The DINFIA IA 45 Querandi was a 1950s Argentine twin-engined light transport aircraft built by the DINFIA.

Development

The IA 45 Querandi was designed as a twin engined light transport suitable for both private and as an

air taxi An air taxi is a small commercial aircraft that makes short flights on demand. In 2001 air taxi operations were promoted in the United States by a NASA and aerospace industry study on the potential Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) ...

. Work began on the new project in 1954, with work being suspended in 1955 and restarted in 1956. A twin-engined all metal high-wing cantilever monoplane with an upswept rear fuselage, it had a tailplane with two fins and rudders and retractable

tricycle landing gear Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle g ...

. It was powered by two pusher configuration piston engines. The first prototype, powered by

Lycoming O-320 The Lycoming O-320 is a large family of naturally aspirated, air-cooled, four-cylinder, direct-drive engines produced by Lycoming Engines. They are commonly used on light aircraft such as the Cessna 172 and Piper Cherokee. Different variants ...

engines, and seating five, first flew on 23 September 1957. It proved underpowered and was followed by a second prototype, powered by

Lycoming O-360 The Lycoming O-360 is a family of four-cylinder, direct-drive, horizontally opposed, air-cooled, piston aircraft engines. Engines in the O-360 series produce between 145 and 225 horsepower (109 to 168 kW), with the basic O-360 producing ...

engines, and accommodating six seats, which first flew on 15 November 1960. There was little interest in the IA 45 from Argentina's air taxi operators, who preferred imported American aircraft like the

Piper Apache The Piper PA-23, named Apache and later Aztec, is an American four- to six-seat twin-engined light aircraft aimed at the general-aviation market. The United States Navy and military forces in other countries also used it in small numbers. Origin ...

and the Aero Commander 500, and the programme was stopped in 1962, with no more production beyond the two prototypes. They continued to be flown by DIFNIA until 1966–1967, after which they were scrapped.

Variants

;IA 45 :Prototype powered by two

Avco Lycoming O-320 The Lycoming O-320 is a large family of naturally aspirated, air-cooled, four-cylinder, direct-drive engines produced by Lycoming Engines. They are commonly used on light aircraft such as the Cessna 172 and Piper Cherokee. Different variants ...

piston engines, one built, first flight 23 September 1957. ;IA 45B :Improved version with six seats and powered by two

piston engines, one built, first flight 15 November 1960.

Specifications (IA 45B)

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing * * {{FMA aircraft 1950s Argentine civil utility aircraft FMA aircraft Twin-engined pusher aircraft High-wing aircraft