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weight and performance calculations for the Airspeed A.S.5A Courier
G-ACLF of R.K.Dundas Ltd.
Airspeed A.S.5A Courier
role : light passenger aircraft
importance : **
first flight : 10 April 1933 G-ABXN flown by George H. Stainforth
operational : September 1934
country : United-Kingdom
design : Alfred Hessell Tiltman
production : 16 aircraft at Portsmouth
general information :
First British aircraft with retractable landing gear to go into production. It was used by civilian customers and small airlines. The wheel retraction gear gave a weight penalty of 15kg but an increase of cruise speed of 30 km/hr. The wheels were retracted by the pilot through a hand-driven hydraulic pump.
Sir Alan Cobham used a Courier for experiments with in-air refuelling technics. His Courier, the prototype could take 275 imp. Gallon (1250 litres). With this weight of fuel the Courier could not take-off from the ground, it could only be used in mid-air with aerial refuelling. Normal Couriers had a 66 imp. gallon tanks (300 litres).
Only one Courier survived WWII, it was broken down in 1949.
primary users : London, Scottish and Provincial Airways, North Eastern Airways,
P.S. and I.O.W. Aviation . Used by the RAF in WWII.
Registrations : G-ABXN, G-ACLF, G-ACLR, G-ACLT, G-ACNZ, G-ACJL, G-ACVF,
G-ADAX, G-ADAY, G-ACLR, K4047, VH-UUF
flight crew : 1 cabin crew : 0 passengers : 5
powerplant : 1 Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IVC air-cooled 7 -cylinder radial engine
240 [hp] (179.0 KW) normal rating without supercharger
dimensions :
wingspan : 14.33 [m], length : 8.69 [m], height : 2.67 [m]
wing area : 23.23 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 1769 [kg]
empty weight operational : 1063 [kg] useful load : 450 [kg]
performance :
maximum continuous speed : 246 [km/u] at sea-level
normal cruise speed : 212 [km/u] op 100 [m] (74 [%] power)
service ceiling : 4100 [m]
range with max fuel : 1022 [km] and allowance for 32.0 [km] diversion and 30 [min]
hold
Length : 28 ft 6 in. = 8.68m span : 47 ft = 14.33m Wing area : 250 sq.ft. = 23.23m
description :
low-winged monoplane with retractable landing gear with tail wheel
tapered wing with no flaps airfoil : RAF
engine in the nose, fuel tanks in the wing, landing gear attached to the wing
construction : fuselage welded tubes covered with plywood, wooden wing covered with
fabric
airscrew :
fixed pitch 2 -bladed tractor airscrew with max. efficiency :0.69 [ ]
estimated diameter airscrew 2.33 [m]
relative pitch (J) : 0.90 [ ]
power loading prop : 76.81 [KW/m]
theoretical pitch without slip : 2.44 [m]
blade angle prop (fixed) : 23.96 [ ]
reduction : 1.00 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1950 [r.p.m.]
aerodynamic pitch at max. continuous speed 2.10 [m]
blade-tip speed at max.continuous speed : 248 [m/s]
propellor noise in flight : 86 [Db]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
measured wing chord : 1.76 [m] at 50% wingspan
mean wing chord : 1.62 [m]
Airspeed was founded by Neville Shute Norway and Alfred Hessell Tiltman
calculated average wing chord tapered wing with rounded tips: 1.57 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 8.8 []
seize (span*length*height) : 332 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 2.7 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption (econ. cruise speed) : 43.2 [kg/hr] (58.9 [litre/hr]) at 74 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 4.91 [km/kg] at 100 [m] height, sfc : 325.0 [kg/kwh]
estimated total fuel capacity : 316 [litre] (236 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 238.0 [kg] = 1.33 [kg/KW]
weight 21.8 litre oil tank : 1.85 [kg]
oil tank filled with 1.3 litre oil : 1.2 [kg]
oil in engine 1.0 litre oil : 0.9 [kg]
fuel in engine 1.2 litre fuel : 0.89 [kg]
weight 25.1 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 3.8 [kg]
weight Burgess type silencers : 3.6 [kg]
weight Rotax starter : 4.4 [kg]
weight NACA cowling 8.0 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) incl. boss & bolts : 12.6 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 275 [kg](15.6 [%])
***************************************************************
fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 6.49 [cm]): 125 [kg]
cabin layout : pitch : 87 [cm] (1+1) seating in 2 rows
pathway is very narrow > check !
pax density (normal seating) : 1.09 [m2/pax]
high density seating passengers : 5 at 1 -abreast seating in 5.1 rows
weight 1 hand fire extinguisher : 3 [kg]
weight 7 windows : 6.3 [kg]
weight 1 entrance/exit doors : 5.0 [kg]
extra main deck space for freight/mail/luggage etc. : 1.04 [m3]
cabin volume (usable), excluding flight deck : 4.15 [m3]
passenger cabin max.width : 1.08 [m] cabin length : 5.06 [m] cabin height : 1.70 [m]
bracing : 11.0 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 14.3 [m2] plywood 4.2 [mm]) : 35.5 [kg]
weight floor beams : 0.0 [kg]
weight cabin furbishing : 8.7 [kg]
weight cabin floor : 15.0 [kg]
fuselage (sound proof) isolation : 2.9 [kg]
weight radio navigation equipment : 6.0 [kg]
weight instruments. : 5.0 [kg]
weight lighting : 1.1 [kg]
weight electricity generator : 2.1 [kg]
weight controls : 5.2 [kg]
weight seats : 30.0 [kg]
no cabin heating, only fresh air ventilation
weight air conditioning : 1 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 9 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 267 [kg](15.1 [%])
***************************************************************
weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 29 [kg]
total weight wooden ribs (89 ribs) : 105 [kg]
weight fuel tanks empty for total 297 [litre] fuel : 24 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 1129.6 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 361.9 [N]
total weight 4 wooden spars : 137 [kg]
weight wings : 271 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 11.67 [kg]
weight cables (57 [m]) : 52.3 [kg] (= 913 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 12.2 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (2.4 [m2]) : 28.2 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (2.6 [m2]): 30.7 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 406 [kg] (22.9 [%])
*******************************************************************
Can only operate from paved runways
wheel pressure : 884.5 [kg]
weight 2 Dunlop main wheels (600 [mm] by 100 [mm]) : 23.9 [kg]
weight tailwheel(s) : 5.9 [kg]
weight Dowty shock absorbers : 2.0 [kg]
weight wheel hydraulic operated retraction system : 13.1 [kg]
weight undercarriage struts with axle 72.7 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 117.5 [kg] (6.6 [%] *******************************************************************
********************************************************************
calculated empty weight : 1059 [kg](59.9 [%])
weight oil for 5.8 hours flying : 15.5 [kg]
calculated operational weight empty : 1075 [kg] (60.8 [%])
published operational weight empty : 1063 [kg] (60.1 [%])
weight crew : 81 [kg]
weight fuel for 2.0 hours flying : 86 [kg]
********************************************************************
operational weight empty: 1240[kg](70.6 [%])
weight 5 passengers : 385 [kg]
weight luggage : 61 [kg]
weight cargo : 10 [kg]
operational weight loaded: 1698 [kg](96.0 [%])
fuel reserve : 70.6 [kg] enough for 1.63 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 1769 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 67 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 1769 [kg] (100.0 [%])
calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (Take-off) : 9.88 [kg/kW]
power loading (operational without useful load) : 6.98 [kg/kW]
max.total take-off power : 179.0 [kW]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 2.6 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 3.0 [g] ultimate load : 4.5 [g] load factor : 2.3 [g]
design flight time : 3.37 [hours]
design cycles : 7579 sorties, design hours : 25576 [hours]
operational wing loading : 723 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 186 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
G-ACNZ The Rapier “Courier” : Air Vice-Marshal A.E.Borton , Director of D.Napier & Son Ltd has had one of his company’s 325 hp “Rapier IV” engines fitted to this Airspeed Courier and has entered the combination in the King’s Cup race . A High performance is expected (Flight Photo)
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.36 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle, clean) : 11.54 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 0.73 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° : 0.12 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.18 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.14 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0016 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0259 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0243 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW loaded : 1726 [kg]): 116 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (normal landing weight : 1655 [kg]): 131 [km/hr]
max. rate of climb speed : 151 [km/hr] at sea-level
max. endurance speed : 133 [km/u] min.fuel/hr : 23 [kg/hr] at height : 610 [m]
max. range speed : 188 [km/u] min. fuel consumption : 0.148 [kg/km] at cruise height :
3962 [m]
cruising speed : 212 [km/hr] at 100 [m] (power:69 [%])
max. continuous speed* : 246.00 [km/hr] at 0 [m] (power:100 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (loaded) : 226 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off speed : 141.4 [km/u]
emergency/TO power : 240 [hp] at 1950 [rpm]
static prop wash : 117 [km/u]
high wheel pressure, can only take off from paved runways
take-off distance at sea-level concrete runway : 377 [m]
take-off distance at sea-level over 15 [m] height : 545 [m]
landing run : 344 [m]
landing run from 15 [m] : 806 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 14.87 [ ]
climb to 1000m with max payload : 6.25 [min]
climb to 2000m with max payload : 15.13 [min]
climb to 3000m with max payload : 30.01 [min]
practical ceiling (operational weight empty 1248 [kg] ) : 5600 [m]
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 30 min.fuel:1747 [kg] ) : 3900 [m]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
published range : 1022 [km] with 1 crew and 398.7 [kg] useful load and 88.2 [%] fuel
(no reserves)
range : 770 [km] with 1 crew and 450.0 [kg] useful load and 66.5 [%] fuel
range : 790 [km] with 5.0 passengers with each 12.2 [kg] luggage and 68.2 [%] fuel
Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) : 3950 [paskm]
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks total 828.0 [litre] fuel : 4100 [km]
G-ACJL c/n 10 took part in the October 1934, MacRobertson “Melbourne” race.
Coming fourth in the handicap section in a time of 100 hrs 24 mins at an average speed of 180 km/hr. It was flown by Sqdn Ldr D.E. Stoddart and K.G. Stoddart.
It remained in Australia and flew there under registration VH-UUF. During 1936 it was shipped back to the UK.
useful load with range 500km : 505 [kg]
useful load with range 500km : 5 passengers
production (theor.max load): 107 [tonkm/hour]
production (useful load): 95 [tonkm/hour]
production (passengers): 1060 [paskm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.428 [kg]
fuel cost per paskm : 0.043 [eur]
crew cost per paskm : 0.142 [eur]
economic hours : 12775 [hours] is less then design hours
time between engine failure : 4965 [hr]
in case of engine failure only option is emergency landing
writing off per paskm : 0.058 [eur]
insurance per paskm : 0.0019 [eur]
rigging cost per paskm : 0.048 [eur]
maintenance cost per paskm : 0.250 [eur]
direct operating cost per paskm : 0.495 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm (max. load): 4.896 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm (normal useful load): 5.496 [eur]
Literature :
praktisch handboek vliegtuigen deel 5 page 79
piston-engined airliners page 61
Airspeed Courier · Aeropedia The Encyclopedia of Aircraft David C. Eyre
* max. continuous speed : max. level speed maintainable for minimal 30 min.
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
content please mail to below mail address
G-ACJL flown by Capt.Stoddart made an emergency landing at Culcairn on 16 April 1935. The village used the town lights to signal CULCAIRN to the lost plane flying overhead, in a similar way as was done in Albury for the DC-2 “Uiver’ during the Melbourne race the previous year. In above picture the aircraft is loaded on a truck to have it moved back to Culcairn and then loaded on a bigger truck to transport it to Sydney. It still had the British registration, VH-UUF must be later given.
K4047 in use by the RAF for communications/liaison
(c) B van der Zalm 03 April 2022 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4