Canadair CL-66

Infobox Aircraft
name= CL-66 CC-109 Cosmopolitan
type=transport aircraft
manufacturer=Canadair


caption=Canadair Cosmopolitan over the Rockies, c. 1980
designer=
first flight=2 February 1959
introduced=1980
retired=1994
status=
primary user=Royal Canadian Air Force
more users=Canadian Forces
produced=1959, 1966 (reconfigured variant)
number built=13
unit cost=CV540 (used) - $880,000 CL-66B (new) - $2,000,000 [ [http://www.rcaf.com/aircraft/transports/cosmo/index.php?name=Cosmopolitan RCAF.com: The Aircraft: CC-109 Cosmopolitan] ]
developed from = Convair 440
variants with their own articles= Convair 540

The Canadair CL-66 was a turboprop version of the civilian Convairliner. The CC-109 Cosmopolitan or "Cosmo" in RCAF service became the standard VIP aircraft as well as replacing the Douglas DC-3 Dakota and the North American B-25 Mitchell in light transport duties. After a lengthy career stretching into the 1990s, the CC-109 was replaced by the CC-142 Dash 8 and CC-144 Challenger.

Design and development

With the close of production of the Convair CV440 in San Diego, Canadair acquired the rights to the design along with the jigs, tooling and even three unsold 440s. With the availability of a Napier Eland turbo-prop conversion, the re-engined CV-440s became the CV-540, an all-cargo variant.

In 1958, the RCAF wanted to replace their aging C-47 Dakotas with a turbo powered aircraft. Their choice was the Vickers Viscount, but the Canadian government decided against this aircraft. Instead, Canadair offered a series of CV-540 variants powered by Napier Eland turbo-props. The project was given the number CL-66 and three versions were considered. The CL-66A was to be a 48/64 passenger aircraft. The CL-66B designed to be a cargo/passenger configuration with a payload of 14200 lb. The CL-66C instead of being built by Canadair used the Convair-built 440s, having only their new engines fitted at Canadair.

The first CL-66 to fly was a “C” version with its first flight in February 1959; the CL-66B had its first flight in January 1960. No “A” versions were built.

Operational history

Canadair was not able to get contracts from any major airline for the CL-66. It was too expensive and other similar types had better performance. The two aircraft, both of them CL-66Cs, that had been used for extensive sales demonstrations, were sold to the local carrier Quebecair. The RCAF took ten aircraft, mainly Bs. The Eland not only proved to be unreliable, but also did not deliver the expected power, consequently, the RCAF instituted an engine upgrade in 1966-1967, installing Allison T-56 engines. After eight airframes had been re-engined, the company phased out further development work on the type, "orphaning" the remaining final two Eland examples, which were subsequently scrapped [ [http://www.shearwateraviationmuseum.ns.ca/aircraft/cosmopolitan.htm Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan] ] .

No. 412 Squadron at CFB Ottawa (S), or "Uplands" flew the "Cosmo", from 1960 to 1994 as VIP transport. The Cosmopolitan aircraft were also deployed to Europe for Canadian NATO contingent support as well as to the US in support of Canadian NORAD operations.

Operators

;CAN
*Royal Canadian Air Force
*Canadian Forces

pecifications (CL-66)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=
crew=
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 81 ft 6 in
length alt= 24.84 m
span main= 105 ft 4 in
span alt= 32.12 m
height main= 28 ft 2 in
height alt= 8.49 m
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main= 32,333 lb
empty weight alt= 14666 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 53,200 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 24130 kg
more general=
engine (prop)= Napier Eland
type of prop=turbo-props
number of props=2
power main=
power alt=
power original=
max speed main= 340 mph
max speed alt= 570 km/h
cruise speed main= 322 mph at 20,000 ft
cruise speed alt=518 km/h at 6,096 m
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 2,275 miles
range alt=3660 km
ceiling main= 25,300 ft
ceiling alt= 7620 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Molson, Ken M. and Taylor, Harold A. "Canadian Aircraft Since 1909". Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. ISBN 0-920002-11-0.
* Pickler, Ron and Milberry, Larry. "Canadair: The First 50 Years". Toronto: CANAV Books, 1995. ISBN 0-921022-07-7.

External links

* [http://www.rcaf.com/aircraft/transports/cosmo/index.php?name=Cosmopolitan CC-109 Cosmopolitan in RCAF service]

ee also

aircontent

sequence=
* CL-30 - CL-41 - CL-44 - CL-66 - CL-84 - CL-89 - CL-90

lists=
* List of military aircraft of Canada
* List of military transport aircraft