# Pilatus P-3

The Pilatus P-3 was a military training aircraft built by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland.

## Design and development

The Pilatus P-3 was designed for primary and advanced training (including night flying, aerobatics and instrument flying). The military versions were designated P-3-03 to P-3-05. It was of all-metal construction with a retractable tricycle undercarriage and tandem seating. There was provision for underwing racks for light practice bombs or rockets and a machine gun in a pod below the port wing. Although such kits were purchased, they were never used.

## Operational history

The first prototype P-3.01 was built in 1953 and flew on 3 September the same year with a two-blade propeller. The power of the engine of the aircraft proved to be insufficient. A second prototype to become the military prototype flew in August, 1954, now equipped with a different engine and a three blade propeller. During the evaluation of the military prototype, now designated P-3.02 (HB-HOO, becoming A-801 in January 1956), the aircraft had to perform against a T-34 Mentor that had been brought to Switzerland. The test pilot at the demonstration flight went to the limits and flew a standing "8", knowing, the Mentor would not be able to fly this manoeuvre. After the acceptance by the Swiss Air Force, the service received a pre-series of 12 aircraft type P-3.03 (A-802-A-813). Six additional examples were built and flew with civilian markings, those P-3.04 were later acquired by the Brazilian Navy. The Swiss Air Force then purchased 60 airframes of the type P-3.05 (A-814-A-873) and used their P-3s as a training aircraft until 1983, although it continued to be used as a liaison aircraft for another decade. In 1993–1995, 65 ex-Swiss Air Force aircraft were sold on the private market.
After two crashes resulting from an aircraft going into a flat spin, the aircraft A-858 received a ventral fin. After successful testing, all swiss P-3 received the fin.
The prototype P-3.01 HB-HON was used by Pilatus' sister company Contraves as a target tug before returning to Pilatus to become the prototype of the PC-7 in 1966.

## Variants
### P-3-01

    Prototype

### P-3-02

    Military prototype

### P-3-03

    Pre-production aircraft for the Swiss Air Force. 12 built.

### P-3-04

    Six built with and flown in civilian markings. Later acquired by the Brazilian Navy and designated L-3, O-3, and later U-3.

### P-3-05

    Production variant for the Swiss Air Force. 60 built.

## Operators
### Brazil

* Brazilian Navy

### Switzerland

* Swiss Air Force
* P3 Flyers
The P-3 Flyers is an independent air display team based in Switzerland. Formed in 1996. it currently operates five ex-Swiss Air Force P3 aircraft.

## Specifications (Pilatus P-3-03)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1958–59
General characteristics
* Crew: one
* Capacity: one passenger
* Length: 8.75 m (28 ft 8 in)
* Wingspan: 10.40 m (34 ft 1 in)
* Height: 3.05 m (10 ft 0 in)
* Wing area: 16.55 m$^2$ (178.1 sq ft)
* Aspect ratio: 6.55:1
* Airfoil: NACA 64A series
* Empty weight: 1,090 kg (2,403 lb)
* Gross weight: 1,415 kg (3,120 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 1,500 kg (3,307 lb)
* Fuel capacity: 160 L (42 US gal; 35 imp gal)
* Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming GO-435-C2-A2 6-cylinder air-cooled four stroke horizontally opposed piston engine, 190 kW (260 hp)
* Propellers: 3-bladed Hartzell constant-speed propeller
Performance
* Maximum speed: 310 km/h (190 mph, 170 kn) sea level to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) at 1,500 kg (3,307 lb) AUW
* Cruise speed: 252 km/h (157 mph, 136 kn) economical cruise
             275 km/h (171 mph; 148 kn) maximum cruise
* Stall speed: 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn)
* Never exceed speed: 500 km/h (310 mph, 270 kn)
* Range: 750 km (470 mi, 400 nmi) maximum in still air
* Service ceiling: 5,500 m (18,000 ft)
* Absolute ceiling: 5,100 m (16,700 ft)
* Rate of climb: 7 m/s (1,400 ft/min)
* Wing loading: 90.63 kg/m$^2$ (18.56 lb/sq ft)
* Power/mass: 0.12 kW/kg (0.073 hp/lb)
* Take-off distance to 15 m (49 ft): 342 m (1,120 ft) on hard runway at sea level
* Landing distance from 15 m (49 ft): 390 m (1,280 ft) on hard runway at sea level