Beech Skipper history, performance and specifications
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Beech flew the prototype model 77 as the
PD285, with a low-set tailplane, on February 6, 1975, but it was not until
September 1978 that production of the prototype flew. This comparatively long
gestation period enabled Piper to announce the rival tomahawk in
November-October 1977, and began customer deliveries early the following year.
It was not until April 1979 that the Model 77 Skipper began production lines,
by which time the design had been modified to incorporate a T-tail.
By the beginning
of 1981, about 12 a month were being built and around 200 had been delivered;
by comparison Piper had delivered 1000 Tomahawks in the first year of
production, 220 in 1980, and established a rate of 20 a month by early 1981.
The Skipper was
designed as a primary trainer for beach Aero Centres, with low initial and
operating costs, while simplicity of maintenance was emphasized. Its wing had a
high-lift aerofoil developed by NASA, and an unusual feature was the use of
torque tubes, in place of cables and pulleys, to activate the flaps and
ailerons. Power plant consists of a 115-hp Avco Lycoming O-235-L2C.
Performance:
Horse power: 115 Cruise speed: 97
kts Top speed: 106 kts Stall speed (dirty): 47 kts
Empty Mass: 1103 lbs Gross Mass: 1675
lbs Fuel: 29 gal
Range: 370 nm Service ceiling: 12900
ft Rate of climb: 720 fpm
Takeoff: Ground roll: 780 ft Over 50 feet obstacle: 1280 ft
Landing: Ground roll: 670 ft Over 50 feet obstacle: 1313 ft
ENGINE: Lycoming 235 cubic inch series - The little engine that could, does and will continue to do.
The Lycoming O-235 series engines
are four-cylinder, direct-drive, horizontally opposed, wet-sump, air-cooled
models. The cylinders are of conventional air-cooled construction with heads
made from an aluminum-alloy casting and a fully machined combustion chamber.
The cylinder barrels are machined from chrome nickel molybdenum steel forgings
with deep integral cooling fins, ground and honed to a final specified finish.
FORGED-STEEL
CONNECTING RODS
OPTIONAL CHROME KIT -
NITRIDE-HARDENED STEEL ALLOY CYLINDER BARRELS*
FORGED-STEEL
CRANKSHAFTS - FORGED-STEEL CAMSHAFTS
CHROMIUM-MODIFIED
NI-RESIST IRON EXHAUST-VALVE GUIDES, RESULTING IN BETTER WEAR CHARACTERISTICS
AVAILABLE OPTIONS:
Lightweight starters - Electronic ignition - Spin-on or remote oil
filter - Air conditioning
provisions
Factory chrome
kits - Triple-plated rocker-box covers, intake pipes and shroud tubes
Optional magnetos
- Fixed-pitch or constant-speed propeller applications
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