C-23 Sherpa

Infobox Aircraft
name= C-23 Sherpa


caption= A C-23A Sherpa over West Germany in 1988
type = Transport aircraft
national origin = United Kingdom
manufacturer= Short Brothers
first flight= 23 December 1982
introduced= 1985
retired=
primary user = United States Army
more users = United States Air Force
produced=
number built=
unit cost=
developed from = Short 330, Short 360
variants with their own articles =

The Short C-23 Sherpa is a small transport aircraft built by Short Brothers. The C-23A and C-23B variants was based on the Short 330. The Short 360 derivative was modified to become C-23B+ and C-23C variants.

Design and 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.cite book
author=Donald, David (Editor)|title = The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft|year = 1997|publisher = Aerospace Publishing|isbn =1-85605-375-X] The 330 entered commercial service in 1976.

In addition to the passenger aircraft, the Shorts also planned two freight versions. The first of these, the Short 330-UTT (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,cite book| last = Taylor| first = JWR (Editor)| title = Jane's All the World's Aircraft, 1988-1989 | year = 1988| publisher = Jane's Information Group| language = | isbn =0 7106-0867-5 ] 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.

In U.S. military service, the Short 330 was designated the C-23A Sherpa. The C-23B Sherpa was similar to the C-23A, but with cabin windows.cite book |last= Donald|first=David|coauthors= Lake, John (editors)|title=Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft |edition= Single Volume Edition |year= 1996 |publisher=Aerospace Publishing |location=London |isbn= 1 874023 95 6 |pages=p384 ] The Short 360 derivative was modified by replacing the rear fuselage of the Shorts 360, with its single tall fin, with the twin tail and rear loading ramp of the Short Sherpa. The modified Short 360 was designated C-23B+ and C-23C.

The C-23 was produced at the Short Brothers' facility in Belfast, Northern Ireland for the U.S. Dept. of Defense and the Royal Air Force. [http://www.olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_c23sherpa.php Olive-Drab C-23 page] ]

Operational history

The C-23A Sherpa entered USAF service in 1985 and continuing in use in the EDSA role until 1990, when the EDSA role was disbanded. Six aircraft were passed to the United States Army, where they were used to support the Army National Guard, joining 10 new build C-23B Sherpa aircraft.cite book |last= Donald|first=David|coauthors= Lake, John (editors)|title=Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft |edition= Single Volume Edition |year= 1996 |publisher=Aerospace Publishing |location=London |isbn= 1 874023 95 6 |pages=p384 ] Other variants are C-23B+ and C-23C. The C-23 replaced the UV-18 Twin Otter in U.S. service. The C-23 is the only cargo plane operated by the U.S Army.

During Iraq War, 2003-present, the C-23 has served the Army's intra-theater needs of cargo and personnel transport. It provides an economic alternative for transporting some 20 people or 3 pallets of cargo when speed is not critical. [ [http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,020904_C23,00.html "C-23: A Small Cargo Plane that Makes a Big Difference"] , Military.com, February 9, 2004.]

On 13 June 2007, the Alenia C-27J was selected to replace the C-23 in US Army service. [cite web |url= http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123057181|title= C-27J Spartan named as Joint Cargo Aircraft|date= 2007-06-14 |accessdate=2007-06-17 |format= |work= Air Force Link] [cite web |url= http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/06/defense_JCA_070613/|title= C-27J tapped for Joint Cargo Aircraft|date= 2007-06-14 |accessdate=2007-06-17 |format= |work= Air Force Times]

Variants

;Short 330-UTT;C-23A Sherpa;C-23B Sherpa;C-23B+/C Super Sherpa

Operators

;USA
* United States Air Force
* United States Army

pecifications

C-23A

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= 58 ft 0 in
length alt= 17.69 m
span main= 74 ft 9 in
span alt= 22.78 m
height main= 16 ft 3 in
height alt= 4.95 m
area main= 453 ft²
area alt= 42.1 m²
airfoil= NACA 63 series, modified
empty weight main= 14,200 lb
empty weight alt= 6,440 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 22,900 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 10,387 kg
more general=
engine (prop)= Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-45-R
type of prop= turboprops
number of props=2
power main= 1,198 hp
power alt= 894 kW
max speed main= 218 mph
max speed alt= 190 knots, 352 km/h
max speed more= at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
cruise speed main= 184 mph
cruise speed alt= 160 knots, 296 km/h
stall speed main= 85 mph
stall speed alt= 73 knots, 136 km/h
stall speed more=with flaps and landing gear down
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 770 mi
range alt= 915 nm, 1,239 km
range more=passenger version, 1,966 kg payload with no reserves
ceiling main= 11,500 ft
ceiling alt= 3,500 m
climb rate main= 2,100 ft/min
climb rate alt= 60 m/s
loading main= 50.6 lb/ft²
loading alt= 247 kg/m²
power/mass main= 0.052 hp/lb
power/mass alt= 170 W/kg
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

C-23B/C

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

ref=U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947cite book |last=Harding |first=Stephen |title=U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947 |year=1997 |publisher=Schiffer Publishing Ltd. |location=Atglen, PA, USA |isbn=96-69996 |pages=224-226 ]
crew=Three (Two pilots plus one flight engineer)
capacity=18-20 passengers
length main= 58 ft 0 in
length alt= 17.7 m
span main= 74 ft 9.9 in
span alt= 22.8 m
height main= 16 ft 5 in
height alt= 5.0 m
area main= 456 ft²
area alt= 42.4 m²
airfoil= NACA 63 series, modified
empty weight main= 16,040 lb
empty weight alt= 7,276 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 25,600 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 11,610 kg
more general=
engine (prop)= Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65AR
type of prop= turboprops
number of props=2
power main= 1,424 shp
power alt= 1,062 kW
max speed main= 276 mph
max speed alt= 196 knots,
cruise speed main= 223 mph
cruise speed alt= 190 knots,
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
stall speed more=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 1,185 mi
range alt= 1,030 nmi, 1,907 km
range more=
ceiling main= 20,000 ft
ceiling alt= 4,252 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Short 330
* Short 360
similar aircraft=
* Aeritalia G.222
* CASA CN-235
sequence=
lists=
see also=

References

External links

* [http://www.floridaguard.army.mil/news/read.asp?did=3073 C-23 Sherpa page on Florida National Guard site]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/c-23.htm C-23 page on Global Security.org]
* [http://www.theaviationzone.com/factsheets/c23.asp C-23 page on theAviationZone.com]
* [http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=353 Short 330 page on Airliners.net]