Airbus Military / CASA C-212 Aviocar

Airbus Military History / CASA C-212 Aviocar

Spanish CASA (Construcciones Aeronauticas SA - now EADS CASA) founded in 1923 began to manufacture various foreign aircraft models under license. The company quickly shifted its focus to original designs and has found success in this area with products such as the C-101 "Aviojet" two-seater advanced jet trainer, CN-235 regional/transport aircraft, and C-235.

295 Shipping (described elsewhere on this page). Another notable contribution was the C-212 "Aviocar", which first flew as a prototype on March 26, 1971. It began mass production in May 1974, and since then nearly 600 prototypes have been produced - for military and civilian operators worldwide.

Design work on the C-212 began in the second half of the 1960s. The purpose of the design was to produce an economical turboprop powered utility carrier with excellent short field capability. This resulted in the high wing layout of the main aircraft (inherently good lift and drag characteristics) and raised tail.

Two engines will power the design, and a short-height tricycle landing gear will provide the required ground walking capability while keeping the fuselage as close to the ground as possible (for better access to the rear cargo compartment).

The 300 series has a crew of two to three and can carry up to 26 passengers or 24 airborne troops. It can also carry up to 6,000 pounds of cargo (which can be airdropped from the rear cargo door). The aircraft has an overall length of 53 feet, a wingspan of 66.5 feet, and a height of 20.7 feet. Empty weight is 20.7 feet and maximum takeoff weight is 17,000 pounds.

Power comes from 2 Garrett AiResearch TPE-331-10R0513C turboprop engines, 900 hp each. Top speed is 230 mph, while cruising is around 185 mph. The range is 1,125 miles, and the aircraft is serviced up to 26,000 feet (Aviocar has no pressurized cabin or cockpit).

The climb rate is 1,630 feet per minute.

When armed, the Aviocar is equipped with a pair of underwing hardpoints for carrying machine gun pods and missile pods for general light attack engagements.

The 400 series is a newer model (introduced in 1998) with a TPE331012JR-170C series turboprop engine. It features an upgraded cockpit fir and new avionics.

From Abu Dhabi and Angola to Vietnam and Zimbabwe, Aviocar is trusted worldwide. Some forms of militarization are also used in maritime patrol, electronic countermeasures (ECM) and anti-submarine warfare (ASR) roles.

Its simple design and overall overall reliability earned it a place in many airline inventories for years to come. This small plane is also a favorite among skydivers because of its good handling and performance at the desired altitude.

Production of the C-212 has been ongoing since 1971, with nearly 500 completed by CASA (EADS CASA) and another about 100 by IPTN.

The C-212 is now sold under the Airbus military brand.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes