# Zlín Z 43

The Zlín Z 43 is a Czech four-seat light aircraft. A development of the two-seat Zlín Z 42, it is a low-wing monoplane. A developed version, the Zlín Z 143 remains in production.

## Design and development

After successful production of the Z-26 aircraft family, the Czechoslovak aircraft manufacturer Moravan, began design of a new series of training aircraft, known as the Z-40 family. Unlike the previous tandem-seat aircraft, the Z-40 family featured a side-by-side cockpit. It was available in two basic variants, a two-seat trainer, the Zlín Z-42, and a four-seat aircraft, the Zlin Z-43 capable of being used both as a trainer and a tourer.
The resulting design is a single-engined low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction and a fixed nosewheel undercarriage. The Z 43 shares 80% of its structure with the Z 42, but is fitted with a revised fuselage accommodating a four-seater cabin and a more powerful engine. The Z-43's wings are of greater span and do not have the slight forward sweep of the Z- 42.
The Z-43 first flew on 10 December 1968, with production starting in 1972. It proved less popular than its two-seat contemporary, and production ended in 1977 after 80 aircraft were built.
The Z-143 is a version introduced in 1992, powered by a six-cylinder Lycoming O-540 engine, in parallel to the Z-42 being re-engined with a Lycoming to become the Z-242.

## Variants
### Zlín Z-43

    Base model

### Zlín Z-43L

    Experimental model with Lycoming AE10540 D4B5 engine. Has noticeable short engine cowling. Only one was built (C/N: 0084, reg: OK-LOW, later OM-LOW) in 1990. It was converted back to stock Z 43 after 307 flight hours in 1998.

### Zlín Z-43M

    Experimental model. Only one was built

### Zlín Z-143

    Improved model

### Aeronautical Manufacturing Enterprise Safir-43

    An Algerian licence-built copy of the Zlín Z-43

## Operational history
### Use by Tamil Tigers

Pictures released by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka indicate that they operated Czech-built Zlin Z-143 single-engine, four-seater light aircraft modified to carry four bombs mounted on the undercarriage.
The Air Tigers carried out a suicide air raid on Colombo on 20 February 2009 using two of these aircraft. Under heavy anti-aircraft fire, one of these aircraft crashed into the Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department building in Colombo. The other craft was shot down near Sri Lanka Air Force Base at Katunayake.

## Operators
### Civil operators
#### Hungary

* Hungarian Police - 1 was in service in 1976, but a few weeks after the introduction of the model it crashed into Lake Balaton.

### Military operators
#### Algeria

* Algerian Air Force (produced locally under Safir-43 name)

#### Cuba

* Cuban Air Force

#### East Germany

* East German Air Force

#### Hungary

* Hungarian Air Force

#### North Macedonia

* North Macedonia Air Brigade

#### Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

* Air Tigers

## Specifications (Z 43)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1976-77
General characteristics
* Crew: 1
* Capacity: 3 passengers
* Length: 7.75 m (25 ft 5 in)
* Wingspan: 9.76 m (32 ft 0 in)
* Height: 2.91 m (9 ft 7 in)
* Wing area: 14.50 m$^2$ (156.1 sq ft)
* Empty weight: 730 kg (1,609 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 1,350 kg (2,976 lb)
* Fuel capacity: 130 L (34 US gal; 29 imp gal) normal, provision for additional 110 L (29 US gal; 24 imp gal) tanks in wingtips
* Powerplant: 1 × Avia M 337 A inverted six-cylinder air-cooled inline engine, 160 kW (210 hp)
Performance
* Maximum speed: 235 km/h (146 mph, 127 kn) at sea level
* Cruise speed: 210 km/h (130 mph, 110 kn)
* Stall speed: 103 km/h (64 mph, 56 kn) (flaps down)
* Never exceed speed: 273 km/h (170 mph, 147 kn)
* Range: 610 km (380 mi, 330 nmi) (standard fuel), 1,150 km (710 mi; 620 nmi) (with wingtip tanks)
* Service ceiling: 3,800 m (12,500 ft)
* Rate of climb: 3.5 m/s (690 ft/min)
* Takeoff distance to 15 m (50 ft): 700 m (2,300 ft)
* Landing distance to 15 m (50 ft): 590 m (1,940 ft)