CallAir A-9
{{Short description|American agricultural aircraft}}
{{Refimprove|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox aircraft
| name=A-9
| image=Aero Cmmdr A-9B Ag Cmmdr Super N7922V Driggs ID 22.06.94R edited-2.jpg
| caption=CallAir A-9B glider tug at Driggs Idaho in June 1994
| type= Agricultural aircraft
| national_origin=United States
| manufacturer=Intermountain Manufacturing Company, Aero Commander
| designer=
| introduction=
| retired=
| status=
| produced=
| primary_user=
| number_built=
| developed_from= CallAir Model A
| variants=
| developed_into=
}}
File:Callair A-9 N8234H (4818166805).jpg
: For the USAF unmanned Quail drone aircraft, see ADM-20 Quail.
The IMCO CallAir A-9 is an agricultural aircraft that first flew in 1962, a development of the company's previous successful crop-dusters. It is typical of aircraft of its type - a single-seat aircraft with a low wing incorporating spraying gear.
Design and development
The Call Aircraft Company (CAC) had built the CallAir Model A series of light utility and agricultural aircraft. Following the purchase of CAC in 1962 by Intermountain Manufacturing Company (IMCO) the latter produced a new agricultural derivative of the Callair, the CallAir A-9. Production of the new aircraft started in 1963.Taylor 1965, pp. 246–247.
Like the earlier CallAir aircraft, the A-9 is a single-engined monoplane with a braced low wing. It is of mixed construction, with a fabric-covered steel-tube fuselage structure and a wood-and-fabric wing. The pilot sits behind the chemical hopper, and the cockpit is enclosed by two removable, bottom-hinged doors that form the left and right side windows. The aircraft is powered by a single Lycoming O-540 flat-six piston engine.[http://www.soarelsinore.org/docs/a9.pdf "A-9 Owners Manual: Serials 1048, 1111, 1117 & Up"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140807063751/http://www.soarelsinore.org/docs/a9.pdf |date=2014-08-07 }}. Retrieved 23 February 2013. Later, some A-9s have been adapted for glider towing operations.
IMCO was in turn purchased by Rockwell International in 1966, which built the plane under its Aero Commander division before shifting production to Mexico in 1971, under a joint venture there called AAMSA. Production ceased in 1984.
Variants
;A-9
:Original variant, powered by a 235 hp (175 kW) Lycoming O-540-B2B5. Built by CallAir,{{cite web |title=N8234H CallAir A-9 |url=https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberInquiry? |website=FAA Registry N-Number Inquiry |access-date=5 October 2024}} IMCO and Aero Commander (as the Sparrow Commander)
;A-9B (Super)
:Version with 290 hp (216 kW) Lycoming IO-540 or Lycoming TIO-540.{{cite web |title=N7799V Aero Commander CallAir A-9B |url=https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberInquiry? |website=FAA Registry N-Number Inquiry |access-date=5 October 2024}} Built by Aero Commander (as the Quail Commander).
;B-1
:Enlarged A-9 with a 400 hp (298 kW) Lycoming IO-720-A1A engine and 42 ft 8 in (13.00 m) wingspan. First flight January 15, 1966.Taylor 1966, pp. 261–262. Built by IMCO and Aero Commander (as the Snipe Commander). 36 built.
;AAMSA A9B
: Licensed production by Aeronautica Agricola Mexicana SA (AAMSA) powered by {{convert|300|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 engine and {{convert|210|USgal|impgal L|abbr=on}} hopper. 101 built by AAMSA,Taylor 1982, p. 155 with a further 17 assembled from Mexican-built components at Laredo, Texas by Aircraft Parts and Development Corporation.
;AAMSA A9B-M
: Improved version of A9M, with cut down rear fuselage, redesigned cockpit, and increased wing dihedral. 36 built.Simpson 1995, p. 104
;A9B-M Quail 'Naco'
:Two seat military trainer aircraft built in Mexico by AAMSA, based on A9B-M. Single example (EPA-1) preserved at Museo Militar de Aviación - MUMA, Mexico City.{{cite web |title=EPA-1, AAMSA A-9B Quail |url=https://www.airhistory.net/photo/152133/EPA-1 |website=airhistory.net |access-date=5 October 2024}}
Specifications (AAMSA A9B-M Quail)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982-83 Taylor 1982, pp. 155–156.
|prime units?=kts
|crew=1
|capacity={{cvt|210|USgal|impgal L}} or {{cvt|1600|lb}} of chemicals
|length ft=24
|length in=0
|length note=(tail up)
|span ft=34
|span in=9
|span note=
|height ft=7
|height in=8
|height note=
|wing area sqft=181.9
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=6.63:1
|airfoil=Modified Clark Y
|empty weight lb=1800
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=3800
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|40|USgal|impgal L|abbr=on}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Lycoming IO-540-K1A-5
|eng1 type=6-cylinder air-cooled horizontally opposed piston engine
|eng1 hp=300
|prop blade number=
|prop name=
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop dia note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kts=104
|max speed note=
|max speed mach=
|cruise speed kts=87
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range nmi=260
|range note=
|combat range nmi=
|combat range note=
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling ft=16000
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ftmin=850
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate ftmin=
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=
|more performance=
}}
See also
{{Aircontent|
|related=
|similar aircraft=
|lists=
|see also=
}}
References
;Notes
{{reflist}}
;Bibliography
- {{cite book |last=Simpson |first=R. W. |title=Airlife's General Aviation |year=1995 |edition=Second |location=Shrewsbury |publisher=Airlife Publishing Ltd. |isbn=1-85310-577-5}}
- {{cite report |last1=Smith |first1=Michael R. |last2=Patrick |first2=John D. |title=Evaluation of the CallAir A-9 Agricultural Aircraft: Technical Report |date=November 1966 |publisher=Aerophysics Department, Mississippi State University |url=http://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/AD0671079 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128141121/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/AD0671079 |url-status=live |archive-date=January 28, 2021 |access-date=20 December 2020}}
- Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1965.
- Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966-67. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1966.
- Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982-83. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. {{ISBN|0-7106-0748-2}}.
External links
{{commons category-inline|CallAir A-9}}
{{Aero Commander aircraft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Callair A-9}}
Category:1970s Mexican agricultural aircraft
Category:1960s United States agricultural aircraft
Category:Aero Commander aircraft
Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft
Category:Aircraft first flown in 1963