Aircraft Descriptions
NTPS Accomplishes syllabus training primarily in the fleet of 37 aircraft listed below. Other aircraft (Mig-15, Cessna Citation, L-59, AlphaJet, T-2, variable stability Learjet, etc) are leased for specific curriculum requirements. Select an Aircraft to view a brief description and photos.
Aermacchi MB-326M Impala
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The Aermacchi MB-326M "Impala" is a single-engine jet trainer and light attack aircraft. It is a tandem, two-seat aircraft with a basic weight of 5,500 lbs and a maximum weight of 9,600 lbs, capable of carrying external stores on six underwing stations. The aircraft is powered by a single Rolls Royce Viper MK22-1 engine rated at 2,500 lbs static sea level thrust. Limiting speed is 450 KCAS or 0.8 Mach. The aircraft’s service ceiling is in excess of 40,000 ft and the load factor limits are +7.5/-2.5 g’s. The aircraft is equipped with Martin Baker ejection seats capable of zero speed, zero altitude ejections. One aircraft is instrumented for P & FQ including spins, loads and flutter, manual bombing and is equipped with telemetry to support those missions. Another Impala is also instrumented for P & FQ and spins and has the on-board Pi data recording system. |
Beech-35 Bonanza
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The “V” tail Beechcraft B35 Bonanza is a single-engine, piston-propeller, tricycle retractable gear aircraft capable of carrying four people. It is powered by a Continental E225-8 six cylinder engine capable of producing 225 HP at 2,650 RPM. The propeller is a constant speed Hartzell two-bladed propeller. Maximum weight is 3,060 lbs with a fuel capacity of 44 gallons. The aircraft is also equipped with Garmin 430’s and electronic flight and engine displays. |
Beech 76A Duchess
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The Duchess is a light twin engine aircraft powered by two Avco Lycoming engines, each rated at 180 horsepower at 2700 RPM. The aircraft is equipped with two Hartzell, constant speed, full feathering, two bladed propellers that rotate in opposite directions to minimize asymmetric power in the event of engine failure. The aircraft is used to demonstrate the single engine characteristics of a light twin engine aircraft. |
Bell OH-58C Kiowa
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The OH-58C, is a four-place, single-main rotor, light helicopter powered by a single turboshaft engine. It has a 2-bladed main rotor and a 2-bladed tail rotor. Maximum gross weight of the helicopter is 3200 lbs. It is equipped with fixed, skid type landing gear. The main rotor flight controls are hydraulically boosted and the cyclic control incorporates a force gradient trim system. The school has two aircraft, both of which are instrumented for performance and flying qualities with real time displays on board and solid state recording systems for more detailed post-flight analysis. |
Bell 212 / UH-1N
| The Bell UH-1N is a highly versatile all metal, twin-engine, utility transport helicopter with a fixed skid type landing gear. The cockpit has side-by-side seating for a crew of two and seating for up to 13 passengers in the cabin/cargo area. It is capable of operating from prepared or unprepared take-off or landing areas under both VFR or IFR, day or night. The National Test Pilot School’s UH-1N Helicopter originally operated as a test aircraft in the Canadian Armed Forces, is night vision goggle compatible, and is equipped with a forward looking infrared camera system, low airspeed sensing system, and a external cargo suspension unit. It is fully instrumented for flight testing. |
Cessna 150/152
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The Cessna C-150 and the152 are high wing, single piston-engine two place monoplanes. The C-150 has been modified to serve as surrogate Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle. When certified, the aircraft will be used to support flight test training for UAV's at the school. The C-152 is an excellent vehicle for introducing the basics of flight to flight test engineer students. Additionally, the aircraft has been modified with additional radios (both UHF and VHF) and can be used as an airborne Range Safety aircraft. |
Cessna 172 Skyhawk
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The C-172 Skyhawk is a four place, single engine, all metal aircraft, certified in the Normal category with a load factor limit of +3.8 flaps up and +3.0 flaps down. The engine is a 160 H. P. Lycoming driving a two-bladed fixed pitch propeller. The school currently has two aircraft which are used for demonstrating basic performance and flying qualities flight test techniques as well as introducing the basics of flight to engineer students who have little or no previous flight experience. |
Cessna 182
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The Cessna 182 has a 230 HP Lycoming engine, a G1000 avionics suite with autopilot and is used for systems training. |
Cessna 441 Conquest
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The Cessna Model 441 Conquest is a twin-engine turboprop, tricycle retractable gear aircraft capable of carrying up to eleven people. The aircraft is powered by two Garrett TPE331 fixed shaft turboprop engines, flat rated at 636 HP. The propellers are constant speed, full feathering and reversing Hartzell three-bladed propellers. Maximum weight is 9,850 lbs with a maximum fuel capacity of 3,183 lbs. The pressurized cabin allows cruise at altitudes up to 35,000 ft with typical speeds of 260 KTAS with a fuel flow of approximately 300 lbs/hr. |
Cirrus SR22
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The Cirrus Design SR22 is a single-engine, piston-propeller, tricycle fixed gear aircraft capable of carrying four people. It is powered by a Teledyne Continental IO-550-N six cylinder engine capable of producing 310 HP at 2,700 RPM. The propeller is a constant speed Hartzell three-bladed propeller. Maximum weight is 3,400 lbs with a fuel capacity of 81 gallons. At a typical cruise speed of 200 mph TAS the fuel flow is approximately 15 gal/hr at 65% power. The aircraft is equipped with an emergency Airframe Parachute System, electronic flight instruments (Avidyne PFD), a three axis autopilot, dual Garmin 430 navigation systems, a large multifunction display (Avidyne FlightMax), sidestick controls for pitch and roll, and a single power lever to control both manifold pressure and RPM. The school currently operates three of the aircraft. One of the three aircraft has an Enhanced Vision System (EVS) which uses infrared sensors to show the view forward on a heads down cockpit display, increasing pilot situational awareness in degraded visual environments. Two the three aircraft have a Synthetic Vision System (SVS) which is primarily comprised of a computer-generated forward-looking, attitude aligned view of the topography immediately in front of the aircraft using a digital terrain database. SVS information is shown on the primary flight display (PFD). And lastly, one of the three aircraft is turbocharged. |
DeHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk
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The DHC-I Chipmunk is a low wing single engine monoplane of metal construction designed for elementary flying instruction. It accommodates two in a tandem seat arrangement with duplicate controls and instruments in each cockpit. The landing gear is non-retractable, with a fully castoring tail wheel. The main wheels are fitted with hydraulically operated brakes, which operate using a hand brake and differential rudder pedal deflections. The aircraft is powered by a Gypsy Major engine, which is a four cylinder in line, inverted, air-cooled engine developing 140 BHP and has a direct drive to a Fairey Reid metal propeller.
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Diamond DA-42
Douglas C-47/DC-3 Turbo Dak
Firecracker NDN-1T
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The NDN-1T Turbo-Firecracker is powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-25A turbo-prop engine of 550 SHP, driving a constant speed, feathering and reversing Hartzell three bladed propeller of 7 ft diameter. The Firecracker is used for spin training at NTPS. Maximum gross weight in the acrobatic category is 3,600 lbs. |
Firefly T-67
Gippsland GA-8 Airvan
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The Gippsland Aeronautics GA-8 Airvan is a strut braced, high wing, fixed tricycle gear, single-engine aircraft designed for passenger and utility operations. The cabin can seat eight. The piston engine is a 300 HP fuel injected Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 driving a two-blade constant speed Hartzell propeller at up to 2700 RPM. The school's aircraft has been modified with a removable cargo pod underneath the fuselage which houses a forward looking infrared (FLIR) system. The aircraft is also modified with a weather RADAR mounted on the right wing. Controls and displays for both the FLIR and RADAR are in the cabin to facilitate flight test engineering evaluations. The aircraft is operated in the Experimental category. |
Hughes 369
MBB Bo-105M
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The Bo-105M was originally in service with the German Army as a Liaison and Observation Helicopter. It is a military derivative of the civil Bo-105CB. A light weight, twin-engine, multipurpose helicopter, it incorporates a hingeless main rotor with a high hinge offset. Maximum takeoff weight is 5280 pounds and it is powered by two Rolls-Royce – Allison 250-C20B engines of 420 SHP each. The cockpit is configured for Night Vision Goggles, and it incorporates an ASN 128 Doppler Navigation System, as well as normal IFR navigation equipment. A Mast Moment Indicator is standard equipment. |
Piper PA-34 Seneca
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The PA-34 is a light twin with 200 HP turbo charged Continental engines. It instrumented for performance and flying qualities, including engine-out and has a Pi data recording system. |
Saab SK-35 Draken
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The premier aircraft in our fleet is the Saab SK-35 Draken. We have two J-35 single-seat aircraft and four SK-35 two-seaters. These ex-Royal Danish Air Force mach 2 fighters are ideal platforms for weapons captive-carry and deployment testing, with seven weapons hardpoints and two camera pod hardpoints. The aircraft is used for performance and transonic flying qualities training. |
Saberliner NA-265
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The Sabreliner Corporation NA-265 Sabreliner is a business jet aircraft capable of carrying a crew of two and up to seven passengers. The aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney JT12A-8 turbojet engines producing 3,300 lbs of thrust each, static sea level conditions. Maximum takeoff weight is 20,172 lbs with a fuel capacity of 7,122 lbs of fuel. The aircraft’s certification limits include a maximum altitude of 45,000 ft, and maximum speed of 0.808 Mach or 368 KIAS. Recommended cruise at 41,000 ft requires approximately 1,400 lbs/hr total fuel flow to fly at 420 KTAS. The school operates two aircraft, each equipped with an autopilot, a weather Radar, an integrated GPS system, TAWS and TCAS. One of the two aircraft is also fully instrumented for performance and flying qualities assessments. |
Swearingen SA-226T Merlin III
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The Merlin III is a twin engine aircraft built by Fairchild Aircraft Corporation. The aircraft is powered by two turboprop engines equipped with constant speed, full feathering, reversible propellers. The engines are built by Garrett Air Research and are rated at 850 shaft horsepower each. The cabin is pressurized, heated and cooled by engine bleed air, which is directed through valves, heat exchangers and refrigeration units. The aircraft was modified by the installation of flight test engineer consoles and flight test instrumentation. The interior configuration can accommodate a flight crew of two and six students seated in bench seats at two separate consoles in the aircraft. |










