Saab Safari

On 11 July 1969 Saab flew the prototype (SE-301) of a two/three-seat civil/military trainer or general utility aircraft allocated the designation Saab-MFI 15. Developed at Malmö Flygindustri, it was powered by a 119 kW Avco Lycoming IO-320-B2 flat-four engine and with a conventional low-set tailplane. The latter was later modified to a T-tail configuration to minimise damage when operating from rough airfields.

On 26 February 1971 the prototype was flown with the more powerful Avco Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 air-cooled flat-4 piston engine, which became the standard powerplant for the production version, now designated as the Saab Safari. A braced shoulder-wing monoplane with fixed tricycle landing gear, available optionally with tail-wheel landing gear, it provides side-by-side enclosed accommodation for two and has dual controls as standard. It has forward-swept wings so the wing root does not obscure the pilots’ view to the side. This design constraint applies also to the ARV Super2 and the Bölkow Bo 208 Junior, the latter a license-built version of the Malmö MFI-9 Junior.

A military version designated originally Saab-MFI 17 was flown on 6 July 1972 and differed from the Safari by being equipped more specifically for use as a military trainer, or for artillery observation or forward air control and liaison.; this version was later named Saab Supporter. In August 1978 Saab flew a prototype version of the Safari with a 157 kW Continental flat-six turbocharged engine; designated Safari TS, it did not enter production. A trainer based on the Safari's design was built in kit form for assembly in Pakistan as the Mushshak, with 92 aircraft delivered to the Pakistani Air Force. A later batch of 120 aircraft was built entirely in Pakistan.{{cite book|last=Blood|first=Peter R.|title=Pakistan: A Country Study|date=1996|publisher=Diane|isbn=9780788136313|page=298|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DRMTO7mn7hIC&pg=PA298}}

Of the 250 fully assembled aircraft built by Saab, the majority were bought by private fliers. Including the 212 Pakistani CKD or locally built aircraft, a total of 462 versions of the Safari were produced. The Royal Norwegian Air Force purchased their Safaris in 1981. Today 16 of the aircraft are stationed at Bardufoss Air Station.

A variant with a stretched wing made of composite materials, the MFI-18, was tested during the 1980s in Sweden. Also fitted with provision for skis, this version never went into production. The supporter was also used as a highly efficient COIN aircraft, Experience with the earlier MFI 9B Minicom during the Biafran Civil War encouraged Saab to develop the Supporter as a close support aircraft carrying an assortment of underwing stores including rockets and gun pods.

The number of Saab Safari in use as of 2022, together with its Pakistani successors (the MFI-17 Mushshak and MFI-395 Super Mushshak), is 477, making it one of the most commonly used aircraft for military training in the world.{{cite web|title=2022 World Air forces|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/download?ac=83735|page=11|quote=Flight International ranked it as the 6th most commonly used after the T-6, F-16, Hawk, T-38 and L-39.}}

• MFI-15 Safari – original civilian variant.
• MFI-17 Supporter – Saab's designation for the military variant, Danish designation T-17.
• Saab Safari TS – a prototype fitted with a 157 kW (210 hp) turbocharged piston engine.
• MFI-17 Mushshak – improved version of MFI-17 Supporter manufactured by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex under license.
• PAC Super Mushshak – upgraded Pakistan-manufactured variant of the MFI-17 Mushshak.

File:T-405 RIAT Bthebest.JPG

{{DEN}}

• Royal Danish Air Force – 32Schrøder, Hans (1991). "Royal Danish Airforce". Ed. Kay S. Nielsen. Tøjhusmuseet, 1991, p. 1–64. {{ISBN|87-89022-24-6}}.

{{NOR}}

• Royal Norwegian Air Force – 16

{{PAK}}

• Pakistan Air Force – 28 delivered by Saab, 92 assembled from knock down kits

{{flagcountry|Sierra Leone}}

• Sierra Leone Armed Forces – 2

{{ZAM}}

• Zambia Air Force – 20

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77{{Harvnb|Taylor| 1976|pp=163–164}}

|prime units?=met

|genhide=

|crew=2 (pilot and student)

|capacity=1 passenger

|length m=7.00

|length ft=

|length in=

|span m=8.85

|span ft=

|span in=

|height m=2.60

|height ft=

|height in=

|wing area sqm=11.90

|wing area sqft=

|empty weight kg=646

|empty weight lb=

|gross weight kg=1200

|gross weight lb=

|fuel capacity={{convert|190|L|impgal USgal|abbr=on}}

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Lycoming IO-360-A1B6

|eng1 type=air-cooled flat-four piston engine

|eng1 kw=

|eng1 hp=200

|prop blade number=2

|prop name=Hartzell HC-C2YK-4F/FC7666A-2 constant speed propeller

|prop dia m=

|prop dia ft=

|prop dia in=

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=236

|max speed mph=

|max speed kts=

|max speed note=at sea level

|cruise speed kmh=208

|cruise speed mph=

|cruise speed kts=

|stall speed kmh=107

|stall speed note=flaps down, power off

|never exceed speed kmh=365

|range km=

|range miles=

|range nmi=

|endurance=5 hr 10 min

|ceiling m=4100

|ceiling ft=

|climb rate ms=

|climb rate ftmin=807

|more performance=*Take-off run to 15 m (50 ft): {{convert|385|m|ft|abbr=on}}

• Landing run from 15 m (50 ft): {{convert|390|m|ft|abbr=on}}

|avionics=

}}

{{aircontent

|see also=

||related=

• Malmö MFI-9
• PAC MFI-17 Mushshak
• PAC Super Mushshak

|similar aircraft=

• ARV Super2
• Malmö MFI-9
• Saab 91 Safir
• Scottish Aviation Bulldog
• Valmet L-70 Vinka

|lists=

}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John W. R. |authorlink=John W. R. Taylor|title=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77 |year=1976 |publisher=Jane's Yearbooks |location=London |isbn=0-354-00538-3}}

{{commons category inline|Saab Safari}}

{{Andreasson aircraft}}

{{Saab aircraft}}

{{PAC aircraft}}

MFI-15

15

Category:1970s Swedish military trainer aircraft

Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft

Category:Shoulder-wing aircraft

Category:Cruciform tail aircraft

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1971

Category:Forward-swept-wing aircraft