Northwest Ranger
The Northwest Ranger was a Canadian bush aircraft that was under development by Northwest Industries (NWI) of Edmonton, Alberta between 1968-1972. The aircraft was a type certified design, and intended to be supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft. Design and development. The Ranger was a development of the Aermacchi AL-60, which itself was based upon the Lockheed Model 60. NWI established its reputation as an aircraft overhauler and maintenance facility, but decided to enter the aircraft manufacturing business by buying the rights to the AL-60 in 1968. The aircraft featured a strut-braced high-wing , a six to eight seat enclosed cabin and optional fixed tricycle landing gear, conventional landing gear, floats or skis and a single engine in tractor configuration. The Ranger differed from the AL-60 in having main landing gear leg fairings and Hoerner wing tips. The Ranger's wing employed large flaps. Approved floats were Edo Aircraft Corporation models and both straight skis and Genaire Limited Canada Fluidyne Engineering wheel skis could also be fitted. Cabin access was through the small left front pilot door or a large cabin passenger and freight door. The initial version proposed used the Lycoming IO-720 A1A  engine, but this did not provide adequate float performance and in 1970 was replaced by a Lycoming IO-720 B1A powerplant and the version termed the "Ranger C-6" to distinguish it from the last production Aermacchi AL-60C-5 model. The increased power gave a take-off distance to of and a landing distance from of . With the engine the aircraft had an empty weight of and a gross weight of , giving a useful load of . With full fuel of the payload was . The initial version was prototyped in 1968 but a long period of performance and user trials followed which resulted in  design changes and the improved C-6 model, prior to production commencing. Development had ended by 1972, but it is not clear how many were completed, although at least four bore Canadian registration at one time. The fate of the NWI prototype "CF-XED" is not known and it is likely that no Rangers exist today. As of September 2013 none remain registered with Transport Canada or with the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States.