Socata TB

The Socata TB aircraft series are light single engine piston aircraft manufactured by Socata and designed in the late 1970s. All aircraft (with the exception of the TB-9) have a variable pitch propeller and they were the first of this class in Europe at the time.Fact|date=September 2007 The TB series have become widely used instruction and touring aircraft and are often used for instrument training.

The letters TB in the name stand for Tarbes, a city in the south of France where the aircraft is manufactured.

Aircraft

The TB series consists of five aircraft:
* TB-9 Tampico GT
* TB-10 Tobago GT
* TB-200 Tobago XL GT
* TB-20 Trinidad GT
* TB-21 Trinidad TC GT

The aircraft are all very similar looking both inside and out but only the TB-20 and TB-21 have a retractable gear. Probably the biggest difference between the models is the engine power which increases from 160hp for the TB-9, 180hp for the TB-10, 200hp for the TB-200 and to 250hp on the TB-20 and 21. The only difference between the TB-20 and the TB-21 is that the latter is turbocharged, hence the letters TC. All models have a constant-speed propeller except for the TB-9, which has a fixed pitch propeller. On the fixed gear models, the landing gear fairings are optional.

The Socata TB-30 Epsilon is a military training aircraft manufactured by Socata in the past and is not related to the other TB aircraft. The TB-31 Omega is an improved version of this aircraft, however it was never put in production. The TB-360 Tangara was a light twin engined propellor aircraft based on the Gulfstream Cougar, but it also never entered production.

Minor Variants

* TB-11 - Powered by a 134-kW (180-hp) engine.
* TB-15 - Proposed version. Not built.
* TB-16 - Proposed version. Not built.

History and future

Design work on the TB series began in the mid 1970s to replace Socata's successful Rallye series of aircraft. The TB-20 model was certified in France on December 18, 1980. The first delivery to a customer happened in March 1981 in Germany. All aircraft in the series were modernised in 2000 and as a result the letters GT were added (GT standing for Generation Two). The GT versions have a bigger cabin and aerodynamic improvements. The most noticeable differences between the first and second generation models are the wing tips, which are rounder on the older models, and the vertical stabilizer, which is curved on the lower front on the GT models. The looks of the rear windows has also changed, being more blended with the hull on the GT models.

Plans were to move the production of the TB-20 and TB-21 models, together with a new model only known as the TB-2X, to Romania. TB-2X was the working name of a new model that would most likely be similar to the TB-20 Trinidad, but with a diesel engine. According to a Dutch news site, it was decided in 2006 that the production of the TB series will be halted. [ [http://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/news/?ID=17789 Luchtvaartnieuws.nl] ] However, there has been no official statement from EADS Socata indicating this, though the current orderbook of EADS Socata does not include any more aircraft of the TB series, with the last three ordered TB aircraft having been delivered in 2006. [ [http://socata.eads.net/1024/en/news/press/2007/Hidden/EADS%20Socata%20in%202006.html Socata.eads.net] , figures over 2006.]

pecifications (TB-20)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop
ref=
crew= one, pilot
capacity=3 or 4 passengers
length main= 7.75 m
length alt= 25 ft 5 in
span main= 9.97 m
span alt= 32 ft 8 in
height main= 2.85 m
height alt= 9 ft 4 in
area main= 11.90 m²
area alt= 128.04 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 900 kg
empty weight alt= 1,980 lb
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 1,400 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 3,080 lb
more general=
engine (prop)=Lycoming IO-540
type of prop= 6-cylinder horizontally-opposed piston engine, with fuel injection
number of props=1
power main= 186 kW
power alt= 250 hp
power original=
max speed main=
max speed alt=
cruise speed main= 305 km/h
cruise speed alt= 163 kts, 188 mph
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 1,290 km
range alt= 697 nm, 796 mi
ceiling main= 6,100 m
ceiling alt= 20,000 ft
climb rate main= 6.1 m/s
climb rate alt= 1,200 ft/min
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
* Take off distance: 505 m (1,656 ft)
* Landing distance: 460 m (1,509 ft)
armament=
avionics=

References

External links

* [http://www.socata.eads.net EADS Socata]
* [http://www.socata.org/ Socata TB User Group]

ee also

aircontent
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similar aircraft=

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lists=
* List of civil aircraft
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