ATOL 495
{{Short description|Finnish amphibious aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=ATOL 495 | image=ATOL 650 OH-XNA at AERO Friedrichshafen 2018 (1X7A4294).jpg | caption=ATOL 650 (OH-XNA) in 2018 }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Sport amphibian | national origin=Finland | manufacturer=Atol Avion | designer=Markku Koivurova | first flight=23 August 1988 | introduced= | retired= | status=development ended | primary user= | number built=5 | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
Atol is a two-seat kit amphibious aircraft with a wood composite structure. It was to be built in ultralight and light-sport aircraft (LSA) versions. Atol aircraft were produced by the Finnish company Atol Avion.
In April 2017, it was announced that the aircraft would be built for the North American market by Atol USA of Brunswick Landing, Maine.{{cite web|url = https://www.avweb.com/air-shows-events/finnish-amphib-to-be-built-in-maine/|title = Finnish Amphib To Be Built In Maine|accessdate = 9 April 2017|last = Niles|first = Russ |work = AVweb|date = 8 April 2017|archive-url= https://archive.today/20221123030135/https://www.avweb.com/air-shows-events/finnish-amphib-to-be-built-in-maine/|archive-date= 23 November 2022|url-status= live}}
By 2022, the company website had been taken down and the domain was for sale.
Development
The Atol was designed by Markku Koivurova and produced by Martekno Ky and later Atol Avion Ltd. The development of Atol began in the 1970s, inspired by the American Osprey II. The first versions of the design used the Ken Rand KR structure. Atol's predecessors were larger and their structure recalled the traditional structure of a wooden aircraft.{{cite web|url= http://www.atol.fi/atol-amfibio/history|title= History|access-date= 23 November 2022|author= Atol Avion|work= atol.fi|date= 15 November 2022|archive-url= https://archive.today/20130213101805/http://www.atol.fi/atol-amfibio/history|archive-date= 13 February 2013|url-status= dead}}
The first water taxi tests of the new LSA version, the Atol 650, were commenced in December 2014 on the Kemijoki River, Finland, on the Arctic Circle.{{cite news|url = https://www.avweb.com/recent-updates/business-military/atol-starts-water-taxi-tests/|title = Atol Starts Water-Taxi Tests|accessdate = 26 December 2014|last = Grady|first = Mary|date = 24 December 2014| work = AVweb|archive-url= https://archive.today/20221123030148/https://www.avweb.com/recent-updates/business-military/atol-starts-water-taxi-tests/|archive-date= 23 November 2022|url-status= live}} This new version first flew on 9 April 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.avweb.com/news/atol-amphib-completes-first-flight/|title=Atol Amphib Completes First Flight|work=avweb.com|accessdate=13 April 2015|archive-url= https://archive.today/20221123030143/https://www.avweb.com/news/atol-amphib-completes-first-flight/|archive-date= 23 November 2022|url-status= live}}
The 650 model was intended to be built in Maine, United States, with European deliveries initially forecast for late in 2018 and US deliveries starting in 2019.{{cite web|url = https://www.avweb.com/air-shows-events/aero-atol-650-amphib-finds-u-s-manufacturer/|title = Aero: Atol 650 Amphib Finds U.S. Manufacturer|access-date = 24 April 2018|last = Baker|first = Jason|work = AVweb|date = 21 April 2018|archive-url= https://archive.today/20221123030202/https://www.avweb.com/air-shows-events/aero-atol-650-amphib-finds-u-s-manufacturer/|archive-date= 23 November 2022|url-status= live}}
On 3 July 2018, the 650 LSA prototype (OH-XNA) crashed and burnt, near Rovaniemi.{{cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=212832|title=Accident ATOL 650 LSA OH-XNA, 03 Jul 2018|first=Harro|last=Ranter|website=aviation-safety.net|accessdate=3 July 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180703221429/https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=212832|archive-date= 3 July 2018|url-status= live}}
By November 2022, the company website had been taken down, and the domain was for sale. It is likely all development on the aircraft has ended. The proposed American manufacturer, Atol USA, was administratively dissolved on 13 August 2021.{{cite web|url= https://www.bizapedia.com/me/atol-usa-inc.html|title= Atol USA, Inc.|access-date= 22 November 2022|author= Maine Secretary Of State Business Registration|work= bizapedia.com|date= 13 August 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221122143220/https://www.bizapedia.com/me/atol-usa-inc.html|archive-date= 22 November 2022|url-status= live}}
Specifications (ATOL 495 LSA)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=
|prime units?=met
|crew=one
|capacity= one passenger
|length m=7.45
|span m=9
|wing area sqm=13.5
|empty weight kg=340
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=650
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|75|L|impgal|abbr=on|0}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotax 912 iS
|eng1 type=
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=100
|eng1 shp=
|eng1 kn=
|eng1 lbf=
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=3
|prop name=fixed pitch propeller
|prop dia m=1.72
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop dia note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=170
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=74
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=750
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=5 hours
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
- Take-off distance from water: {{convert|450|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} (LSA)
|avionics=
}}
Notes
- Bodin, Jan: Perpetual Product Development - a Study of Small Technology-Driven Firms 2000, p. 143-151, University of Umeå's print, Umeå Sweden, 2000. {{ISBN|91-7191-752-7}}
- Joensuu, Elina: Design in Finland 30 Years 1991, p. 30, Hämee's bookprint Ltd, Häme Finland, 1991. ISSN 0418-7717
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.atol.fi/ Atol Avion Ltd]
- [http://ilmailumuseo.fi/kokoelma/atol/ Atol 450] at the Finnish Aviation Museum