SME Aero Tiga

__NOTOC__ Infobox Aircraft
name=Aero Tiga, MD-3 Swiss Trainer


caption=
type=Trainer
manufacturer=Dätwyler, SME
designer=
first flight=12 August 1983
introduced=
retired=
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variants with their own articles=The SME Aero Tiga, originally the Dätwyler MD-3 Swiss Trainer is a trainer aircraft developed in Switzerland through the 1960s and 70s, and which first flew in 1983.

In configuration, the Swiss Trainer is a conventional low-wing, cantilever monoplane with fixed spatted tricycle undercarriage. Accommodation for the pilot and instructor was provided as side-by-side seats under an expansive bubble canopy. The four-cylinder horizontally-opposed piston engine drove a fixed two-blade propeller.

While the layout of the aircraft was entirely orthodox, its construction was not, as the Swiss Trainer was designed to be as modular as possible to lower the cost and complexity of production and maintenance. To this end, as many parts were made interchangeable as possible. For example, all nine control surfaces (two ailerons, four flap segments, two elevators, and the rudder) are the same part that can be fitted to any of these locations with minimal modification. Both halves of the horizontal stabiliser and the fin can similarly be interchanged, and most of the left and right wings is common to both.

In 1993, all rights to the design were acquired by SME Aviation of Malaysia, who began to produce it as the Aero Tiga shortly thereafter, having received orders for 20 by the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The first two of these were delivered in 1995, and the order was increased to 60 aircraft the following year. SME also received orders for 20 aircraft for the Indonesian government's flight training center at Curug, as part of a deal by the Malaysian government to acquire IPTN CN-235 transports.

pecifications (prototype)

aerospecs
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met or eng?= met

crew=Two, pilot and instructor
capacity=
length m=6.98
length ft=22
length in=11
span m=10.00
span ft=32
span in=10
swept m=
swept ft=
swept in=
rot number=
rot dia m=
rot dia ft=
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dia m=
dia ft=
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width m=
width ft=
width in=
height m=2.92
height ft=9
height in=7
wing area sqm=15.0
wing area sqft=161
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
volume m3=
volume ft3=
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=633
empty weight lb=1,395
gross weight kg=920
gross weight lb=2,028
lift kg=
lift lb=

eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Lycoming O-320-D2A
eng1 kw= 119
eng1 hp= 160
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
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max speed kmh=
max speed mph=
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh= 230
cruise speed mph= 143
range km=1,090
range miles=677
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling m=
ceiling ft=
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=7.0
climb rate ftmin=1,380
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=

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aircontent
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References

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