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Debutantes Line Up for Presentation by Aermacchi
It has been a year of progress for Italy’s Aermacchi, the extensive fruits of which can be seen in the static park and in the skies above the show. The company has an interest in training aircraft of all standards of complexity, from the elementary stage to top-flight military trainers, which is more than adequately demonstrated by a ground lineup in ascending size, like the brothers in a family photograph.
Still in its underclothes, so to speak, is the second prototype M-346 advanced trainer, wearing the metallic and yellow colors in which it took shape on the Venegono assembly line. This machine, CMX616, is the No. 002 prototype, whose maiden flight was conducted by Chief Test Pilot Olinto Cecconello on May 17.
Flying the display will be the first machine, whose initial sortie on July 15, 2004, launched the current spate of maturing programs at Aermacchi. With two M-346s in the air, Aermacchi will be accelerating test-flight progress, with 002 specializing in structural characteristics and flying qualities testing and 001 taking the engine, systems and flight envelope extension portfolios.
Aermacchi is pushing hard for a launch customer for the M-346 here this week. A welcome advance in January was the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Hellenic Ministry of Defense on potential industrial cooperation by Greek industry.
Other European partners are being sought, the ultimate goal being selection of the M-346 by a grouping of European air arms as their future advanced/lead-in trainer.
Having taken over the former SIAI-Marchetti S.211 basic jet trainer, Aermacchi has redesigned it as the S-311. On June 1, the “prototype” — more correctly an avionics demonstrator — first flew, and it is now taking part in the show as a static exhibit.
As a bottom rung of the ladder to the stars offered to aspiring pilots, Aermacchi manufactures the SF-260. Stelio Frati’s evergreen prop-powered light-plane has been brought up to date since transfer from its previous manufacturer, so much so that the Italian Air Force has ordered 30 SF-260EAs to replace its fleet of SF.260Ms dating from three decades ago.
The first of these flew on October 21, 2004, and deliveries — including the aircraft in the static park — will involve Aermacchi buying back 21 of the originals. By the time the contract is complete, 880 SF-260s will have been built. — Paul Jackson
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