Hongdu N-5

The Hongdu N-5, (N-5 - Nongye-Feiji-5 - agricultural aircraft-5), originally known as the Nanchang N-5, is a Chinese agricultural aircraft. First flown in 1989, and entering into production in 1992, the N-5 is a single-engined low-wing monoplane, and is available in versions powered by a piston engine or a turboprop.

Development and design In November 1987, the Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company (which was renamed the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group in 1998Taylor 1999, p.12.) began design of a modern, purpose designed agricultural aircraft, with the intention of replacing some of the large numbers of license-built Antonov An-2s in use for that purpose in China. The resulting design, the N-5 first flew on 26 December 1989.Lambert 1993, p.53. It is a single-engined monoplane of conventional layout for an agricultural aircraft with a low-wing situated ahead of the cockpit. It is of all-metal construction, except for a glassfibre hopper for chemicals ahead of the cockpit, which is sealed and pressurised to protect the crew during spraying operations, and has an undercarriage. It is flown by a single pilot, with a tandem jump-seat provided to allow a mechanic to be carried. It is powered by a single Lycoming O-720 eight-cylinder piston engine, and was certified as airworthy in this form by the Civil Aviation Administration of China on 12 August 1992.Taylor 1999, p.404. The N-5A was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration for use in the United States on 26 February 2007."Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A48.CE" Federal Aviation Administration. 26 February 2007.

In response to demands from Chinese operators for a more powerful aircraft, studies were made of versions powered both by more powerful piston and turboprop engines,Flight International 15–21 June 2004, p.29. before settling on a Czech Walter M601 turboprop to produce the N-5B, this variant replacing the nosewheel undercarriage of the N-5A with a tailwheel undercarriage. The N-5B first flew on 28 December 2006."Products:The N5B New Type of Agriculture & Forest Aircraft ". Hongdu Aviation. Retrieved 23 November 2009.

Variants N-5A Main production version, with nosewheel undercarriage and 298 kW (400 hp) Lycoming IO-720 piston engine. N-5B Version powered by 580 kW (777 hp) Walter M601F turboprop engine. Tailwheel undercarriage.

Specifications (N-5A)

Hongdu N-5

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