Specs Utilize Commonalities Of -300ER and -200 Aircraft

Utilicraft Aerospace Industries, Inc. officials announced in May it was working on a strategy that could bring the best of both its -300ER and the smaller -200 aircraft together during the development of a new air freight feeder aircraft, the FF-1080-300.

Earlier this month, the company announced it had decided to go forward with the construction of the -200 version of the prototype (shown above) which will also serve as a 77-percent scale version of the -300.

The company's chief design engineers announced Monday it had finalized the general specifications on the FF-1080-200 next-generation freight feeder aircraft which will also serve as a 77 percent scale prototype for the larger -300ER.

The FF-1080 is an all aluminum twin-engine, high-wing, un-pressurized, fixed gear, single pilot capable, turboprop aircraft, specifically designed as a utility air freight transport system.

The aircraft is also designed for short take-off and landing (STOL) capability. This feature makes the FF-1080 the only short-haul, heavy-lift containerized feeder aircraft capable of transporting ten revenue tons over two thousand nautical miles from airfields with less than 3,500 feet of runway.

The maximum takeoff weight of the -200 is 42,000 lbs with a useful load of 22,834 lbs, providing 54 percent useful load to gross weight. The cargo bay provides 2,424 cubic feet of volume insuring max capacity payloads without "bulking-out."

The range payload of the FF-1080-200 will accommodate its primary feeder mission of transporting 8-LD3 standard industry containers with 16,000 lbs of revenue cargo on-board (in-containers) over 500 nm.

FMI: www.utilicraft.com