Fletcher FL-23

__NOTOC__ Infobox Aircraft
name=Fletcher FL-23


caption=
type=Two-seat liaison/observation aircraft
manufacturer=Fletcher Aviation Corporation
designer=
first flight=1950
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user=
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produced=
number built=1
variants with their own articles=The Fletcher FL-23 was an American two-seat liaison or observation aircraft designed and built by the California-based Fletcher Aviation Corporation. It was entered into a competition and lost against the Cessna 305A as a liaison or observation aircraft for the United States Army.

Development

The FL-23 prototype was designed and built as a private venture, it was a high-wing cantilever monoplane with an all-moving tailplane mounted at the top of the fin. It had a fixed tricycle landing gear and powered a 225-hp (168 kW) Continental piston engine. It had room for a pilot and observer in tandem; the observer had an unusual acrylic plastic enclosure to give an all-round visibility.

Operational history

The US Army issued the specification for a two-seat liaison and observation monoplane and the prototype was entered into the competition. During trials the aircraft was badly damaged in a flying accident when it lost its tail, and was withdrawn from the competition. The competition was won by the Cessna 305A which became the L-19 Bird Dog.

pecifications

aerospecs
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met or eng?= eng

crew=2 (pilot, observer)
capacity=
length m=8.64
length ft=28
length in=4
span m=10.16
span ft=33
span in=4
swept m=
swept ft=
swept in=
rot number=
rot dia m=
rot dia ft=
rot dia in=
dia m=
dia ft=
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width m=
width ft=
width in=
height m=2.46
height ft=8
height in=1
wing area sqm=25.73
wing area sqft=277
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
volume m3=
volume ft3=
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=680
empty weight lb=1500
gross weight kg=1111
gross weight lb=2450
lift kg=
lift lb=

eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Continental E225 flat-six piston engine
eng1 kw= 168
eng1 hp= 225
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
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eng1 lbf-ab=
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max speed kmh=214
max speed mph=133
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
range km=781
range miles=485
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling m=5945
ceiling ft=19,500
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=
climb rate ftmin=
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=

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ee also

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similar aircraft=
*O-1 Bird Dog
sequence=
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References