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Arava
Type	Transport
Manufacturer	Israeli Aircraft Industries
Maiden flight	27 November 1969
Primary users	Israeli Air Force 14 other militaries
Produced	1972-1988
Number built	80+

The Israeli Aircraft Industries Arava is an light STOL utility transport aircraft built in Israel by IAI in the late 1960's.

The Arava was IAI's first major aircraft designed to enter production. It was intended both for the military and civil market, but the aircraft was only built in relatively small numbers. The customers were found mainly in third world countries, especially in Central- and South America, as well as Swaziland, and Thailand.

The design work on the Arava began in 1966, and the design objectives included STOL performance, the ability to operate from rough strips and carry 25 troops or bulky payloads. To achieve this, the Arava design was of a relatively unusual configuration Its fuselage was barrel-like, short but wide, the rear of the fuselage was hinged and could swing open for easy loading and unloading. Its wing span was long and the twin tails were mounted on booms that ran from the engine nacelles. The aircraft was powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprops.

The Arava first flew on November 27 1969, while a second prototype flew for the first time on May 8 1971. Production ended in 1988. More than 90 aircraft had then been produced, including 70 for the military market. It is still in operation in some countries.

• IAI 101 - civil-transport version
• IAI 102 - civil passenger aircraft for up to 20 persons in airline-standard configuration or up to 12 passengers in VIP configuration
• IAI 201 - military transport version
• IAI 202 - modified, longer version with modified wings

The military version could also be equipped with a range of weapons, in order to act as in the anti-submarine- or gunship roles. The weapon configuration could include two machine guns in fuselage side packs (usually 0.5" Browning), plus a third gun on the rear fuselage. Two pods containing 6 x 82 mm rocket pods on fuselage sides or torpedoes and sonar buoys.

•  Bolivia
•  Cameroon
•  Colombia
•  Ecuador
•  El Salvador
•  Guatemala
•  Honduras
•  Israel
•  Liberia
•  Mexico
•  Nicaragua
•  Papua New Guinea
•  Swaziland
•  Thailand
•  Venezuela

Data from All the World's Rotorcraft^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity:
  
  • 24 passengers or
  • 12 VIP passengers
• Payload: 2,800 kg ()
• Length: 13.0 m ()
• Wingspan: 20.9 m ()
• Height: 5.2 m ()
• Wing area: 45.7 m² ()
• Empty weight: 3,999 kg ()
• Max takeoff weight: 6,803 kg ()
• Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A34 turboprops, 575 kW () each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 397 km/h
• Cruise speed: 319 km/h
• Range: 1,300 km
  323 km (with max payload) ()
• Service ceiling: 7,315 m ()

1. ^ IAI-101, 102, 201 Arava. Retrieved on 2007-01-14.

 

Comparable aircraft

• C-123 Provider