 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Aermacchi AL-60" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(August 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| LASA-60 / AL-60 / C4M Kudu | |
|---|---|
 Operational Aermacchi AL-60B-2 registered in Germany | |
| General information | |
| Type | Utility aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Corporation |
| Designer | |
| Built by | Lockheed-Azcarate Aermacchi Atlas Aircraft Corporation |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary users | Mexican Air Force |
| Number built | ~180 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1974-1979 South Africa |
| First flight | 15 September 1959[1] |
| Variant | Northwest Ranger |
_(18350167242).jpg)
TheAermacchi AL-60 is a light civil utility aircraft of the late 1950s and early 1960s, originally designed byAl Mooney ofLockheed in the United States. After the company decided not to build the aircraft in the US, it was manufactured in small quantities inMexico, and a few were assembled inArgentina (Santa Isabel, Córdoba) by Aviones Lockheed-Kaiser Argentina. It was also built in quantity under licence byAermacchi in Italy[2] andAtlas Aircraft Corporation in South Africa.
In the late 1950s, the American aircraft designerAl Mooney, who had recently joinedLockheed after leavingthe company that bore his name, was given the task of designing a utility aircraft, the CL-402, suitable for use in underdeveloped countries. As Lockheed could not build the design at an economic price in the United States, it was instead intended for the aircraft to be built under licence outside the United States, where labour costs were lower.[3][4] The first prototype CL-402, powered by a 250 hp (190 kW)Continental IO-470-G engine, flew for the first time at Lockheed'sMarietta, Georgia on 15 September 1959, with a second prototype, powered by a turbocharged TSIO-470-B engine rated at 260 hp (190 kW) followed a few months later.[3][5]
The initial production deal was made withMexico, where a joint venture,Lockheed-Azcarate SA (LASA) was set up to build the CL-402 as the LASA-60, with a factory being built nearSan Luis Potosí.[4]Type certification by the USFederal Aviation Administration was received on 5 April 1960.[6] While it was planned that 240 aircraft would be built by LASA by 1963, the type was less popular than hoped, with LASA stopping production in April 1962.[7] LASA built 41 LASA-60s, with 18 aircraft purchased by theMexican Air Force.[6]
A second joint venture was set up with Argentina, between Lockheed andIndustrias Kaiser Argentina, with the name Aviones Lockheed-Kaiser.[6][8] Production began of a batch of 16 aircraft in 1961, but was stopped after 11 had been completed.[6]
In Italy,Aermacchi purchased a licence to produce the type, first in its original configuration as theAL-60B, then in a modified version for various African customers as theAL-60C. This latter version changed from the originaltricycle undercarriage to ataildragger arrangement.
The AL-60C version was built under license byAtlas Aircraft Corporation inSouth Africa. This aircraft was known as Atlas C4M Kudu. Over 40 aircraft were built and served theSouth African Air Force between 1974 and 1991.
A number of C4M Kudu aircraft are still flying privately and have proven well in the role of skydive release aircraft. They have been re-engined with turbine engines. This design is known as the Atlas Angel or Turbine Kudu.[9][10]
In 1968 Macchi sold the rights to the aircraft toNorthwest Industries ofEdmonton, Alberta,Canada and the design was developed into theNorthwest Ranger, with development continuing until 1972.[11]
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67[15]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)