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The Waco A series is a range of light American-built twin side-by-side seater sporting biplanes of the early 1930s.

Waco A series
Waco PBA biplane of 1932 at the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum near St Louis Missouri in 2006 showing the wide side-by-side seating layout
Role	two-seat side-by-side biplane Type of aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Waco Aircraft Company
Introduction	1932
Status	a few examples still extant in 2009
Primary user	private owners

Development

The Waco A series was introduced in 1932 as an affordable private-owner aircraft with cross-country range and baggage capacity and a more sporting image than the larger Waco F series. The A series offered a number of engine options which had varying sub-designations. The power range lay between the KBA with a 100 hp (75 kW) Kinner engine and the later UBA with a 210 hp (157 kW) Continental powerplant.[1]

The PLA "Sportsman" of 1933 introduced a longer wider fuselage and a higher useful load and had a 170 hp (127 kW) Jacobs LA-1 radial engine. The last model in the series was the ULA, also of 1933, with a 210 hp (157 kW) powerplant.[2]

Operational history

The A series was bought mainly by private pilot owners with a sporting inclination. Relatively few were produced and the type survives in small numbers in 2009. A PBA is on display in the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum at Dauster Field near St Louis, Missouri.

Variants

Data from Aerofiles[3]

BA series

BBA

165 hp (123 kW) Wright J-5 - none produced

KBA

100 hp (75 kW) Kinner K-5 - one built

IBA

125 hp (93 kW) Kinner B-5 - three built including one conversion

PBA

170 hp (130 kW) Jacobs LA-1 - six built

RBA

110 hp (82 kW) later 125 hp (93 kW) Warner Scarab - 4 built

TBA

160 hp (120 kW) Kinner R-5 - none built

UBA

210 hp (160 kW) Continental R-670 - at least 6 built

CA series

KCA

100 hp (75 kW) Kinner K-5 - possibly none built

PCA

170 hp (130 kW) Jacobs LA-1 - possibly none built

RCA

110 hp (82 kW) Warner Scarab - possibly none built

TCA

160 hp (120 kW) Kinner R-5 - none built

UCA

210 hp (160 kW) Continental R-670 - none built

LA series

PLA Sportsman

longer and wider fuselage and 170 hp (130 kW) Jacobs LA-1 - 4 built

ULA Sportsman

as PLA with 210 hp (160 kW) Continental R-670 - 1 built

Specifications (RBA variant)

Data from Green, 1965, p. 306

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Capacity: one passenger
• Length: 21 ft 0 in (6.4 m)
• Wingspan: 29 ft 6 in (8.84 m)
• Height: 8 ft 8 in (2.44 m)
• Empty weight: 1,250 lb (567 kg)
• Gross weight: 1,949 lb (884 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Warner Scarab , 125 hp (93 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 104 mph (167 km/h, 90 kn)
• Cruise speed: 91 mph (146 km/h, 79 kn)
• Range: 400 mi (640 km, 350 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 12,800 ft (3,900 m)
• Rate of climb: 500 ft/min (2.5 m/s)

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Green, William (1965). The Aircraft of the World. Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd.
• Simpson, Rod (2001). Airlife's World Aircraft. Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-115-3.

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