Helio Courier

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A Helio Courier in civilian use.

The Helio Courier is a light STOL utility aircraft designed in 1949. With a stall speed of around 25 mph, the Courier was perfectly suited for tight operations. The Super Courier, an up-engined derivative, was used by the US Air Force from 1958 onward, and by Air America during the Vietnam War as the U-10. In USAF service, the U-10 Super Courier was used for liaison work, light cargo and supply drops, psychological warfare, forward air control, and reconnaissance. Various versions were produced up through the 1980s, including turbine-powered variants. Some are still in use today as bush planes and light transports.

The Helio AU-24A was the gunship version of the H550A Stallion, with a PT6A-114 turboprop, equipped with a General Electric XM-197 three-barrel 20 mm Gatling gun was mounted in the left cargo door. It also had 5 underwing and fuselage hardpoints. Of the 17 built aircraft, fourteen or fifteen were sold to the Cambodian (Khmer) Air Force. The Helio Stallion was also built as U-10 Super Courier (ex L-28). Over 120 were built: L-28A (2, later redesignated U-10A), U-10A (26), U-10B extended range and paratrooper doors (57), U-10D heavier (36), but no U-10C.

The aircraft was manufactured in Pittsburg, Kansas until 1974. During the early 1980s, new owners made an attempt to build new aircraft with modernized Lycoming engines. Few aircraft were produced and no Helio's have been produced since.

The airframe featured a welded steel-tube frame and with aluminum covering. The wings were of conventional aluminum construction but featured leading edge slats that deployed automatically once the aircraft's airspeed feel below a certain value. The slats contributed to the Helio's outstanding short takeoff and landing(STOL) capability.

The design of the Helio featured a large vertical surface and rudder for control at very low flight speeds, however, on conventional geared aircraft (taildraggers), the planes were difficult to control in cross-winds. A tri-gear model was available.

The Helios were also capable of being float equipped.

The Helios are very popular amongst bush pilots in Canada and Alaska and missionaries who fly into rough, relatively unprepared jungle airstrips because of its superior STOL abilities.

It is thought that about 100 Helio Couriers are active today. Some operators use the Helio Couriers for aerial observation. Both Winged Vision Inc. of Gaithersburg, MD and the Pima County AZ Sheriff's Department operate the rare tri-gear model and mount gyro stabilized cameras under the wing for aerial observation.

Pima County mounts a FLIR camera for law enforcement and Winged Vision mounts a high definition television camera for coverage of major sports events. They include Monday Night Football, the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake and other major sports events.

Specifications (U-10D Super Courier)

General characteristics

Crew: one pilot
Capacity: 5 passengers
Length: 30 ft 8 in (9.35 m)
Wingspan: 39 ft 0 in (11.89 m)
Height: 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m)
Wing area: ft² ( m²)
Empty: lb ( kg)
Loaded: 3,600 lb (1,636 kg)
Useful load: lb ( kg)
Powerplant: 1 Lycoming GO-480 geared six-cylinder engine, 295 hp (220 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 180 mph (288 km/h)
Range: 1,100 miles (1,760 km)
Service ceiling: 20,500 ft (6,250 m)
Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
Wing loading:
Power/Mass:

Military Operators

Peru, Thailand, United States (Air Force).

Helio Courier

Specifications (U-10D Super Courier)

General characteristics

Performance

Military Operators

External links

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