Airworthiness and Flight Characteristics Evaluation, C-12A Aircraft
Abstract
The United States Army Aviation Engineering Flight Activity conducted an airworthiness and flight characteristics evaluation of a C-12A aircraft, serial number 73-22250, from 25 October 1975 through 14 February 1976. The aircraft was tested at Edwards Air Force Base (field elevation 2302 feet), Paso Robles (field elevation 836 feet), and Lake Tahoe (field elevation 6262 feet), California. During the evaluation 71 flights totaling 68.75 productive flight hours were conducted. Performance and handling qualities of the C-12A were evaluated under a variety of operating conditions with emphasis on operation in the normal mission configuration near the maximum gross weight of 12,500 pounds. The test aircraft was evaluated against the requirements of Federal Aviation Regulation Part 23, the Beech Aircraft Corporation prime item development specification, and military specification MIL-F-8785B(ASG) to assist in determining operational mission capabilities. Two handling qualities deficiencies were identified. These were the main landing gear wheel lock up tendency which occurred when applying brakes during landing, and the lack of adequate stall warning aborv 20,000 feet pressure altitude. Twenty shortcomings were noted including four stability and control shortcomings, two lighting system shortcomings, and 14 reliability and maintainability shortcomings. The C- 12A failed to meet the single-engine service ceiling, dual-engine cruise ceiling, and the 30,000-foot altitude cruise airspeed guarantees. Two enhancing features were the location of the landing light switches and the rudder boost, which greatly reduced pilot workload during asymmetric power conditions. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1976
- Accession Number
- ADA040239
Entities
People
- Jon E. Hannan
- Joseph C. Watts
- Raymond B. Smith
- Vernon L. Diekmann
- William A. Norton