Beechcraft Skipper

Infobox Aircraft
name=Beechcraft Model 77 Skipper


caption=
type=Light utility aircraft
manufacturer=Beech Aircraft Corporation
designer=
first flight=September 12, 1978
introduced=1979
retired=
status=
primary user=
more users=
produced=1979-1981
number built=312
unit cost=
variants with their own articles=

The Beechcraft Model 77 Skipper is a two-seat, fixed tricycle gear general aviation airplane, originally designed for flight training, and later used as well for touring and personal flying.

Design work on the Skipper was begun in 1974 as the PD 285.Phillips, Edward H: "Beechcraft - Staggerwing to Starship", Flying Books, 1987. ISBN 0-911139-06-0] The Skipper was Beechcraft's attempt to enter the two-place trainer market with an aircraft capable of competing with the popular Cessna 150/152 line of trainer aircraft. First flight of its prototype was in 1975. Though the aircraft first flew with a standard tail configuration, by the time it entered production, a T-tail configuration had been adopted, giving it an appearance very similar to its close competitor, the Piper PA-38 Tomahawk of 1978–82.

Development

Like the Cessna and Piper trainers which were its primary competition, the Skipper utilizes the Lycoming O-235 engine and features side-by-side seating. A number of the design features of the Skipper respond to perceived shortcomings of other trainer aircraft. The cabin of the Skipper is 42.75 in (1.09 m) wide, compared to the 39.75 in (1.01 m) of the Cessna 152. The bubble design of the cabin and the large windows, combined with the low wing, give good visibility.

The Skipper wing utilizes a GA(W)-1 airfoil, especially engineered for general aviation applications, based on 1970s NASA research. The aircraft was certified for intentional spins. While it is an all-metal design, the Skipper incorporates a number of innovative construction techniques, including honeycomb bonding, tubular spars, and a hot-bonded wing structure.

The Skipper employed both a throttle quadrant and an instrument panel layout similar in design to the Sundowner, Sierra, and Duchess, with the intention of easing students' transitions to the more advanced trainers. Among its line of light aircraft, Beech only used the T-tail on the Skipper and on the four-place, twin-engine Duchess trainer.

Operational history

The Skipper had the misfortune of being introduced at the beginning of a severe downturn in general aviation aircraft production in the United States. During its first year 1979, 47 were built, 140 in 1980, and 125 in 1981. A total of 312 aircraft were built.

Most of the production run was initially delivered to Beechcraft's flight school network, the Beech Aero Centers, where they were used as primary trainers. A handful of Skippers are still in use as trainers. Many others are in the hands of private owners who use them as touring aircraft.

pecifications (1979 Skipper)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
crew=1
capacity=1 passenger
length main=24 ft
length alt=7.3 m
span main=30 ft
span alt=9.1 m
height main=6 ft 11.1 in
height alt=1.81 m
area main=129.8 ft²
area alt=12.1 m²
airfoil=GA(W)-1
empty weight main=1,100 lb
empty weight alt=500 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=580 lb
useful load alt=260 kg
max takeoff weight main=1,675 lb
max takeoff weight alt=760 kg
more general=
engine (prop)=Lycoming O-235-L2C
type of prop=flat-4 engine
number of props=1
power main=115 hp
power alt=86 kW
max speed main=
max speed alt=
cruise speed main=105 knots
cruise speed alt=121 mph, 194 km/h
never exceed speed main=143 knots
never exceed speed alt=165 mph, 263 km/h
stall speed main=
** Clean: 49 knots
stall speed alt=56 mph, 91 km/h
stall speed more=
** With full flaps: 47 knots (54 mph, 87 km/h)
range main=388 nm
range alt=719 km
range more=at best economy
ceiling main=12,900 ft
ceiling alt=3,900 m
climb rate main=720 ft/min
climb rate alt=3.67 m/s
max loading main=12.9 lb/ft²
max loading alt=62.8 kg/m²
max power/mass main=0.0685 hp/lb
max power/mass alt=113 W/kg

References

* [http://www.airweb.faa.gov/regulatory_and_guidance_Library%5CrgMakeModel.nsf/0/06D97AF73CF18F9586257385005DB209/$FILE/A30ce.pdf Type certificate data sheet no. A30CE. Revision 5. (Mar 26, 2007) Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration]

External links

* [http://www.beechaeroclub.org Beech Aero Club] The Beechcraft 77 Skipper Aircraft type club

ee also

aircontent
similar aircraft=
* Cessna 150
* Cessna 152
* Grumman American AA-1
* Liberty XL2
* Piper Tomahawk
* Symphony SA-160
* Whitney Boomerang
sequence=
* 70 - 73 - 76 - 77 - 80 - 88 - 90
lists=