This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this articlebyadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Atlas ACE" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The Atlas ACE is a South African turboprop trainer, that was designed by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation as a contender to replace the North American Harvard in service with the South African Air Force. The aircraft was not selected and only two examples were completed.
| ACE | |
|---|---|
| Role | Trainer |
| National origin | South Africa |
| Manufacturer | Atlas Aircraft Corporation |
| First flight | 29 April 1991 |
| Number built | 2 |
The design originated as the 1986 Project Ovid by the government research agency Aerotek, as a composites technology demonstrator.[1] In 1991 the design was entered into a competition to replace the North American Harvard by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation as the ACE (All Composite Evaluator).
The ACE is a tandem two-seat low-wing cantilever monoplane powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop. It has a retractable nosewheel landing gear and a conventional tail unit. The aircraft is constructed from carbon fiber composites.[1]
The prototype was first flown on 29 April 1991, but did not win the competition which was awarded to the Pilatus PC-7.[1]
On 14 January 1995 the prototype was lost in a wheels up landing at Jan Smuts Airport.[1] The second improved aircraft was scheduled to fly, but the design was not developed.
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era