The Aviat Husky is a tandem two-seat, high-wing, utility

light aircraft A light aircraft is an aircraft that has a maximum gross takeoff weight of or less.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 308. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. Light aircraft are used as utility aircraft co ...

built by

Aviat Aircraft Aviat Aircraft Inc. is an American manufacturer of sport and utility aircraft based in Afton, Wyoming.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 94. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X ...

Afton, Wyoming Afton is a town in Lincoln County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 1,911 at the 2010 census. Afton is home to the world's largest arch made of elk antlers. Spanning across the four lanes of U.S. Highway 89, the arch consists of 3,011 ...

."The Aviat A-1 Husky."
''Demand Media,'' 2008. Retrieved: May 4, 2012. It is the only all-new light aircraft that was designed and entered series production in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

in the mid-to-late 1980s.

Development

Design work by Christen Industries began in 1985. The aircraft is one of the few in its class designed with the benefit of CAD software. The prototype first flew in 1986, and certification was awarded the following year. With more than 650 aircraft sold between its introduction and 2008, the Husky was one of the best-selling light aircraft designs of the period.

Design

The Husky features a braced high wing, tandem seating and dual controls. The structure is steel tube frames and

Dacron Polyethylene terephthalate (or poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P), is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in fibres for clothing, containers for liquids and foo ...

covering over all but the rear of the

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraf ...

, plus metal leading edges on the wings. The high wing was selected for good all-around visibility, making the Husky ideal for observation and patrol roles. Power is supplied by a relatively powerful (for the Husky's weight) Textron Lycoming O-360 flat-four piston engine turning a

constant speed propeller In aeronautics, a variable-pitch propeller is a type of propeller (airscrew) with blades that can be rotated around their long axis to change the blade pitch. A controllable-pitch propeller is one where the pitch is controlled manually by the p ...

. In 2015 a reversible MT Propeller was approved under a Supplemental type certificate for better control during floatplane water operations. The Husky's high power-to-weight ratio and low

wing loading In aerodynamics, wing loading is the total mass of an aircraft or flying animal divided by the area of its wing. The stalling speed of an aircraft in straight, level flight is partly determined by its wing loading. An aircraft or animal with a ...

result in good short-field performance. Options include floats, skis and banner and glider tow hooks.

Operational history

The Husky has been used for observation duties, fisheries patrol, pipeline inspection, glider towing, border patrol and other utility missions. Notable users include the US Department of the Interior and

Agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people t ...

and the

Kenya Wildlife Service Kenya Wildlife Service is a state corporation under the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife established by an act of Parliament; Wildlife Conservation and Management Act CAP 376, of 1989, now repealed and replaced by the Wildlife Conservation and Ma ...

, which flies seven on aerial patrols of

elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae ...

herds as part of the fight against illegal ivory

poaching Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...

Variants

Aviat A-1C-180 Husky (N87HU) (36015748262)

The Husky comes in six versions:"Aviat Husky Specs."
''Aviat Aircraft,'' 2009. Retrieved: May 4, 2012. ;Husky A-1 :Certified on 1 May 1987. Maximum gross weight is . Powered by a Lycoming 0-360-A1P or a Lycoming O-360-C1G of "Type certificate Data Sheet No. A22NM."
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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 ...

,'' February 2009. Retrieved: December 18, 2009. ;Husky A-1A :Certified on 28 January 1998. Maximum gross weight is . Powered by a Lycoming 0-360-A1P of ; :Certified on 28 January 1998. Powered by a Lycoming 0-360-A1P of The A-1B can be modified to accept a Lycoming IO-360-A1D6 engine of and an MT MTV-15-B/205-58 propeller under an STC."Supplemental type certificate SA10463SC."
''

,'' December 2005. Retrieved: December 18, 2009. ;Husky A-1B-160 Pup :Certified on 18 August 2003 without flaps and 21 October 2005 with flaps. Powered by a Lycoming 0-320-D2A, . The Pup has a smaller engine, a gross weight of and a useful load of ;Husky A-1C-180 Aviat Husky A1C Cockpit

:Certified on 24 September 2007. Powered by a Lycoming 0-360-A1P of . The 180 has a gross weight of and a useful load of ;Husky A-1C-200 :Certified on 24 September 2007. Powered by a Lycoming IO-360-A1D6 of . The 200 has a gross weight of and a useful load of

Specifications (A-1C Husky)

References

;Notes

External links

* {{Aviat aircraft

Husky Husky is a general term for a dog used in the polar regions, primarily and specifically for work as sled dogs. It refers to a traditional northern type, notable for its cold-weather tolerance and overall hardiness. Modern racing huskies that mai ...

High-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft 1980s United States civil utility aircraft Glider tugs Aircraft first flown in 1986