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The Aérospatiale N 262 is a French twin-turboprop high-wing
airliner An airliner is a type of airplane for transporting passengers and air cargo. Such aircraft are most often operated by airlines. The modern and most common variant of the airliner is a long, tube shaped, and jet powered aircraft. The largest ...
built first by
Nord Aviation Nord-Aviation () was a state-owned French aircraft manufacturer. The bulk of its facilities were based on the site of Bourges airport, in the département of Cher, in central France. On 1 October 1954, Nord Aviation was created as a result of ...
(merged into
Aérospatiale Aérospatiale () was a major French state-owned aerospace manufacturer, aerospace and arms industry, defence corporation. It was founded in 1970 as () through the merger of three established state-owned companies: Sud Aviation, Nord Aviation ...
in
1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 1970 Tonghai earthquake, Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli ...
). The aircraft was also known as the Nord 262.


Design and development

In 1957, the French aircraft manufacturer Max Holste began work on a twin-engined utility transport aircraft to replace the
Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper ...
/
C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for troo ...
. The prototype, the Max Holste MH.250 Super Broussard, was powered by two
Pratt & Whitney Wasp The Pratt & Whitney Wasp was the civilian name of a family of air-cooled, radial piston engines developed in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. The Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company (P&W) was founded in 1925 by Frederick B. Rentschler, who had previ ...
radial engine The radial engine is a reciprocating engine, reciprocating type internal combustion engine, internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinder (engine), cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. ...
s and first flew on 20 May 1959. A second prototype, the MH.260, powered by Turbomeca Bastan
turboprop A turboprop is a Gas turbine, gas turbine engine that drives an aircraft Propeller (aeronautics), propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction drive, reduction gearbox, gas compressor, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propellin ...
engines flew on 29 July 1960. In 1959, state-owned
Nord Aviation Nord-Aviation () was a state-owned French aircraft manufacturer. The bulk of its facilities were based on the site of Bourges airport, in the département of Cher, in central France. On 1 October 1954, Nord Aviation was created as a result of ...
(later merged with
Sud Aviation Sud Aviation (, 'Southern Aviation') was a French state-owned aircraft manufacturer, originating in the merger of Sud-Est ( SNCASE, or ''Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques du sud-est'') and Sud-Ouest ( SNCASO or ''Société nat ...
and renamed
Aérospatiale Aérospatiale () was a major French state-owned aerospace manufacturer, aerospace and arms industry, defence corporation. It was founded in 1970 as () through the merger of three established state-owned companies: Sud Aviation, Nord Aviation ...
) signed an agreement with Max Holste to market and help produce the MH.260. Financial problems at Max Holste, however, led to Nord taking on the whole programme, which included further development of the aircraft, while Max Holste concentrated on the production of light aircraft, and was renamed Reims Aviation. While nine MH.260s were built, the type found no commercial buyers, and Nord redesigned the aircraft to have a pressurized cabin and to meet US airworthiness requirements. The new airliner, the Nord 262, was like the MH.260, a high-winged
high-wing 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 wings. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing config ...
cantilever A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is unsupported at one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a cantilev ...
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 wings. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
of all-metal construction, powered by two Turbomeca Bastan, and fitted with a retractable
tricycle undercarriage Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', that is arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has one or more nose wheels in a single front undercarriage and two or more main wheels slightly aft of th ...
, with the main wheels retracting into fuselage-mounted fairings. Pressurization brought a new circular-section fuselage, which normally was fitted with seats for 26 passengers, with a maximum capacity of 29 passengers. The first prototype took to the skies for the first time on 24 December 1962 and the aircraft was exhibited at the June 1963
Paris Air Show The Paris Air Show (, ''Salon du Bourget'') is a trade fair and air show held in odd years at Paris–Le Bourget Airport in France. Organized by the French aerospace industry's primary representative body, the ''Groupement des industries frança ...
. The aircraft received its French
airworthiness certificate A standard certificate of airworthiness is a permit for commercial passenger or cargo operation, issued for an aircraft by the civil aviation authority in the state/nation in which the aircraft is registered. For other aircraft such as crop-spray ...
on 16 July 1964 and entered initial commercial service with Air Inter of France in September that year. Four of the first aircraft 262A, 262B, 262C, and 262D were built, the first two fitted with Bastan IVC engines, while the C and D models were fitted with the higher-powered Bastan VIIC. Of these four aircraft, the latter two saw their first air time in July
1968 Events January–February * January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously. * January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...
. Most sales of the initial aircraft were not in the passenger field, but rather the military field. The 262D was the most popular and marketed as ''Frégate''. As for the American designation, the "Mohawk 298" airplanes were modified Nord 262s and first flew on 7 January 1975, equipped with
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is a turboprop aircraft engine produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. Its design was started in 1958, it first ran in February 1960, first flew on 30 May 1961, entered service in 1964, and has been continuously upd ...
A-45 turboprops. Built in order to meet United States FAR 298 regulation, the modification of the aircraft was overseen by Mohawk Air Services and outsourced to Frakes Aviation. Allegheny Airlines was the initial operator of the aircraft. Joel Krane, the chairman of the FOEB (Flight Operations Evaluation Board) determined that a common type rating could be issued for the Nord 262 and Mohawk 298. Appropriate differences training would be required for transitioning pilots.


Variants

;Max Holste MH.250 Super Broussard :Prototype 17-seat transport first flown in 1959. ; Max Holste MH.260 Super Broussard :23 passenger production variant of the MH.250, ten ordered but not completed before development handed over to Nord Aviation. ;N 262 :Prototypes and initial production version ;N 262A :Early standard production version (preceded by N 262B). Powered by Turbomeca Bastan VIC engines. Certified 15 March 1965 with first delivery to Lake Central Airlines on 17 August 1965. ;N 262B :Initial production version for
Air Inter Air Inter () (legally ''Lignes Aériennes Intérieures'') was a semi-public French domestic airline in France that operated from 1954 until it merged with Air France in 1997. It was last headquartered in Paray-Vieille-Poste, Essonne.''World Ai ...
, powered by two Bastan VIC turboprops. Four built, with first example flown 8 June 1964, certification 16 July 1964 and delivery 24 July 1964. ;N 262C Frégate :Bastan VIIC engines and greater wingspan ;N 262D Frégate :French Air Force version of N-262C ;N 262E :A maritime patrol and training version used by the Aviation navale (French Navy). ;Mohawk 298 :Nine aircraft updated by Frakes Aviation for Allegheny Airlines between
1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
and
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
. Powered by
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is a turboprop aircraft engine produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. Its design was started in 1958, it first ran in February 1960, first flew on 30 May 1961, entered service in 1964, and has been continuously upd ...
A-45 engines driving five-bladed propellers."The Aerospatiale N-262 Fregate & Mohawk 298"
''Airliners.net''. Retrieved 6 August 2011.


Operators

As of July 2011, a total of three Nord 262 aircraft remain in
airline An airline is a company that provides civil aviation, air transport services for traveling passengers or freight (cargo). Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or Airline alliance, alliances with other airlines ...
service with the following airlines: * Equatorial International Airlines (1), * International Trans Air Business (1) * RACSA (1).


Former operators

* Aerovias * Air Ceylon * Air Florida Commuter (operated by National Commuter Airlines) *
Air Inter Air Inter () (legally ''Lignes Aériennes Intérieures'') was a semi-public French domestic airline in France that operated from 1954 until it merged with Air France in 1997. It was last headquartered in Paray-Vieille-Poste, Essonne.''World Ai ...
* Air Madagascar * Alisarda * Allegheny Airlines (Mohawk 298 conversion) * Altair Airlines * B.C. Air Lines (acquired by
Pacific Western Airlines Pacific Western Airlines (PWA) was an airline that operated scheduled flights throughout western Canada and charter services around the world from the 1950s through the 1980s. In 1987, PWA purchased Canadian Pacific Air Lines, and the merged a ...
) * Cimber Air * Crown Airways *
Dan-Air Dan-Air (legally ''Dan Air Services Limited'') was an airline based in the United Kingdom and a wholly owned subsidiary of London-based shipbroker, shipbroking firm Davies and Newman. It was started in 1953 with a single aircraft. Initially, i ...
* Delta Air Transport * Filipinas Orient Airways * Golden Gate Airlines (former Swift Aire aircraft) * IFG Interregional Fluggesellschaft * Indonesia Airlines * Japan Domestic Airlines * Lake Central Airlines *
Linjeflyg Linjeflyg was a Swedish domestic airline, formed in 1957 as a domestic subsidiary by Scandinavian Airlines System and Airtaco as well as by newspaper publishers Dagens Nyheter AB and Stockholms-Tidningen AB. History Airtaco (founded in August ...
* Malu Aviation * Mohawk Air Service * National Commuter Airlines (NATCOM) (operated both Nord 262 and Mohawk 298 aircraft in Air Florida Commuter feeder service) *
Pacific Western Airlines Pacific Western Airlines (PWA) was an airline that operated scheduled flights throughout western Canada and charter services around the world from the 1950s through the 1980s. In 1987, PWA purchased Canadian Pacific Air Lines, and the merged a ...
(former B.C. Air Lines aircraft) * Pocono Airlines * Queensland Pacific Airlines * Ransome Airlines * Rhein Air (Switzerland) * * Scheduled Skyways (commuter air carrier based in Fayetteville, AR, USA) * Swift Aire Lines (commuter air carrier based in San Luis Obispo, CA, USA) * Tempelhof Airways * TAT - Touraine Air Transport * Trans Service Airlift"World Airliner Census 2009"
(pdf). ''
Flight International ''Flight International'', formerly ''Flight'', 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", i ...
'', 18–24 August 2009, p. 37.
* Tunis Air * Wideroe


Military operators

; * National Air Force of Angola ; ; * Congolese Air Force ; *
French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (, , ) is the air force, air and space force of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909 as the ("Aeronautical Service"), a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the Fr ...
*
French Navy The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...
;


Specifications (Nord 262A)


See also


References


Notes


Bibliography

* * * * *


External links


Photo of Nord 262


{{DEFAULTSORT:Aerospatiale N 262 N262 1960s French airliners 262 Aircraft first flown in 1962 High-wing aircraft Twin-turboprop tractor aircraft Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear