Course: Advanced Aerodynamics
Historical records indicate that the first witnessed genuine powered flight of a heavier than-air machine occurred during a cold winter on the 17th of December 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (Anderson, 2016, P 1-3). This fostered an engineering and manufacturing revolution for the design of flying vehicles. Throughout the years, the aircraft manufacturing industry has experienced tremendous growth on a global scale. A testimony to the global impact of this historical event and the global interest and efforts to design aircraft is the “Let Kunovice L410”. The L410 is an intriguing aircraft built in the Czech Republic. What are important specifications, unique requirements, enabling technologies and purposes for which the aircraft is used? Such answers shall allow readers to improve their familiarity with the aircraft.
Manufactured by the Czech aerospace manufacturer “Let Kunovice”, the L410 is renowned for its durability and its resistance to rough flight conditions (Aircraft Industries, 2016). It is an all metal-design 2 pilots aircraft powered by two turboprop engines. The aircraft is equipped with 2 propellers and has a wingspan of 17.478 m, a length of 13.605 m, a height of 5.646 m and a wing area of 32.865 square meters. The L410 model is powered by 2 Walter M 601 A engines (EASA, 2014). Its variant the L410 UVP E20 model is powered by 2 GE H80-200 engines and reportedly reaches a maximum cruise speed of 405 km/hr. (Aircraft Industries, 2016). The L410 maximum operating altitude is reported as 6000 m and its maximum take-off weight is 5700 kg. Its standard fuel tank has a capacity of 1020 kg and the aircraft seats 17 passengers (EASA, 2014).
This marvel of flight is operable on unpaved strips including rain-soaked grass, sand, snow, or airfields with slush. The Let L410 Turbolet sets itself apart from the pack by being operable in severe conditions and under extreme climatic conditions (Aircraft Industries, 2016).
References
Anderson, J.D. (2016). Introduction to Flight. New-York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education
Aircraft Industries. (2016). L410 UVP E20 Aircraft. Retrieved from http://www.aircraft-industries.com/documents/L410UVP-E20.pdf
EASA. (2014, May 12). Type Certificate Data Sheet EASA.A.026 L410. Retrieved from https://www.easa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/dfu/TCDS_L_410_Iss%2017.pdf
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