Short 330

Infobox Aircraft
name= Short 330 (SD3-30)
type = Transport airplane
manufacturer=Short Brothers


caption=A Short 330 of Mississippi Valley Airlines at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport in 1985
first flight= 22 August 1974
introduced=1976
retired=
primary user=United States Army
more users = United States Air Force Air Cargo Carriers Corporate Air
produced=1974-1992
number built= 330-100: 68Barnes and James, p. 533-535.]
330-200: 57
unit cost=
developed from = Short Skyvan
variants with their own articles = Short 360 C-23 Sherpa

The Short 330 (also SD3-30) is a small transport aircraft created by Short Brothers. It seats up to 30 people and was relatively inexpensive and cheap to operate at the time of its introduction in 1976. The 330 was based on the SC.7 Skyvan.

Development

The Short 330 was developed by Short Brothers of Belfast from Short's earlier Short Skyvan STOL utility transport. The 330 had a longer wingspan and fuselage than the Skyvan, while retaining the Skyvan's square shaped fuselage cross section, allowing it to carry up to 30 passengers while retaining good short field characteristics.Donald, David, ed. "The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft". London: Aerospace Publishing, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.] The first prototype of the 330 flew on 22 August 1974.Taylor, John W.R., ed. "Jane's All the World's Aircraft, 1988-1989". London: Jane's Information Group, 1988. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.]

While Shorts concentrated on production airliners, the design also spawned two freight versions. The first of these, the Short 330-UTT (standing for "Utility Tactical Transport") was a military transport version fitted with a strengthened cabin floor, and paratroop doors, which was sold in small numbers, primarily to Thailand, who purchased four. The Short Sherpa was a freighter fitted with a full width rear cargo door/ramp. This version first flew on 23 December 1982 , with the first order, for 18 aircraft, being placed by the United States Air Force in March 1983, for the European Distribution System Aircraft (EDSA) role, to fly spare parts between USAF air bases within Europe.

Operational history

The basic Short 330 was a passenger aircraft intended as a short range regional and commuter airliner, and had been designed to take advantage of U.S. regulations which allowed commuter airlines to use aircraft carrying up to 30 passengers,Donald 1999, p. 709-714.] thereby replacing smaller commuter airliners such as the Beech 99 and the Twin Otter. The Short 330 entered service with Time Air (a Canadian Airline) in 1976. Despite its somewhat portly looks (one regional airline affectionately dubbed it the "Shed" [ [http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=353 Shorts 330] ] ), it soon proved to be an inexpensive and reliable 30-seat airliner.

The 330 was somewhat slower than most of its pressurised competition, but it built up a reputation as a comfortable, quiet and rugged airliner. Smith 1986, p. 2.] The quiet running of the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65R was largely due to an efficient reduction gearbox. The cabin was the result of a collaboration with Boeing engineers who modelled the interior space, fittings and decor after larger airliners. The use of a sturdy structure complete with the traditional Short braced-wing and boxy fuselage configuration also led to an ease of maintenance and serviceability.

Production ended in 1992 with a total of approximately 136 being built (including freighter and military versions). [ [http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=353 Airliners.net: Short 330] Access date: 18 June 2007] As of 1998, approximately 35 were still in service. The 330's design was refined and heavily modified, resulting in the Short 360.

Variants

* 330-100 was the original production model with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-45A and -45B turboprop engines.Frawley 2003, p. 193.]
* 330-200 included minor improvements and more powerful PT6A-45R engine.
* 330-UTT was the Utility Tactical Transport version of the 330-200, with a strengthened cabin floor and inward-opening paratroop doors.
* Sherpa was a freighter version of the 330-200 with a full width rear cargo ramp.
* C-23 Sherpa A, and B variants are military configured Short Sherpas.

Operators

Civilian operators

In August 2006 a total of 28 Short 330 aircraft (all variants) remain in airline service, with Deraya Air Taxi (2), Freedom Air (2), Emerald Airways (1), Air Cargo Carriers (12), Arctic Circle Air Service (2), Corporate Air (3), Jim Hankins Air Service (1), McNeely Charter Service (1), Mountain Air Cargo (2) and Skyway Enterprises (1). [Flight International, 3-9 October 2006]

Military Operators

;THA :
* Royal Thai Army (Short 330-UTT)
* Royal Thai Border Police (Short 330-UTT) [ [http://www.scramble.nl/mil/7/rtaf/orbat.htm Scramble on the Web: Thai Armed Forces - Aircraft Order of Battle] Access date: 18 June 2007] ;UAE :
* United Arab Emirates Air Force (Short 330-UTT) [ [http://www.scramble.nl/ae.htm Scramble on the Web: United Arab Emirates Air Force Order of Battle] Access date: 18 June 2007] ;USA :
* United States Air Force (C-23)
* United States Army (C-23)

pecifications (330-200)

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

ref=Jane's All the World's Aircraft, 1988-1989

crew=Three (Two pilots plus one cabin crew)
capacity=30 passengers
length main= 17.69 m
length alt= 58 ft 0½ in
span main= 22.76 m
span alt= 74 ft 8 in
height main= 4.95 m
height alt= 16 ft 3 in
area main= 42.1 m²
area alt= 453 ft²
airfoil= NACA 63 series (modified)
empty weight main= 6,680 kg
empty weight alt= 14,727 lb
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 10,387 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 22,900 lb
more general=

engine (prop)= Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-45-R
type of prop= turboprop
number of props=2
power main= 893 kW
power alt= 1,198 hp

max speed main= 352 km/h
max speed alt= 190 knots, 218 mph
max speed more= (at 3,050 m (10,000 ft))
cruise speed main= 296 km/h
cruise speed alt= 160 knots, 184 mph
stall speed main= 136 km/h
stall speed alt= 73 knots, 85 mph
stall speed more=(flaps and landing gear down)
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 1,695 km
range alt= 915 nm, 1,053 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= 1,180 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 360
* 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=353 Short 330 page on Airliners.net]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/c-23.htm C-23 page on Global Security.org]
* [http://britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=368 Short 330 page on britishaircraft.co.uk]