The Hongdu N-5, (N-5 - ''Nongye-Feiji-5'' - agricultural aircraft-5), originally known as the Nanchang N-5, is a

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

agricultural aircraft An agricultural aircraft is an aircraft that has been built or converted for agricultural use – usually aerial application of pesticides (crop dusting) or fertilizer (aerial topdressing); in these roles they are referred to as "crop duster ...

. First flown in 1989, and entering into production in 1992, the N-5 is a single-engined low-wing

monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...

, and is available in versions powered by a piston engine or a

turboprop A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. ...

Development and design

In November 1987, the Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company (which was renamed the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group in 1998Taylor 1999, p.12.) began design of a modern, purpose designed agricultural aircraft, with the intention of replacing some of the large numbers of license-built Antonov An-2s in use for that purpose in China. The resulting design, the N-5 first flew on 26 December 1989.Lambert 1993, p.53. It is a single-engined

of conventional layout for an agricultural aircraft with a low-wing situated ahead of the cockpit. It is of all-metal construction, except for a

glassfibre Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth ...

hopper for chemicals ahead of the cockpit, which is sealed and pressurised to protect the crew during spraying operations, and has an undercarriage. It is flown by a single pilot, with a tandem jump-seat provided to allow a mechanic to be carried. It is powered by a single Lycoming O-720 eight-cylinder piston engine, and was certified as airworthy in this form by the

Civil Aviation Administration of China The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC; ) is the Chinese civil aviation authority under the Ministry of Transport. It oversees civil aviation and investigates aviation accidents and incidents. As the aviation authority responsible f ...

on 12 August 1992.Taylor 1999, p.404. The N-5A was certified by the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...

for use in the United States on 26 February 2007.Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A48.CE
''Federal Aviation Administration''. 26 February 2007. In response to demands from Chinese operators for a more powerful aircraft, studies were made of versions powered both by more powerful piston and

engines,''Flight International'' 15–21 June 2004, p.29. before settling on a

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus' Places * Czech, ...

Walter M601 The Walter M601 is a turboprop aircraft engine produced by Walter Aircraft Engines of the Czech Republic. The company's first turboprop, the M601 is used in business, agricultural and military training aircraft. Development The turboprop wa ...

turboprop to produce the N-5B, this variant replacing the nosewheel undercarriage of the N-5A with a

tailwheel undercarriage Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Term ...

. The N-5B first flew on 28 December 2006.Products:The N5B New Type of Agriculture & Forest Aircraft
". ''Hongdu Aviation''. Retrieved 23 November 2009.

Variants

;N-5A :Main production version, with nosewheel undercarriage and 298 kW (400 hp) Lycoming IO-720 piston engine. ;N-5B :Version powered by 580 kW (777 hp) Walter M601F turboprop engine. Tailwheel undercarriage.

Specifications (N-5A)

Notes

References

* Lambert, Mark (ed.). ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94''. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Data Division, 1993. . * Sobie, Brendan.
Hongdu switches engines to uprate agricultural aircraft
. ''

Flight International ''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's old ...

'', 15–21 June 2004. p. 29. * Taylor, Michael J.H. (ed.). ''Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000''. London:Brassey's, 1999. . {{refend

External links

*https://web.archive.org/web/20081120201755/http://www.hongdu-aviation.com/english/html/product-3.htm *https://web.archive.org/web/20081120213533/http://www.hongdu-aviation.com/english/html/product-4.htm 1980s Chinese agricultural aircraft Hongdu aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1989