Aerotec Uirapuru

A-122 Uirapuru
T-23A Uirapuru.
Role Primary Trainer
National origin Brazil
Manufacturer Aerotec
First flight 2 June 1965
Produced 1968–1977
Number built 155

The Aerotec A-122 Uirapuru was a Brazilian military trainer aircraft. It was a low-wing monoplane with tricycle undercarriage that accommodated the pilot and instructor side-by-side. It first flew on 2 June 1965.[1]

In October 1967, the Brazilian Air Force ordered 30 aircraft to replace the obsolete Fokker S.11s and S.12s (T-21s and T-22s) that were operating in the Air Force Academy.[2] Later, they ordered another 40, and then 30 more. These were designated T-23.

The Bolivian Air Force ordered 36 examples in 1974, which flew until 1997, and in 1975 the Paraguayan Air Force bought eight aircraft to replace the Fokker T-21 (S.11). In 1986, six more were donated by the FAB. Most of them were withdrawn from service in 1992, replaced by the Enaer T-35 Pillán. As of 2009, only one T-23 is in flying conditions. Thirty others were sold in the civilian market. A total of 155 were built including prototypes by the time production finished in 1977.[3]

The T-23 suffered fatal accidents during spin training. The problem was solved after a crash in which an instructor described his stricken aircraft's responses to his control inputs all the way to the end. Uirapurus then received a ventral fin under the rear fuselage to correct the issue.

In 1980 interest by the airforce in an improved version led to the development of the Uirapuru II.

Variants

  • A-122A Uirapuru – T-23 – Military trainer
  • A-122B Uirapuru – Civil version[4]
  • A-122C Uirapuru – T-23C
  • A-132 Uirapuru II – enlarged version with improved canopy and larger vertical tail surfaces.[4]

Operators

 Brazil
 Bolivia
 Paraguay
  • Paraguayan Air Force – 14 aircraft (8 in 1975 and 6 in 1986)
  • Escuela Nacional de Aeronáutica Civil – 1 aircraft (early 70s)

Specifications (T-23)

A-122A(Military) A-122C(civil)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1971–72 [6]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Pereira 1977, p.13.
  2. ↑ Pereira 1977, p. 13-14.
  3. ↑ J W R Taylor 1980, p.10.
  4. 1 2 Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 39.
  5. ↑ Siegrist 1987, p. 194.
  6. ↑ J W R Taylor 1971,p.10.
Bibliography
  • Pereira, Roberto (July 1977). "Songbird of the Amazon". Air International. Vol. 13 no. 1. pp. 13–17.
  • Siegrist, Martin (October 1987). "Bolivian Air Power — 70 Years On". Air International. Vol. 33 no. 4. pp. 170–176, 194. ISSN 0306-5634.
  • Taylor, John W.R. (editor) (1971). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1971–72. London: Sampson Low. ISBN 0-354-00094-2.
  • Taylor, John W R (ed.) (1980). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1980–81. London: Jane's Publishing. ISBN 0-7106-7105-9.
  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 39.

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