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HAL Basant

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
HA-31 Basant
Role Agricultural/utility aircraft
Manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics
First flight 1972 (Mark II)
Produced 1972-1980
Number built 39

The Hindustan Aeronautics HA-31 Basant (en: "Spring") is a 1970s Indian agricultural monoplane built by Hindustan Aeronautics.

Hindustan Aeronautics started to design an agricultural aircraft in 1968 designated the HAL-31 Mk 1 with a cockpit directly over the wing leading edge. It was re-designed as the HA-31 Mk II Basant and first flew on the 30 March 1972. The Basant is a conventional braced low-wing monoplane with a fixed tailwheel landing gear and powered by a 400 hp (298 kW) Avco Lycoming IO-720 piston engine. It had a raised cockpit to give the pilot a good all-round view during spraying operations. Production ended in 1980 after 39 aircraft had been built.

Specifications (Mk II)

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Data from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2160

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Length: 29 ft 6.25 in (9.0 m)
  • Wingspan: 39 ft 4.5 in (12 m)
  • Height: 8 ft 4.5 in (2.55 m)
  • Wing area: 251.23 sq ft (23.34 m2)
  • Empty weight: 2,645 lb (1,200 kg)
  • Gross weight: 5,000 lb (2,270 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Avco Lycoming IO-720-C1B flat-eight piston engine , 400 hp (298 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 140 mph (225 km/h, 120 kn) [1]
  • Cruise speed: 115 mph (185 km/h, 100 kn)
  • Range: 400 mi (645 km, 350 nmi) [1]
  • Service ceiling: 12,500 ft (3,800 m) [1]
  • Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (3.8 m/s) [1]

See also

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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Taylor 1981, pp. 90–91

Bibliography

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  • Taylor, J. W. R. (ed.). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1980–81. London: Jane's, 1981. ISBN 0-531-03953-6.
  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2160
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