1. Design and development
    A500 payload issues  Support and aircraft type club formation 

2. Specifications (A500)

3. Notable appearances in media

4. See also

5. References

6. External links

The Adam A500 is an American six-seat civil utility aircraft that was produced by Adam Aircraft Industries. The aircraft is of pod-and-boom, push-pull configuration with its two Continental TSIO-550-E piston engines mounted to provide centerline thrust.

Design and development

The A500 was developed from the M-309 CarbonAero technology demonstrator designed by Burt Rutan and built by Scaled Composites at the Mojave Airport. The "309" designation refers to this being Rutan's 309th aircraft design.

The 309 first flew in March 2000, but the aircraft has since been gutted and was used as a static display outside the Adam Aircraft Industries headquarters.^[1] In 2006 the 309 was loaned to the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum and is now on display.

Compared to conventional twin-engine installations, the centerline thrust arrangement reduces drag and maximizes the controllability of the aircraft should one engine malfunction or fail. This engine configuration was used by the similar Cessna Skymaster. The A500 airframe is largely built of carbon fiber epoxy composite materials with a Nomex honeycomb core. Other features include cabin pressurization.

The prototype A500 first flew on July 11, 2002 and was FAA certified in May 2005.

Adam Aircraft ceased operations on 11 February 2008,^[2] and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on 19 February 2008,^[3] having delivered seven A500s.

In April 2008 Adam Aircraft was purchased from bankruptcy by AAI Acquisition Inc. At the time of purchase this new company indicated that they would pursue certification of the A700 jet as a priority and that the A500 would not be produced due to the continuing poor market for piston-engined aircraft. AAI went out of business in April 2009 without producing any aircraft.^[4][5][6]

In July 2009 there was an indication that a new buyer, Thomas Hsueh of Triton America based at Skagit Regional Airport in Burlington, Washington was interested in purchasing the A500 design and returning the aircraft to production.^[7]

In April 2011 Triton Aerospace announced that they had acquired the assets of Adam Aircraft, including the aircraft type certificate and intend to return the A500 to production.^[8][9]

In April 2011 Triton Aerospace announced that they will redesign the aircraft, using what Thomas Hsueh, owner of Triton Aerospace termed "proper engineering", to shed {{convert|1000|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} of empty weight and recertify it with the intention of putting it back into production. The aircraft will also be changed to a turboprop, with twin engined and rear-engined-only versions. A new prototype was expected in 2013 with re-certification to follow. The company owner, Thomas Hsueh, indicated that for now production is planned for the USA, but costs may require moving the assembly line to China, or even a lower cost country, such as Mexico.^[10][11]

A500 payload issues

In evaluation flights conducted in 2007 the A500 was noted as being over the projected empty weight by {{convert|1260|lb|kg|-1|abbr=on}} or 30%.^[12]

The initial design empty weight publicized in 2003 was {{convert|4200|lb|kg|-1|abbr=on}}, while the actual empty weight of the serial number 7 A500 was {{convert|5460|lb|kg|-1|abbr=on}}. Initial gross weight was to be {{convert|6300|lb|kg|-1|abbr=on}}, which was increased to {{convert|7000|lb|kg|-1|abbr=on}}. This resulted in a change of useful load from a forecast {{convert|2100|to|1540|lb|kg|-1|abbr=on}}.^[12]

With the {{convert|230|USgal|l|-1|abbr=on}} fuel tanks full, the available payload for crew, passengers and baggage is {{convert|160|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}, down from a projected {{convert|720|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. This means that the A500 cannot carry full fuel and one standard weight adult male or female pilot.^[12][13]

Adam Aircraft had intended to address the lack of useful load by demonstrating that the current {{convert|30|USgal|l|-1|abbr=on}} of unusable fuel is actually {{convert|10|USgal|l|-1|abbr=on}}. This would have increased the useful load by {{convert|120|lb|kg|-1|abbr=on}} and allowed a full fuel crew weight of {{convert|280|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}.^[12]

Support and aircraft type club formation

The five A500s in private service have run into problems obtaining parts and at least one was reported as grounded due to parts issues in August 2008.^[14]

The aircraft owners organized an aircraft type club, the A500 Owners Association, with the goal of convincing the new owners of the design at that time, AAI Acquisitions to provide parts support for the existing aircraft.^[14]

AAI's head of customer support, Jan D'Angelo, responded in August 2008, saying:^[14]

Specifications (A500)

|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=five passengers
|length m=
|length ft=37
|length in=6
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=44
|span in=0
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=9
|height in=7
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=NASA LS(1)-0417
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=5350
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=7000
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity= 230 gal (872 litres)
|more general=

|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=Teledyne Continental TSIO-550E
|eng1 type=
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=350
|eng1 note=
|power original=
|prop blade number=
|prop name=
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=

|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=225
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=220
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=75
|stall speed note=in landing configuration with gear and flaps down
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=892
|range note=at 75% power
|ferry range km=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range nmi=1286
|ferry range note=at 45% power
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=25000
|ceiling note=maximum certified ceiling, 14900 feet on one engine
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}

Notable appearances in media

See also

• Adam A700

• Cessna Skymaster

References

External links

• [https://web.archive.org/web//http://www.adamaircraft.com/ Adam Aircraft website archives] on Archive.org
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20111015012759/http://www.tritonaircraft.com/ Triton Aerospace]
• Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

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