Ahrens AR 404

Ahrens AR 404
	; The second prototype
Type:	Transport plane
Design country:	United States
Manufacturer:	Ahrens Aircraft Corporation
First flight:	1st December 1976
Number of pieces:	2

The Ahrens AR 404 was a multi-purpose aircraft developed in California (USA) with four turboprop engines , designed for a wide range of uses at low operating costs. The main purposes were to transport cargo or up to 30 passengers. The aircraft was to be produced in Puerto Rico on a subsidized basis.

history

The Ahrens AR 404 was designed as a robust, simple transport aircraft.

On December 1, 1976, the prototype took off on its maiden flight in Oxnard ( California ) . Production was to take place in Puerto Rico at the former USAF Ramey Air Force Base , because the local government financed the type certification and the construction of 18 series aircraft.

The second prototype, in the planned series configuration, took off on October 26, 1979 in Puerto Rico on its maiden flight. This machine was slightly longer than the first prototype with a length of 16.69 m. The cabin length was 8.53 m. The type certification should be in accordance with FAR Part 25 . After successful approval, twelve to sixteen aircraft were scheduled for delivery for 1982 and a further 24 to 30 aircraft for 1983. More than 100 purchase intentions were received by the manufacturer and provided with provisional delivery dates. Over half of the production was destined for the North American market. Ultimately, only the two prototypes were produced.

In the transition from the 1970s to the 1980s, a large number of aircraft types competed in the class of around 30-seat feeder aircraft. These included the pressurized Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia , De Havilland DHC-8-100 , Saab 340 , CASA CN-235 and the Short 330 and Short 360 , neither of which, like the AR 404, had a pressurized cabin .

The price quoted was US $ 1.8 to 2 million, significantly lower than all other 30-seater such as B. the Short 330, which cost 3 million US $ at the time. The manufacturer claimed that the cost per seat mile would also be lower than any competitor aircraft, including the GAF Nomad and Short 330 even the Lockheed L-100 Hercules . However, the AR 404 was also the slowest machine of the competing 30-seater.

construction

Scrapped Prototype No. 2, Las Vegas-Henderson 1991

The Ahrens AR 404 is a conventionally constructed shoulder -wing aircraft without a pressurized cabin , powered by four Allison 250 B17B turboprop engines with 309 kW (420 hp) each.

The rectangular, box-shaped fuselage construction with a constant fuselage cross-section simplified the construction of the aircraft and ensured maximum usable volume. According to the manufacturer, 1,000 native Puerto Ricans with no prior aircraft manufacturing experience could shortly build four machines a month.

The cabin offers space for a maximum of 30 passengers in 2-1 seating. As a cargo aircraft , the AR 404 can carry four standard LD3 containers . Loading and unloading takes place via a split ramp in the rear of the aircraft. The ramp can be opened during the flight to allow parachutists or goods to be dropped off. As additional purposes besides freight and passenger transport, the manufacturer specified: submarine hunting , gunship , training and fishing surveillance. Use for carrier onboard delivery , the supply of aircraft carriers, has also been proposed.

A version was being planned in which the four relatively small engines were to be replaced by two turbo- prop engines, each with 1000 hp from Garrett AiResearch . This project was no longer pursued.

Technical specifications

Parameter	Data
crew	2
Passengers	30th
length	16.08 m
span	20.12 m
height	5.64 m
Wing area	39.2 m²
Wing extension	10.3
Empty mass	4309 kg
Max. Takeoff mass	7938 kg
Cruising speed	314 km / h at 1525 m
Top speed	352 km / h at 1525 m
Service ceiling	5500 m
Range	2234 km
Engines	4 × Allison -250-B17B turboprop engines with 313 kW (426 hp) each

literature

Taylor, John WR (1981), Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1981-1982, pp. 273, ISBN 978-0-531-03953-3
Taylor, Michael JH (1989), Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. P. 42.
From prototype to production in Perto Rico… The Ahrens AR-404 . In: AIR International February 1982, p. 70 f.

Web links

Commons : Ahrens AR 404 - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Ahrens AR 404 on airwar.ru (ru), accessed on April 29, 2016
Ahrens AR 404 on avia.pro accessed on April 29, 2016

Individual evidence

↑ Ulf Edlund: AR-404 for KM-180 and C-180 . Svensk Flyghistorisk Tidskrift, ISSN 1100-9837, February 2014 (Swedish), p. 50.
^ Louis J. Williams: Small Transport Aircraft Technology. NASA , Washington 1983, p. 17.
↑ Aviastar Virtual Aircraft Museum: Ahrens AR-404 (English), accessed on August 2, 2020.
^ Louis J. Williams: Small Transport Aircraft Technology. NASA , Washington 1983, p. 16.
↑ Aircraft fandom: Ahrens AR 404 (English), accessed on August 2, 2020.
↑ Aviastar Virtual Aircraft Museum: Ahrens AR-404 (English), accessed on August 2, 2020.
↑ Taylor, John WR (1981), Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1981-1982, pp. 273, ISBN 978-0-531-03953-3

[1] Ulf Edlund: AR-404 for KM-180 and C-180 . Svensk Flyghistorisk Tidskrift, ISSN 1100-9837, February 2014 (Swedish), p. 50.

[2] Louis J. Williams: Small Transport Aircraft Technology. NASA , Washington 1983, p. 17.

[3] Aviastar Virtual Aircraft Museum: Ahrens AR-404 (English), accessed on August 2, 2020.

[4] Louis J. Williams: Small Transport Aircraft Technology. NASA , Washington 1983, p. 16.

[5] Aircraft fandom: Ahrens AR 404 (English), accessed on August 2, 2020.

[6] Aviastar Virtual Aircraft Museum: Ahrens AR-404 (English), accessed on August 2, 2020.

[Janes-7] Taylor, John WR (1981), Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1981-1982, pp. 273, ISBN 978-0-531-03953-3