EL GAVILÁN SA

EL GAVILÁN EL-1 GAVILÁN 358 and 508T

English name: Sparrowhawk

Type

Light utility transport.

Programme

Launched March 1986; sponsored by Leaver Group, of which El Gavilán SA is a member; construction
began May 1987; first flight (HK-3500-Z) 27 April 1990; after 50 hours' flying, fuselage stretched 0.305 m
(1 ft 0 in) immediately forward of main spar and gross weight increased by 136 kg (300 lb); new first flight
7 November 1990; wing incidence increased 1991 to improve cruising speed, and passenger windows
reshaped; damage from emergency landing in USA on 1 February 1992 delayed progress and company
decided to obtain FAA (FAR Pt 23, Amendment 45) certification from outset; this gained by second
prototype, built by General Aviation Technical Services in USA; funding arranged December 1994 for FAA
certification. Second aircraft (N358EL/HK-4120-Z) flown (in USA) 29 May 1996 and gained FAR Pt 23 (to
Amendment 46) certification 26 May 1998. First production aircraft flew on 7 August 1997; used as North
American demonstrator. Potential North American assembly site still being sought.

Current Versions

Gavilán 358: Piston-engined standard passenger, parachutist or military version.

Following description applies to Gavilán 358.
Gavilán 508T: Turboprop version, announced May 1998; under development; choice of P&WC
PT6A-34 or Walter M 601E-11 engine. Programme scheduled to start in mid-2001, but had not done so
by April 2002.

Customers

Nine confirmed orders by November 1998, including four (delivered 29 July to 30 September 1998) for
Colombian Air Force (FAC), which has option on eight more. Eleven Gavilán 358s delivered by
September 2000, including FAC (four), Colombian Navy (one military, delivered 23 December 1999),
Colombian commercial operators (two) and Tikal Jets of Guatemala (one). Apparently no further
production by April 2002.

Costs

Standard Gavilán 358, VFR equipped US$379,000; fully equipped US$393,000 (2000).

Design Features

Rugged utility transport with large side door and wide track landing gear, optimised for operation from
short and unprepared airstrips.
Constant chord, unswept braced wing of NACA 4412 section; thickness/chord ratio 12 per cent;
dihedral 1� 30'; incidence 5� 30'; washout 2º 30'.

Flying Controls
Conventional and manual (pushrods and cables). Mass-balanced ailerons; elevators and rudder horn
balanced; spring bias on rudder; trim tab actuator in starboard elevator; manual single-slotted flaps
(settings 15, 30 and 40º) on offset hinges actuated by handle on central console. Autopilot planned.

Structure

All-metal, mainly of 2024-T3 aluminium alloy sheet; fuselage frame of 4130N steel tube skinned with
2024-T3; two-spar wing with single strut each side; two-spar fin and tailplane. Entire airframe extensively
corrosion-proofed.

Landing Gear

Non-retractable tricycle type, with elastomeric shock-absorption and single wheel on each unit. Steel tube
mainwheel legs; trailing-link nose unit, with fully castoring nosewheel. McCreary tyres, sizes 7.00×6 (8
ply) main and 7.00×6 (6 ply) nose; pressures 3.59 bar (52 lb/sq in) and 2.41 bar (35 lb/sq in) respectively.
Cleveland hydraulic mainwheel brakes.

Power Plant

One Textron Lycoming TIO-540-W2A flat-six engine (261 kW; 350 hp at 2,600 rpm), driving a three-blade
constant-speed Hartzell propeller. Three rubber fuel cells in each wing, combined capacity 405 litres (107
US gallons; 89.2 Imp gallons), of which 394 litres (104 US gallons; 86.7 Imp gallons) usable. Refuelling
point in top of each tank. Gravity feed system with auxiliary electric pump and header tanks. Oil capacity
11.4 litres (3.0 US gallons; 2.5 Imp gallons).

Accommodation

Pilot and co-pilot or one passenger at front; dual-control wheels. All transparencies of flat Plexiglas. Two
quickly removable rows of three seats to rear of pilots, facing each other. Door at front on each side, plus
larger double door at rear on port side. Accommodation for four stretchers and one attendant in air
ambulance version; up to eight jumpers in parachutist version.

Systems

Engine-mounted vacuum pump for gyro instruments, driven at 0.31 bar (4.5 lb/sq in). Electrical power
from 28 V 70 A engine-driven alternator and 24 V 18 Ah battery. Hydraulic system for brakes only.
Gaseous oxygen system optional.

Avionics

Comms: Bendix/King KT 76A transponder and AK-350 encoder.

Radar: Colombian Air Force aircraft planned to be equipped with Telephonics RDR 2000 weather
radar in wing leading-edge radome.
Flight: Bendix/King KLX 135A GPS/com.
Instrumentation: Standard VFR.

Equipment

Standard cargo net and cargo tiedowns in cargo version. Optional cargo kit and air ambulance kit for
passenger versions.

Armament
Colombian Navy aircraft equipped with two 7.62 mm SS-77 machine guns.

Dimensions, External

Wing span 12.80 m (42 ft 0 in)

Wing chord, constant 1.55 m (5 ft 1 in)
Wing aspect ratio 7.8
Length overall 9.53 m (31 ft 3 in)
Fuselage max width 1.42 m (4 ft 8 in)
Height overall 3.73 m (12 ft 3 in)
Tailplane span 4.68 m (15 ft 4¼ in)
Wheel track 3.35 m (11 ft 0 in)
Propeller diameter 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in)
Propeller ground clearance 0.17 m (6½ in)
Crew doors (two, each):
Height 1.17 m (3 ft 10 in)
Max width 0.86 m (2 ft 10 in)
Height to sill 1.02 m (3 ft 4 in)
Passenger/cargo door: Height 1.17 m (3 ft 10 in)
Width 1.24 m (4 ft 1 in)
Height to sill 1.02 m (3 ft 4 in)

Dimensions, Internal

Cabin: Length 3.40 m (11 ft 2 in)

Max width 1.37 m (4 ft 6 in)
Max height 1.37 m (4 ft 6 in)
Floor area: excl flight deck 4.09 m2 (44.0 sq ft)
incl flight deck 4.70 m2 (50.6 sq ft)
Volume: excl flight deck 4.0 m3 (140 cu ft)
incl flight deck 6.4 m3 (226 cu ft)
Baggage compartment volume 0.48 m3 (17.0 cu ft)

Areas

Wings, gross 18.95 m2 (204.0 sq ft)

Ailerons (total) 0.97 m2 (10.40 sq ft)
Trailing-edge flaps (total) 1.12 m2 (12.00 sq ft)
Fin 1.48 m2 (15.91 sq ft)
Rudder 0.91 m2 (9.81 sq ft)
Tailplane 1.51 m2 (16.30 sq ft)
Elevators (total, incl tab) 0.90 m2 (9.70 sq ft)

Weights and Loadings

Weight empty, standard equipped 1,270 kg (2,800 lb)

Max fuel 291 kg (642 lb)
Max payload with 30 min fuel at 75% power 488 kg (1,076 lb)
Max T-O and landing weight 2,041 kg (4,500 lb)
Max wing loading 107.7 kg/m2 (22.06 lb/sq ft)
Max power loading 7.82 kg/kW (12.86 lb/hp)

Performance

Never-exceed speed (VNE) 155 kt (287 km/h; 178 mph) IAS

Max level speed at 4,575 m (15,000 ft) 140 kt (259 km/h; 161 mph)
Cruising speed at 3,050 m (10,000 ft):
at 75% power 135 kt (250 km/h; 155 mph)
at 65% power 130 kt (241 km/h; 150 mph)
at 55% power 126 kt (233 km/h; 145 mph)
Stalling speed, power off:
flaps up 65 kt (121 km/h; 75 mph) IAS
40� flap 58 kt (108 km/h; 67 mph) IAS
Max rate of climb at S/L 244 m (800 ft)/min
Max certified altitude 3,180 m (12,500 ft)
Service ceiling 6,860 m (22,500 ft)
T-O run, 15º flap 375 m (1,230 ft)
T-O to 15 m (50 ft) 595 m (1,955 ft)
Landing from 15 m (50 ft) 500 m (1,640 ft)
Landing run 327 m (1,075 ft)
Range, 45 min reserves:
at 75% power 770 n miles (1,426 km; 886 miles)
at 65% power 820 n miles (1,518 km; 943 miles)
at 55% power 945 n miles (1,750 km; 1,087 miles)