HFB-320 Hansa Jet

infobox Aircraft
name = Hansa Jet
type = Business jet
manufacturer = Hamburger Flugzeugbau



caption = Hamburger Flugzeugbau HFB-320 Hansa Jet of the Luftwaffe at Basle Airport
designer=
first flight=21 April avyear|1964
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The HFB-320 Hansa Jet is an all-metal, twin-engine, 10-seat business jet built by German aircraft manufacturer Hamburger Flugzeugbau between 1964 and 1973.

The most notable feature of the aircraft is its forward-swept wing, which is mid-mounted in the fuselage. This arrangement allows the wing spar to pass through the fuselage behind the passenger cabin without decreasing cabin volume. As of 2006, it remains the only civilian aircraft ever to use a forward-swept wing.

Development

The prototype first flew on April 21, 1964 and was followed by a second prototype on October 19 of the same year. On May 12, 1965, the first prototype was lost in [http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19650512-0 an accident] caused by a design issue with the T-tail. Hamburger Flugzeugbau's chief test pilot perished in the crash. As a result of the accident, modifications were made to improve the aircraft's stall performance, including a stick pusher on production models. Assembly of the first ten production aircraft began in May 1965, with the first flying on February 2, 1966 and two others shortly thereafter. Certification was achieved in 1967, and General Air of Hamburg took first customer delivery in March 1968.

The Luftwaffe had ordered 13 HFB-320s in 1963. As part of the evaluation of the type, two production aircraft were delivered to the Est61 wing at Oberpfaffenhoffen in 1966. Production deliveries for use as VIP transports commenced in 1969.

Increased competition from newer executive jet models and a comparatively poor safety record led to dwindling orders, with production ceasing in 1973. The Aviation Safety Network lists a total of nine accidents (six fatal) for the type [http://aviation-safety.net/database/dblist.php?field=typecode&var=MBB-320%&cat=%1&sorteer=datekey&page=1] , an astounding 20 percent hull-loss rate, but only the crash of the prototype was directly attributable to the aircraft's design. Pilot error was blamed in a majority of the accidents.

Military operators

; FRG
* Luftwaffe

pecifications (HFB 320)

aircraft specifications

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

ref=Green, William, "The Observers Book of Aircraft", Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd, 1970. ISBN 0-7232-0087-4]

crew=Two
capacity=7, 11 or 15 passenger configurations
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 16.61 m
length alt= 54 ft 6 in
span main= 14.48 m
span alt= 47 ft 6 in
height main= 4.92 m
height alt= 16 ft 2 in
area main= 30.14 m²
area alt= 324.4 ft²
airfoil=

empty weight main= 5,511 kg
empty weight alt= 12,125 lb
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 9,218 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 20,280 lb
more general=

engine (jet)=General Electric CJ610-5
type of jet= turbojet engines
number of jets=2
thrust main= 13.15 kN
thrust alt= 2,950 lbf
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
afterburning thrust alt=

max speed main=
max speed alt=
cruise speed main= 825 km/h
cruise speed alt= 445 knots, 513 mph
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 2,413 km
range alt= 1,303 nm, 1,500 mi
ceiling main= 11,433 m
ceiling alt= 37,500 ft
climb rate main= 21.6 m/s
climb rate alt= 4,250 ft/min
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
more performance=
avionics=

References

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* List of civil aircraft
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