Short 360

Infobox Aircraft
name= Short 360 (SD3-60)
type = transport aircraft
manufacturer=Short Brothers


caption= An Air Seychelles Short 360
first flight= 1 June 1981
introduced= 1981
retired=
primary user= Air Cargo Carriers
more users = Emerald Airways Aeroperlas Skyway Enterprises
produced=
number built=
unit cost=
developed from = Short 330
variants with their own articles = C-23B/C Sherpa

The Short 360 (also SD3-60) is a commuter aircraft built by Short Brothers of Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is now a division of Bombardier of Canada.

Development

The Short 360 is a 36-seat derivative of the 30 seat Short 330. In high density configuration 39 could be seated. The two Short airliners share a high degree of commonality and are very close in overall dimensions and size. The later 360 is easily identified by a larger, swept tail unit mounted on a revised rear fuselage. The 360 has a 91 cm (3 ft) fuselage "plug" allowing two more seat rows and six extra passengers to be carried, while the extra length smoothed out the aerodynamic profile and reduced drag. Power is supplied by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65Rs, and the 360's wingspan is slightly greater. The development was announced in 1980, prototype first flight on 1 June 1981 with type certification awarded on 3 September 1981.

Once in production, Short marketed a number of 360 developments, the first of which was the 360 Advanced with 1,062 kW (1,424 shp) PT6A-65-ARs. The 360 Advanced was introduced in late 1985, soon followed by the further improved 360/300, which entered service in March 1987. The 360/300 introduced advanced six-blade propellers, more powerful PT6A-67R engines which combined with other aerodynamic improvements, giving a higher cruise speed and improved "hot and high" performance. The 360/300 was also built in 360/300F freighter configuration.

Operational history

The Short 360 entered service with Suburban Airlines (later merged with Allegheny Airlines/US Airways) in November 1981. Building on the strengths and reputation of its earlier 330 antecedent, the 360s found a niche in regional airline use worldwide, being able to operate comfortably from 1,400 meter (4,500 ft) long runways – opening up hundreds of airfields inaccessible by scheduled flights. With a cruise speed about 370 km/h (215 mph), at an altitude of 10,000 ft, the 360 was not the fastest turboprop in its market but it offered more than acceptable performance for a reasonably affordable pricetag combined with ease of service and maintainability. [ Smith 1986, p. 2] The PT6A turboprops are fully ICAO Stage 3 noise-compliant, making the 360 (and its 330 cousin) one of the quietest turboprop aircraft operating today. Production on the 360 ceased in 1991 after 165 deliveries. [http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=354 Airliners.net: Short 360 page] Access date: 9 August 2007.] As of 1998, approximately 110 360s were in service.

Accidents

A total of 11 hull loss accidents have been recorded for the Short 360. [ [http://aviation-safety.net/database/dblist.php?field=typecode&var=441%&cat=%1&sorteer=datekey&page=1 hull losses] ] (with one more probable in the wake of the recent Air Cargo Carriers incident). [ [http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20060205-0 Aviation Safety] ]

Variants

* 360-100 was the first production model with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65R turboprop engines.Frawley 2003, p. 193.]
* 360 Advanced featured an upgraded PT6A-65AR engines providing 1,424 shaft horsepower (1,062 kilowatts) each. The aircraft was later redesignated 360-200. Variant was introduced in late 1985.
* 360-300 added even more powerful PT6A-67R engines with six blade propellers providing a higher cruise speed and improved performance.
*360-300F was a freighter version of -300. with capacity for five LD3 cargo containers.
* C-23 Sherpa B+ and C variants are military configured Short 360s operated by the United States military. [http://www.olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_c23sherpa.php Olive-Drab C-23 page] ]

Operators

In August 2006, a total of 86 Short 360 aircraft (all variants) were in airline service, with Air Seychelles (2), Deraya Air Taxi (2), Freedom Air (1), South Pacific Express (2), Air Contractors (3), Aerocondor (4), Aurigny Air Services (1), Benair (1), Emerald Airways (10), Nightexpress (2), Aeroperlas (8), Air Cargo Carriers (19), Air Santo Domingo (1), AirNow (3), Islena Airlines (3), Pacific Coastal Airlines (2), Roblex Aviation (7), Servicios Aereos Profesionales (1), Skyway Enterprises (8), Trans Air (1) and Trans Executive Airlines (4). [Flight International, 3-9 October 2006]

; flag|Argentina
* LAPA; flag|Aruba
* Tiara Air; flag|Australia
* Sunstate Airlines; flag|Canada
* Pacific Coastal Airlines; flag|China
* CAAC; flag|Costa Rica
* TACA (SANSA); flag|Guatemala
* TACA (INTER); flag|Honduras
* TACA (ISLEÑA) [ [http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~ito-nori/s360.html HR-IAP] ] ; flag|Ireland
* Aer Arann
* Aer Lingus [ [http://www.airliners.net/open.file/223859/M/ EI-BSP] ] ; flag|Nicaragua
* TACA (LA COSTENA); flag|Panama
* TACA Aeroperlas; flag|Philippines
* Philippine Airlines; flag|Seychelles
* Air Seychelles; flag|Thailand
* Thai Airways [ [http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~ito-nori/s360.html HS-TSE] ] ; flag|United Kingdom
* BAC Express
* British Regional Airways/Loganair [ [http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/jcurry/balogan.htm G-BNMT] ]
* Manx G-LEGS (not current) see Euromanx
* Jersey European (now Flybe) [ [http://www.airliners.net/open.file/629226/M/ G-OBHD] ]
* Gill Airways [ [http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/jcurry/gillshort.htm G-BNYI] ] ; flag|United States
* US Airways
* American Eagle
* Air Cargo Carriers
* Federal Express [ [http://www.fedex.com/ag/about/facts.html FedEx - About FedEx - FedEx Facts] ] ; flag|Venezuela
* Venezuelan Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Venezolana)

pecifications (360-100)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=
jet or prop?=

ref=

crew=Three (Two pilots plus one cabin crew)
capacity=36 passengers
length main= 70 ft 10 in
length alt= 21.59 m
span main= 22.78 m
span alt= 74 ft 10 in
height main= 4.95 m
height alt= 16 ft 3 in
area main= 42.1 m²
area alt= 544 ft²
airfoil= NACA 63 series (modified)
empty weight main= 16,900 lb
empty weight alt= 6,440 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 26,000 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 10,387 kg
more general=

engine (prop)= Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-45-R
type of prop= turboprop
number of props=2
power main= 894 kW
power alt= 1,198 hp

max speed main= 352 km/h
max speed alt= 190 kn, 218 mph
max speed more= (at 3,050 m (10,000 ft))
cruise speed main= 296 km/h
cruise speed alt= 160 kn, 184 mph
stall speed main= 136 km/h
stall speed alt= 73 kn, 85 mph
stall speed more=(flaps and landing gear down)
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 1,239 km
range alt= 915 NM, 770 mi
range more= (no reserves, passenger version, 1,966 kg payload)
ceiling main= 3,500 m
ceiling alt= 11,500 ft
climb rate main= 60 m/s
climb rate alt= 2,100 ft/min
loading main= 247 kg/m²
loading alt= 50.6 lb/ft²
power/mass main= 0.17 kW/kg
power/mass alt= 0.052 hp/lb
more performance=

armament=

avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Short Skyvan
* Short 330
* C-23 Sherpa

similar aircraft=

lists=
* List of airliners

see also=

References

;Notes

;Bibliography
* Barnes C.H. and James Derek N. "Shorts Aircraft since 1900". London: Putnam, 1989. ISBN 0-85177-819-4.
* Donald, David, ed. "The Encyclopedia of Civil Aircraft". London: Aurum, 1999. ISBN 1-85410-642-2.
* Frawley, Gerard. "The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003/2004". London: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-875671-58-7.
* Smith, P.R. "Shorts 330 and 360" (Air Portfolios 2) London: Jane's Publishing Company Limited, 1986. ISBN 0-7106-0425-4.

External links

* [http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=354 Short 360 page on Airliners.net]
* [http://britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=367 Short 360 page on britishaircraft.co.uk]