Trainer IA-63 Pampa Serie II
IA 63 Pampa: This designation is applied to the original Pampas manufactured by FMA after the Argentine Air Force initiated the programme in 1979. The Pampa was selected over six other competitors in early 1980 to replace the FMA-built Morane-Saulnier MS.760. Dornier of Germany provided technical assistance, leading to two static/fatigue test airframes and three flying prototypes being built. The first prototype made its maiden flight on 6 October 1984 and the first production aircraft first flew in October 1987. 14 were delivered to the air force from 1988. They equip 1 Escuadron of 4 Grupo de Caza at El Plumerillo, Mendoza. Although another 46 were planned to be ordered, only one was delivered and that was an aircraft assembled from existing components and delivered on 28 September 1999.
AT-63 Pampa Phase II: The basic AT-63 variant is the Phase II aircraft, which boasts a new processor for the Digital Electronic Control Unit (DECU) and a new avionics suite by Elbit, which consists of a MIL-STD-1553B databus, mission computer, Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System (INS/GPS) integrated weapons system, a liquid crystal Multifunction Display (MFD) in each cockpit and a front cockpit Head Up Display (HUD).
AT-63 Pampa Phase III:The Phase III aircraft is an advanced proposed version to have a structurally enhanced wing able to withstand +7/-3 g, a 1 928 kg (4 250 lb) thrust TFE731-40R engine, nose-mounted laser rangefinder, fin-mounted radar warning receiver, conformal chaff/flare dispensers and another two hardpoints on the outer wings, each rated at 170 kg (375 lb), for air to air missiles. It would also have strengthened landing gear to increase the maximum takeoff weight.
Pampa 2000 International: The Pampa 2000 was an entry by Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) into the United State's Joint Primary Aircraft Training Program (JPATS), which was organised to find a replacement trainer for the Navy and Air Force Beech T-34 and Cessna T-37B trainers. LTV decided to find an international partner for the project and the company of choice turned out to be FMA.
Three IA 63s were sent to Dallas, Texas and modified to meet the JPATS requirements. Fuels systems were modified, the cockpit layout was changed and new avionics were added. Other changes included an upgrade of the environmental control system, stronger landing gear and revised ejection seats. The second IA-63 prototype was lost in a crash in the United Kingdom on 31 August 1992, just before the Farnborough Air Show.
All three Pampa 2000s were upgraded and one was shipped to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, for testing by the Air Force and Navy. The evaluation took place in August 1994 and lasted 10 days, in which the aircraft performed impressively. However, the Raytheon (Beech) T-6A Texan II turboprop won the contest and so ended the Pampa 2000 programme.
Cost:
$8 to $9 million for the Phase II Pampa, including the proposed Lockheed Martin AN/APG-67(V)4 multimode radar.
Design:
The Pampa is intended to function as a cost-effective pilot trainer (hence the single engine), a lead-in fighter trainer and an anti-narcotics patrol aircraft. The AT-63 provides basic pilot training in such fields as aerobatics, navigation, formation flying and instrument training.
The Pampa is of conventional all-metal semi-monocoque/stressed skin construction. The aircraft has an unswept shoulder-mounted wing of transonic configuration with a leading-edge sweep of 5 degrees and an anhedral of just 3 degrees. Flying controls consist of hydraulically powered ailerons and single-slotted Fowler flaps on the wings. The downward sloping taiplanes are all-moving to enhance control. The sweptback fin has an integral rudder.
The Pampa has a retractable tricycle type landing gear with hydraulic extension and retraction and emergency free-fall extension. A single low-pressure tyre fitted on each landing gear leg, allowing operation from unprepared surfaces. The nosewheel, which retracts forwards, is offset 10 cm (3.9 in) to starboard and can be steered by 47 degrees. The mainwheels retract inward into the underside of the engine air intake trunks.
The AT-63 is powered by a single 1 587 kg (3 500 lb) Honeywell TFE731-2C-2N turbofan in the rear fuselage. A single engined design was chosen to make the Pampa as efficient as possible. Fuel capacity is just 968 litres (213 gallons), with 550 litres (121 gallons) in the integral wing tanks and 418 litres (92 gallons) in a flexible fuselage tank. This tank has a negative g chamber, allowing up to ten seconds of inverted flight. Another 415 litres (91 gallons) can be carried in auxiliary tanks inside the outer wing panels, giving a maximum internal capacity of 1 383 litres (304 gallons). Two external drop tanks of 317 litre (67.7 gallon) capacity can be carried on the centre underwing stations.
Two crew are seated on UPC (Stencel) S-III-S3IA63 zero/zero ejection seats. The rear cockpit for the instructor is raised to give him a good view. The pilots can either eject one at a time or both seats can be fired from either the front or rear cockpit. Dual Hands On Throttle And Stick (HOTAS) controls are standard. The one-piece canopy, with internal screen, is hinged at the rear and opens upward. The cockpits are pressurised and air conditioned by a Honeywell environmental control system which provide a 1 980 metre (6 500 ft) cockpit environment up to a flight level of 5 739 metres (18 800 ft). The crew obtain their oxygen from a 10 litre (.35 cu ft) liquid oxygen converter.
Two independent hydraulic systems (at 207 bar/3000 lb sq in), each powered by an engine-driven pump, power the primary flight controls, airbrakes, landing gear, wheel brakes, wing flaps, emergency and parking brakes and nosewheel steering system. A Honewell ram air turbine provides emergency hydraulic power to the second hydraulic system in case the engine shuts down in flight and pressure drops. In addition, a secondary electricity supply from two sealed lead batteries provides thirty minutes of emergency electrical power.
Avionics are relatively simple (without the optional AN/APG-67(V)4 multimode radar). Communications equipment consists of two VHF/UHF transceivers, intercom and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) or Air Traffic Control (ATC) transponder. Other avionics includes a VOR/Instrument Landing System (ILS) with marker beacon receiver, air data computer, Automatic Direction Finder (ADF), Attitude/Direction Indicator (ADI), laser Inertial Navigation System with GPS, radar altimeter and air data computer.
Instrumentation consists of a single 127 mm (5 in) HUD and 12.7 x 17.8 cm (5 x 7 in) liquid crystal multifunction display in each cockpit. A second multifunction display in each cockpit is available for export aircraft.
Armament:
Five stations for external stores, stressed for 440 kg (970 lb) on centre fuselage and each inboard underwing station, 290 kg (639 lb) on each outboard underwing station, all at +5.5/—2 g. Phase III aircraft will have further pair of pylons further outboard, each rated at 170 kg (375 lb), for total of seven, plus uprated inboard wing pylons. Several external stores configurations including Mk 81 and Mk 82 bombs; LAU-32, LAU-51 and LAU-10 rocket pods; 30 mm gun pod (centreline), twin machine gun pods; and CBLS 200 practice bomb carriers.
DIMENSIONS :
Wing span 9.69 m (31 ft 9 1/2 in)
Wing aspect ratio 6.0
Length overall 10.93 m (35 ft 10 1/4 in)
Height overall 4.29 m (14 ft 1 in)
Tailplane span 4.58 m ( 1 5 ft O 1/4 in)
Wheel track 2.66 m (8 ft 8 3/4 in)
Wheelbase 4.42 m (14 ft 6 in)
AREAS :
Wings, gross 15.63 m2 (168.3 sq ft)
Ailerons (total) 0.89 m2 (9.58 sq ft)
Trailing-edge flaps (total) 2.93 m2 (31.54 sq ft)
Fin 1.86 m2 (20.02 sq ft)
Rudder 0.655 m2 (7.05 sq ft)
Tailplane 4.35 m2 (46.87 sq ft)
WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS (estimated):
Weight empty 2,920 kg (6,430 lb)
Max fuel weight:
Normal Internal Fuel 757 kg / 1.670 lb
Max. Internal Fuel 1.080 kg / 2.380 lb
underwing drop tanks 496 kg (1,093 lb)
Max external stores load 1,900 kg (4,189 lb)
Max T-O weight 5,200 kg (11,450 lb)
Max wing loading 319.9 kg/m2 (65.52 lb/sq ft)
Max power loading 321 kg/kN (3.15 lb/lb st)
PERFORMANCE (estimated at 3,764 kg; 8,300 lb clean T-0 weight
with normal internal fuel except where indicated):
Max level speed at 7,985 m (25,900 ft) 440 kt (814 km/h; 506 mph)
Max operating speed ( VMO ) M0.8
Econ cruising speed at 9,145 m (30,000 ft) 350 kt (648 km/h; 402 mph)
Stalling speed at S/L, 50% normal internal fuel:
- flaps up 104 kt (193 km/h; 120 mph)
- flaps down 82 kt (152 km/h; 95 mph)
Max rate of climb at S/L 1,560 m (5,118 ft)/min
Service ceiling 12,900 m (42,320 ft)
T-O run 430 m (1,410 ft)
Landing run at 3,497 kg (7,710 lb) 460 m (1,510 ft)
Radius of action:
air-to-air (hi-hi), T-O weight of 4,300 kg (9,480 lb)
with 254 kg (560 lb) external load, 5 min allowance
for dogfight, normal internal fuel, 30 min reserves
380 n miles (703 km, 437 miles)
air-to-ground (hi-lo-lo-hi), 30 n mile dash out/in, T-O
weight of 5.000 kg (11.023 lb) with 1.000 kg
(2,205 lb) external load, max internal fuel, 5 min
allowance for weapon delivery, plus 30 min reserves
236 n miles (127 km, 205 miles)
Ferry range: 9,145 m (30,000 ft), ISA with 15 min
reserves: 1,140 n miles (2,111 km; 1,311 miles)
limits: +6/-3
New "Pampa" by FAdeA (reestatized factory in 2010)
This new aircraft keeps its proven design, robust structure, effective basic systems with servo-assisted flight controls, easy maintenance, low operative costs, and excellent reliability.
This new version is equipped with the navigation, communications and weapons integrated system INAS and the Hands on Throttle and Stick control system (HOTAS) which provide similar cockpit characteristics to any new generation fighter and additional tactical missions capabilities. The INAS integrated system structure allows significant reduction in maintenance costs. Its configuration can be enlarged incorporating training / combat roles according to the needs of the user.
Technical characteristics
•Basic instrument and formation flying
•Advanced instrument flying
•Tactical combat procedures
•Acrobatics training
•Integrated system NAV/COMM/ATTACK
•Five hard points – affordable ordnance capability
•Air-to-air and air-to-ground weapon delivery
•TFE 731 2C Turbofan Engine - 3.500lb thrust / 1.560 daN thrust
•INAS integrated system
•Digital 1553B mil standard bus
•Multimode new generation 5" Head-up display
•Multirole mission computer
•New generation up-front controls
•Hands-on throttle and stick (HOTAS)
•Honeywell HG 764 EGIR (with Embedded GPS and radar altimeter)
•Integrated stores Management system SMS
•Digital airborne video tape recorder / Video repeater (DVRTS)
•Mission planning station with digital map capability (DMPS)