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The Aermacchi AL-60 is a light civil utility aircraft of the late 1950s and early 1960s, originally designed by Al Mooney of Lockheed in the United States. After the company decided not to build the aircraft in the US, it was manufactured in small quantities in Mexico, and a few were assembled in Argentina (Santa Isabel, Córdoba) by Aviones Lockheed-Kaiser Argentina. It was also built in quantity under licence by Aermacchi in Italy[2] and Atlas Aircraft Corporation in South Africa.

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LASA-60 / AL-60 / C4M Kudu
Operational Aermacchi AL-60B-2 registered in Germany
Role	Utility aircraft Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Lockheed Corporation
Designer	Al Mooney
Built by	Lockheed-Azcarate Aermacchi Atlas Aircraft Corporation
First flight	15 September 1959[1]
Status	Retired
Primary users	Mexican Air Force South African Air Force
Produced	1974-1979 South Africa
Number built	~180
Variants	Northwest Ranger

Design and development

Lockheed flew only two prototypes of the AL-60 (in 1959) before deciding that it would be unprofitable in the US marketplace. Instead, the company chose to manufacture it under a joint venture in Mexico as Lockheed-Azcarate (LASA). 18 were produced in 1960 for the Mexican Air Force, as the LASA-60.

In Italy, Aermacchi purchased a licence to produce the type, first in its original configuration as the AL-60B, then in a modified version for various African customers as the AL-60C. This latter version changed from the original tricycle undercarriage to a taildragger arrangement.

The AL-60C version was built under license by Atlas Aircraft Corporation in South Africa. This aircraft was known as Atlas C4M Kudu. Over 40 aircraft were built and served the South African Air Force between 1974 and 1991.

A number of C4M Kudu aircraft are still flying privately and have proven well in the role of skydive release aircraft. They have been re-engined with turbine engines. This design is known as the Atlas Angel or Turbine Kudu.[3][4][5]

In 1968 Macchi sold the rights to the aircraft to Northwest Industries of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and the design was developed into the Northwest Ranger, with development continuing until 1972.[6]

Variants

L-402

Lockheed prototypes and a few assembled by Kaizer

LASA-60

Mexican production model (44 built)

AL-60B-1 Santa Maria

Original Aermacchi-built version (4 built)

AL-60B-2 Santa Mari

Production Aermacchi version (81 built)

AL-60C-5 Conestoga

Aermacchi-built version for the Central African Republic

AL-60F-5 Trojan

Aermacchi-built version for Rhodesia (~10 units)

Atlas C4M Kudu

Atlas-built version for South Africa

Operators

 Central African Republic

• Central African Republic Air Force

 Italy

• Italian Air Force operated one Aermacchi AL-60 from 1962 until 1963[7]

 Mexico

• Mexican Air Force

 Mauritania

• Military of Mauritania

 Rhodesia

• Rhodesian Air Force

 South Africa

• South African Air Force

 Tunisia

 Zimbabwe

• Air Force of Zimbabwe[8]

Specifications (AL-60B2)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67[9]

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Capacity: 6-8 passengers / 602 kg (1,327 lb) max. payload
• Length: 8.79 m (28 ft 10 in)
• Wingspan: 11.84 m (38 ft 10 in)
• Height: 3.25 m (10 ft 8 in)
• Wing area: 19.54 m² (210.3 sq ft)
• Aspect ratio: 7.2:1
• Airfoil: root: NACA 23016; tip: NACA 4412
• Empty weight: 998 kg (2,200 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,746 kg (3,849 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 322 l (85 US gal; 71 imp gal) in six wing tanks
• Powerplant: 1 × Continental TSIO-470-B-A1A 6-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 190 kW (260 hp)
• Propellers: 3-bladed constant speed propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 238 km/h (148 mph, 129 kn) at sea level

270 km/h (170 mph; 150 kn) at 4,800 m (15,700 ft)

• Cruise speed: 220 km/h (140 mph, 120 kn) maximum at 75% power
  

206 km/h (128 mph; 111 kn) at 3,000 m (9,800 ft) at 63% power

• Stall speed: 87 km/h (54 mph, 47 kn) flaps down
• Never exceed speed: 283 km/h (176 mph, 153 kn)
• Range: 885 km (550 mi, 478 nmi) with max. fuel
• Service ceiling: 6,700 m (22,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 4.267 m/s (840.0 ft/min)
  
• Take-off run: 189 m (620 ft)
• Landing run: 183 m (600 ft)
• Take-off run to 15 m (49 ft): 320 m (1,050 ft)
• Landing run from 15 m (49 ft): 318 m (1,043 ft)

See also

Related development

• Northwest Ranger

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Cessna 185

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Flores, Santiago A. (March–April 2001). "Station Wagon: LASA-60, a Mexican Dream Turned Sour". Air Enthusiast (92): 50–53. ISSN 0143-5450.
• Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961–62. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1961.
• Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1966.

External links

• photograph and details (in Spanish) of the sole Chilean example, c/n 1002
• AL60 photographs and info in Rhodesia
• Atlas Kudu Survivors List with Pictures
• Aircraft.co.za - Aermacchi AL-60 / Atlas Kudu

На других языках

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[de] Aermacchi AL-60

Die Aermacchi AL-60 ist ein leichtes Kurzstrecken-Verbindungs- und Mehrzweckflugzeug der italienischen Firma Aermacchi.

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- [en] Aermacchi AL-60

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[fr] Aermacchi AL-60

L'Aermacchi AL-60 est un monoplan monomoteur utilitaire conçu chez Lockheed aux États-Unis, qui n'est pas produit en série dans ce pays mais au Mexique et surtout en Italie.

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[it] Aermacchi AL-60

L'Aermacchi AL-60 è un aereo multifunzione, monomotore monoplano ad ala alta, originariamente sviluppato per il mercato dell'aviazione civile dall'azienda aeronautica statunitense Lockheed Corporation nei tardi anni cinquanta e prodotto inizialmente in Messico, quindi su licenza in Argentina, Italia e Sudafrica anche in varianti ad uso militare.

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