View source for PAC CT/4 Airtrainer

{{Short description|New Zealand training aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2018}}
{{More footnotes|date=June 2010}}
{{Infobox aircraft
| name = CT/4 Airtrainer
| image = File:CT-4A Airtrainer A19-040 (VH-CTK) landing during the Warbirds Downunder 2013 (cropped).jpg
| caption = RAAF CT/4 in flight
| type = Fixed-wing [[Training aircraft#Basic training|Primary trainer]]
| national_origin = New Zealand
| manufacturer = [[Pacific Aerospace]]
| designer = 
| first_flight = 23 February 1972
| introduction = 
| retired = [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]], 4 December 2014
| produced = 1972–2008
| number_built = 154
| status = Active
| unit cost = 
| primary_user = [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]] (historical)
| more_users = [[Royal Australian Air Force]] <br/> [[BAE Systems Australia]]<br>[[Royal Thai Air Force]]
| developed_from = [[Victa Aircruiser]]
| variants = 
}}

The '''Pacific Aerospace Corporation CT/4 Airtrainer''' series is an all-metal-construction, single-engine, two-place with side-by-side seating, fully [[aerobatic]], [[piston-engine]]d, basic [[Trainer aircraft|training aircraft]] manufactured in [[Hamilton, New Zealand]].

==History==
[[Pacific Aerospace Corporation]] predecessor, [[Aero Engine Services Limited|AESL]], derived the CT/4 from the earlier four-seat prototype [[Victa Aircruiser]], itself a development of the original [[Victa Airtourer]] two-seat light tourer, 172 of which had been built in [[Australia]] from 1961 to 1966 before the rights to the Airtourer and Aircruiser were sold to the New Zealand company AESL, which built a total of 80 Airtourers at its factory at [[Hamilton, New Zealand|Hamilton]] in the 1970s.<ref name="aifeb76 p70-1">''Air International'' February 1976, pp. 70–71.</ref>

In 1971, the [[Royal Australian Air Force]] had a requirement for the replacement of the [[CAC Winjeel]]s used as basic trainers at [[RAAF Williams#RAAF Base Point Cook|RAAF Point Cook]]. AESL's chief designer, P W C Monk, based the new aircraft on the stronger airframe of the Aircruiser.<ref name="aifeb76 p71">''Air International'' February 1976, p. 71.</ref> Externally the CT/4 differs from the Airtourer and Aircruiser designs by its larger engine and the [[bubble canopy]]—designed in an aerofoil shape.  Structurally there are changes to the skin and upgrades of the four longerons in the fuselage from [[sheet metal]] to [[extrusion]]s.

The CT/4 prototype first flew on 23 February 1972.<ref name="aifeb76 p71"/> Two prototypes were built, and on 1 March 1973 AESL became New Zealand Aerospace Industries Ltd.  Production was launched against an order for 24 from the [[Royal Thai Air Force]].  The type was then selected as the primary trainer for the [[Royal Australian Air Force]].  The 64th machine was the first CT/4B, with detail improvements, mostly in instrumentation.  The CT/4B was ordered by the [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]] (19) and 14 were ordered ostensibly by a Swiss company, Breco Trading Co, on behalf of a Swiss flying club. Breco was discovered to be a sanctions busting front for the [[Rhodesian Air Force]].  These aircraft were then embargoed by the New Zealand government after being built and spent six years in storage before being sold to the Royal Australian Air Force.  This caused financial difficulties for the manufacturer, which led to the firm re-emerging as the [[Pacific Aerospace Corporation]].

For several years Airtrainer production ceased, although the type remained nominally available for orders. In 1991, in an attempt to win a lucrative [[United States Air Force]] contract, two new developments of the CT/4 airframe were flown—the CT/4C turboprop and the CT/4E with a 300&nbsp;hp piston engine, a three-bladed propeller, 100&nbsp;mm longer fuselage and wing attachments moved rearwards.  Neither attracted production orders at the time but, in 1998, CT/4E production commenced with orders for the Royal New Zealand Air Force for 13 and Royal Thai Air Force for 16.  Both nations used the CT/4E to replace their earlier model CT/4A and B.

[[File:CT4B Airtrainer RNZAF at Whenuapai.JPG|200px|thumb|A CT/4B of the [[RNZAF]] in the late 1980s]]

The CT/4 proved to be an agile and capable military training aircraft. It is currently in use with the [[Royal Thai Air Force|RTAF]] and was formerly used by the [[Royal Australian Air Force|RAAF]] (until primary training was sub contracted) and by the [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]] until replaced by the [[Beechcraft T-6 Texan II|Beechcraft T-6C]].  In Australia the type is commonly known as the ''plastic parrot'', (a reference to its original gaudy RAAF colour scheme—the aircraft is, in fact, of all-aluminium construction).  Many former RAAF and RNZAF aircraft are owned by private pilots and by companies contracted to provide training for airforces or airlines.  One new-build CT/4E was built for a private Israeli owner in 1999. Two CT/Es were delivered to the Singapore Youth Flying Club in 2002. In 2004 and 2005 a further 8 CT/4Es were delivered to the Royal Thai Air Force to bring the total of RTAF CT/4Es to 24. The last CT/4 produced so far has been a CT/4E built for use as a company demonstrator, and in 2013 it was shown at the Airshow at Durban, South Africa.

A total of 155 aircraft had been built by 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-05 |title=Production Data : NZAero |url=https://www.nzaero.com/aircraft/ct-4-airtrainer/development-history/production-data |access-date=2024-05-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505233648/https://www.nzaero.com/aircraft/ct-4-airtrainer/development-history/production-data |archive-date=5 May 2024 }}</ref>

==Variants==
*'''CT/4''': Two prototypes, the first example was used by AESL to develop the CT/4 to meet RAAF requirements, retained by AESL/NZAI until NZAI bankruptcy in 1982. The second example the only single control CT/4 built, presented by NZAI to the Thai King, later used by the Royal Thai Police.
*'''CT/4A''': Powered by a 210&nbsp;hp Continental piston engine. The initial production design, 75 built, 24 for the RTAF and 51 for the [[RAAF]].
*'''CT/4B''': Powered by a 210&nbsp;hp Continental piston engine. <br> A version of the CT/4A with minimal changes to suit the [[RNZAF]], 19 built for the RNZAF, 6 for the RTAF and 12 for Ansett/British Aerospace Flying Academy (now BAE Systems) at Tamworth, New South Wales.
*'''CT/4C''': Powered by an Alison 250 turboprop and with a three-bladed propeller, a single prototype was rebuilt from a damaged RNZAF CT/4B. After a successful flight-test programme and unsuccessful marketing programme the prototype CT/4C was returned to CT/4B standard. Not put into production
*'''CT/4CR''': A proposed retractable undercarriage Alison 250 turboprop powered model that was never built.
*'''CT/4D''': Original designation for RNZAF model
*'''CT/4E''': Powered by a 300&nbsp;hp Lycoming and with a three-bladed propeller and the wing moved 5&nbsp;cm rearwards to compensate for the altered centre of gravity. The CT/4E was a significant update designed to compete for a USAF requirement. 1 aircraft was converted from an ex-RAAF CT/4A and the remaining 41 were new built CT/4Es. 13 for the RNZAF, 24 for the RTAF, 2 for the SYFC, 1 for an Israeli customer and a demonstrator built for PAC in 2007, the 155th and last CT/4 built to date.
*'''CT-4F "Akala"''': A 300&nbsp;hp version offered for an RAAF requirement, in conjunction with Raytheon Australia, with glass cockpit avionics from the Hawker Beechcraft T-6B [[T-6 Texan II]]. One demonstrator converted in May 2007 from the CT/4E prototype, itself originally a RAAF CT/4A.
*'''B.F.16''': ({{langx|th|บ.ฝ.๑๖}}) [[Royal Thai Armed Forces]] designation for the CT/4A and CT/4B.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Thai Military Aircraft Designations |url=https://designation-systems.net/non-us/thailand.html |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=designation-systems.net}}</ref>
*'''B.F.16A''': ({{langx|th|บ.ฝ.๑๖ก}}) Royal Thai Armed Forces designation for the CT/4E.<ref name=":0" />

==Operators==
;{{AUS}}
*[[Royal Australian Air Force]]
** One CT/4A is preserved airworthy at the [[RAAF Museum]] and operated by No. 100 Squadron RAAF (the RAAF's heritage squadron)

==Former operators==
;{{AUS}}
*[[Australian Defence Force Basic Flying Training School]] (in conjuction with BAE Systems, Tamworth, New South Wales)
*[[No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF]]
*[[Aircraft Research and Development Unit, RAAF]]
*[[Central Flying School RAAF]]
*[[RMIT University]][https://web.archive.org/web/20070914003549/http://www.rmit.org.au/browse;ID=7wugdpi16ey5z]
;{{NZL}}
*[[Royal New Zealand Air Force]]
*[[Central Flying School]] and [[Pilot Training Squadron]] formerly pooled 13 aircraft. Retired on 4 December 2014.
;{{THA}}
*[[Royal Thai Air Force]] Aircraft decommissioned 2020
*[[Royal Thai Police]] – one aircraft only.
;{{SIN}}
*[[Singapore Youth Flying Club]] 2 aircraft operated between 2002 and 2010

==Specifications (CT4E)==
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units? = met

|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004;<ref name="jawa03 p324">Jackson 2003, p. 324.</ref> PAC Pilot's Operating Handbook and Flight Manual for the CT4-E Airtrainer
|crew=two: student, instructor
|length m=7.201 
|length ft=23
|length in=7.5
|span m=7.92 
|span ft=26
|span in=0
|height m=2.59 
|height ft=8
|height in=6
|wing area sqm=11.98 
|wing area sqft=129 
|aspect ratio=5.2:1
|empty weight kg=770 
|empty weight lb=1,700 
|gross weight kg=1180 
|gross weight lb=2600 
|max takeoff weight kg=1,180 
|max takeoff weight lb=2,600 
|eng1 name=[[Lycoming AEIO-540]]-L1B5
|eng1 type=[[flat-six]] piston engine
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 kw=224 
|eng1 hp=300 
| prop name = [[Hartzell Propeller]] HC-C3YR-4BF / FC7663-2R<ref>Pilot Operating Handbook, Section 1 General, 1.4 Propeller – pp. 1–7</ref> 1 per engine
| number of propellers per engine = 
|max speed kmh=387 
|max speed kts=209 
|max speed note=at sea level
|cruise speed kmh=282 
|cruise speed kts=152
|cruise speed mph=175
|cruise speed note=at 2,590 m (8,500 ft) (75% power)
|never exceed speed kmh=387 
|never exceed speed kts=209
|never exceed speed mph=240
|stall speed kmh=82 
|stall speed kts=44
|stall speed mph=51
|stall speed note=(flaps down)
|range km=963 
|range nmi=520
|range miles=599
|range note=(max fuel, 75% power)
|ceiling m=5,550 
|ceiling ft=18,200 
|climb rate ms=9.3 
|climb rate ftmin=1,830 
}}

==See also==



'''Aircraft of a similar role, configuration and era'''

* [[SIAI-Marchetti SF.260]]

==Gallery==
<gallery perrow="5">
File:PAC CT-4 RNZAF.jpg|CT-4B at Tauranga, New Zealand, 2006
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

;General
* Bennett, John; "Aircraft of the ADF, A19 AESL CT/4 Airtrainer", ''Australian Aviation'', August 1994, pp 57–59.
* Ewing, Ross and MacPherson, Ross ''The History of New Zealand Aviation'', Heinemann, 1986.
* Jackson, Paul. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004''. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. {{ISBN|0-7106-2537-5}}.
* Knowles, ''Alan, New Zealand Aircraft'', IPL Books, Wellington, 1990
* "The Airtrainer Story". ''[[Air International]]'', Vol. 10 No. 2, February 1976. pp.&nbsp;70–72.
* Wilson, Stewart, "''Tiger Moth, CT-4, Wackett And Winjeel in Australian Service''", Aerospace Publications, 1994, pp.&nbsp;163–194.
* Air International, "CT-4E trainers retired" Key Publishing Ltd, 2015, PP. 16

==External links==
{{Commons category|PAC CT/4}}
*[http://www.aerospace.co.nz/aircraft Aircraft of Pacific Aerospace]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170330062614/https://www.airforce.gov.au/raafmuseum/exhibitions/training_hang/ct4a.htm CT4 A19-027] – RAAF Museum
*http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/atrainer.html

{{Pacific Aerospace aircraft}}
{{ADF aircraft prefixes}}
{{Thai trainer designations}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:PAC CT 4 Airtrainer}}
[[Category:NZAero aircraft|Airtrainer]]
[[Category:1970s New Zealand military trainer aircraft]]
[[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Low-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1972]]
[[Category:Aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear]]
[[Category:Single-engined piston aircraft]]