Bellanca Aircruiser

The Bellanca Aircruiser (originally the Airbus)  was a high-wing, single engine aircraft built by Bellanca Aircraft Corporation of New Castle, Delaware. The aircraft was built as a "workhorse" intended for use as a passenger or cargo aircraft. It was available as land, sea or ski plane. The aircraft was powered by either a Wright Cyclone or Pratt and Whitney Hornet engine. The Aircruiser served as both a commercial and military transport.

Design and development

The first Bellanca Aircruiser was built in 1930. It was originally called the Airbus and designated the P-100. An efficient design, it was capable of carrying 12 to 14 passengers depending on the cabin interior configuration, with later versions carrying up to 15. In 1931, test pilot George Haldeman flew the P-100 a distance of 4,400 miles in a time aloft of 35 hours. Although efficient, with a cost per mile figure of 0.08 cent per mile calculated for that flight, the first Airbus didn't sell due to its water-cooled engine.

In service

The next model, the P-200 Airbus, was powered by a larger, more reliable air-cooled engine. One version (P-200-A) came with floats and operated as a ferry service in New York City, flying between Wall Street and the East River. Other versions included a P-200 Deluxe model, with custom interiors and seating for nine. The P-300 was designed to carry 15 passengers. The final model, the "Aircruiser," was the most efficient aircraft of its day, and would rank high amongst all aircraft designs. With a Wright Cyclone air-cooled supercharged radial engine rated at 715 hp, the Aircruiser could carry a useful load greater than its empty weight. In the mid-1930s, the Aircruiser could carry 4,000 lb payloads at a speed of between 145-155 mph, a performance that multi-engine Fokkers and Ford Trimotors could not come close to matching.

In 1934, US federal regulations outlawed single engine transports on US airlines, virtually eliminating future markets for the Aircruiser. Where the workhorse capabilities of the Aircruiser stood out was in Canada. Several of the "The Flying W", as it was commonly dubbed in Canada, were used in northern mining operations, ferrying ore, supplies and the occasional passenger into the 1970s.

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Capacity: 16 passengers
• Length: 43 ft 4 in (13.21 m)
• Wingspan: 65 ft 0 in (19.82 m)
• Height: 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
• Wing area: 520 ft² (48.3 m²)
• Empty weight: 6,072 lb (2,754 kg)
• Loaded weight: 10,000 lb (4,536 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 9-cylinder supercharged air-cooled radial engine, 710 hp (530 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 144 knots (165 mph, 266 km/h)
• Range: 608 nm (700 miles, 1,130 km)
• Service ceiling 22,000 ft (6,700 m)