Short SC.7 Skyvan. The Short SC.7 Skyvan (nicknamed the "Flying Shoebox") is a British 19-seat twin-turboprop aircraft first flown in 1963, that was manufactured by Short Brothers of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Featuring a basic rugged design and STOL capabilities, it was used in small numbers by airlines, and also by some smaller air forces. In more recent years the remaining examples were mostly used for short-haul freight and skydiving.

The Short 330 and Short 360 are regional airliners developed from the original SC.7.

Design and development
In 1958, Short was approached by F.G. Miles Ltd (successor company to Miles Aircraft) which was seeking backing to produce a development of the Hurel-Dubois Miles HDM.106 Caravan design with a high aspect ratio wing similar to that of the Hurel-Dubois HD.31.  Short acquired the design and data gathered from trials of the Miles Aerovan based HDM.105 prototype.  After evaluating the Miles proposal, Short rejected the Caravan. They developed their own design for a utility all-metal aircraft which was called the Short SC.7 Skyvan. The Skyvan is a twin-engined all-metal, high-wing monoplane, with a braced, high aspect ratio wing, and an unpressurised, square-section fuselage with twin fins and rudders.  It was popular with freight operators compared to other small aircraft because of its large rear door for loading and unloading freight. Its fuselage resembles the shape of a railroad boxcar for simplicity and efficiency.

Construction started at Sydenham Airport in 1960, and the first prototype first flew on 17 January 1963, powered by two Continental piston engines.  Later in 1963, the prototype was re-engined with the intended Turbomeca Astazou II turboprop engines of ;  the second prototype (the first Series 2 Skyvan) was initially fitted with Turbomeca Astazou X turboprop engines of  but subsequently the initial production version was powered by Turbomeca Astazou XII turboprop engines of . In 1967, it was found that the Astazou XII was temperature limited at high altitudes. Consequently, in 1968, production switched to the Skyvan Series 3 aircraft, which replaced the Astazou engines with Garrett AiResearch TPE331 turboprops of .  A total of 149 Skyvans (including the two prototypes) were produced before production ended in 1986.

Operational history

Skyvans served widely in both military and civilian operations, and the type remained in service in 2009 with a number of civilian operators, and in military service in Guyana and Oman.  

Skyvans continue to be used in limited numbers for air-to-air photography and for skydiving operations. In 1970, Questor Surveys of Toronto Canada converted the first of two Skyvan 3s for aerial geological survey work. The Collier Mosquito Control District uses Skyvans for aerial spraying.

Skyvan G-BEOL starred in the film Kingsman Secret Service as the aircraft trainee kingsmen skydived from.

Variants

Skyvan 1 prototype, one built. 2 × Continental GTSIO-520 engines.
Skyvan 1A re-engined 1st prototype.  2 × 388 kW (520 hp) Turbomeca Astazou II engines.
Skyvan 2 Turbomeca Astazou powered production.  8 Series 2 produced (including the second prototype).
 Garrett TPE331 powered production. 140 produced (of all Series 3 versions) plus 2 Series 2 were converted. 
Skyvan 3A higher gross weight version (MTOW 6,214 kg, 13,700 lb).
Skyvan 3M-100, -200, -400 military transport versions with higher gross weights; 3M-200 (MTOW 6,804 kg, 15,000 lb); 3M-400 as per Skyvan 3A. Used for supply dropping, assault transport, dropping paratroops, troop transport, cargo transport, casualty evacuation, plus search and rescue missions.
Skyliner 3A-100 deluxe all-passenger version, large cargo door removed, cabin accessed through standard size side door.
Seavan Maritime patrol version, single example (serial '915', SH.1942) used by the Sultan of Oman's Air Force / Royal Air Force of Oman (SOAF / RAFO) (conversion from basic 3M-400)

Operators

Civilian operators

Former (airline) operators
 BEA / British Airways (Scottish Division) - operated three 1971-74
 Busy Bee / Air Executive Norway A/S - operated three 1974-84
 Gulf Aviation / Gulf Air - operated a total of six 1971-1983
 Loganair - operated one 1969-74
 Olympic Airways - operated two 1970-93
 Papuan Airlines (PNG) - operated two 1968-73
 Wien Consolidated (Alaska) - operated four 1967-74

Current operators

Skyvans still active in 2022–2024 include
Perris Skydive: (CA) SH.1859, 1885, 1907, 1911, Pink Aviation (Austria) SH.1881, 1932, 1964, Skydive Deland (FL) SH.1842
Skyforce (Poland) SP-HOP (SH.1906), (sister ship SP-HIP SH.1962 written off 3 Sept 2022), Ayit Aviation (Israel) 4X-AGP / SH.1893,
Win Aviation (USA): Up to nine Skyvans

Military operators
 
 Guyana Defence Force - Five acquired 1979-81, believed non-operational (2019). Two additional second-hand examples acquired in June, 2019.
 
 Royal Air Force of Oman: Oman continues to operate five of its original 16 Skyvans as of December 2013.

Former military operators

Argentine Coast Guard: Bought five in 1971; two written off during Falklands War, remaining three sold in 1995 following replacement by five CASA C-212 Aviocars. In 2023 one of these Skyvans returned to Argentina and is on display at ESMA, Buenos Aires as a memorial to those killed in the notorious Death Flights.

Austrian Air Force 5S-TA & 5S-TB. 'TA now preserved at Militärluftfahrtmuseum, Zeltweg AB

Botswana Defence Force Air Wing

Ciskei Defence Force

Ecuadorian Army 

Military of Gambia

Ghana Air Force

Indonesian Air Force

Japan Coast Guard

Lesotho Defence Force – Air Squadron

Malawi Police Force Air Wing 

Mauritania Islamic Air Force: bought two Skyvan 3Ms in 1975

Mexican Air Force

Nepalese Army
Nepalese Army Air Service

Panamanian Public Forces 

Republic of Singapore Air Force
121 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force operated the Skyvan 3M for Utility transport and Search-and-locate duties from 1973 to 1993.

Royal Thai Police
Thai Border Patrol Police

United Arab Emirates Air Force
Sharjah Amiri Guard

The  Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) Air Force operated two Skyvans as of 1984. These aircraft were  subsequently absorbed into the Yemen Air Force in 1990 as a result of Yemeni unification.

Specification (Skyvan 3)

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

External links 
 

1960s British cargo aircraft
1960s British airliners
Aircraft first flown in 1963
High-wing aircraft
Short Brothers aircraft
Twin-turboprop tractor aircraft
Twin-tail aircraft
Aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear