aircraft to provide a total of three.

Development

The RU-38 was intended to fulfill both the low altitude, quiet, over water/hostile terrain reconnaissance role and also the high altitude standoff surveillance role.

The design missions for the RU-23A were:

*Border integrity
*Counter-terrorism surveillance
*Drug enforcement
*Electronic intelligence
*Fishery patrols
*Illegal alien surveillance
*Intelligence collection
*Maritime patrol
*Pollution patrol & environmental monitoring
*Search and Rescue

In converting to the new RU-38A configuration, the conventional RG-8A airframe was greatly modified by:
*Removing the single 235hp (175kW) Lycoming O-540-B powerplant
*Installing two Continental Motors GIO-550A engines with a 3:2 gear reduction to 2267 operating rpm. The engines are mounted one in the nose and the other in the rear of the fuselage.
*Enlarging the crew compartment
*Improving the engine mufflers
*Increasing the wingspan from 56.5 ft (18.14 m) to 84.13 ft (25.65 m)
*Changing the single tail fin to a twin-boom configuration with two fins
*Greatly enlarged sensor bays
*Improved noise signature reduction
*Tricycle landing gear replacing the conventional landing gear

RU-38A

The resulting aircraft bears little resemblance to the original TG-8. Installation of the twin-boom pods permits the carriage of more sensors. The left-hand pod houses a AN/APN-215(V) color multi-function X-band sea search radar with mapping capabilities. The right-hand pod houses the AN/AAQ-15 forward looking infrared (FLIR) and Low-Light TV enhanced vision systems.

For navigation the RU-38A originally carried both OMEGA and GPS receivers, although the Omega has since been removed with that system's withdrawal from service in 1997. The aircraft also has HF, VHF and UHF radios for voice and encrypted voice communications, plus direction finding. The crew may also use night vision goggles.

The aircraft has no flaps and instead retains the top and bottom surface divebrakes of its sailplane ancestors. Maximum take-off weight of the RU-38A is 5300 lb (2404 kg)

The RU-38A is designed to transit to its operational area with both engines operating. Once in the surveillance area the rear engine would normally be shut down and the aircraft operated in "quiet surveillance mode". The second engine would be available for use in an emergency and for transit back to base.

The first Coast Guard RG-8A was returned to Schweizer for conversion to RU-38A status on 24 January 1994. The initial plan called for the conversion of two RG-8As and then build one new RU-38A.

The first flight of the converted aircraft took place on 31 May 1995. The second USCG RG-8A aircraft that was earmarked for RU-38A upgrade crashed near Puerto Rico in 1996. As a result the program was reduced to provide only two RU-38As to the USCG. The loss of the RG-8A delayed the program for many months and it was not completed until May 1997.

The first RU-38 was tested by the Air Force 445th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards AFB on behalf of the Coast Guard, starting in July 1998. The RU-38A was subject to approximately 100 test flights during the four month test program.

By September 1999 the two converted RU-38As had been delivered to the Coast Guard in Miami, Florida for operational employment. The RU-38As were flown in drug interdiction missions over the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, but the aircraft were reportedly grounded during 2000, due to problems with the aircraft meeting mission requirements or serviceability.

RU-38B

The company further improved the aircraft by replacing the two piston engines with two Rolls Royce Allison 250-B17F turboprop engines which allowed raising the gross weight to 7200 lbs (3265 kg). The new aircraft carries the military designation of RU-38B.

The RU-38B has 140 cubic feet (4.1 cu m) of payload space with a payload weight of 800 lbs (363 kg) available. The payload bays all have large access doors and are located both in the tailbooms and also behind the pilot and co-pilot seats in the fuselage. The latter space can also accommodate a third crew member, if required. Using pallet-mounted sensor packages the aircraft can be quickly changed from one mission to another.

The RU-38B is able to achieve quiet operation while loitering by using a propeller speed as low as 1000 rpm. This is possible because the sailplane-derived wing is efficient and flight at low airspeed can be sustained with low horsepower.

Two RU-38Bs were delivered to the US Department of Justice, one in 2004 and one in 2005.

The RU-38B model is still being actively marketed by Schweizer in 2008.

Certification

Neither the RU-38A or B was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. Instead all aircraft operate as experimental aircraft in the "Research and Development" category.

Operators

There were five RU-38A and Bs registered as civil aircraft in the USA in June 2008. Current owners are:
*Schweizer Aircraft - Two RU-38A and one RU-38B
*United States Department of Justice - two RU-38B

pecifications (RU-38B)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=Schweizer Aircraft

crew=two in side-by-side seating or three, with two pilots in side-by-side seating and one sensor operator in the rear
capacity=
length main= 35.1 ft
length alt= 10.7 m
span main= 84.13 ft
span alt= 25.65 m
height main=
height alt=
area main= 334.2 ft²
area alt= 31.06 m²
airfoil=Wortmann Fx 61-163
empty weight main= 4265 lb
empty weight alt= 1934 kg
loaded weight main= 7200 lb
loaded weight alt= 3265 kg
useful load main= 2935 lb
useful load alt= 1331 kg
max takeoff weight main= 7200 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 3265 kg

engine (jet)=
type of jet=
number of jets=
thrust main= lbf
thrust alt= kN
engine (prop)= Rolls Royce Allison 250-B17F
type of prop=Constant Speed, Full Feather
number of props=2
power main= unknown horsepower
power alt=
max speed main= 168 knots
max speed alt= 312 km/h
cruise speed main= 83 knots (mission speed)
cruise speed alt= 155 km/h
never exceed speed main= 168 knots
never exceed speed alt= 312 km/h
stall speed main= 62 knots with divebrakes closed
stall speed alt= 116 km/h
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 30,000 ft
ceiling alt= 9230 m
climb rate main= ft/min
climb rate alt= m/s
loading main= 21.5 lb/ft²
loading alt= 105.1 kg/m²
more performance=
*Power/mass:

References

External link

[http://www.alexstoll.com/AircraftOfTheMonth/RU-38A-1.jpgPhoto of RU-38A, N61428, serial number 1]