Victa Airtourer 100
| Victa Airtourer | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| AESL Airtourer 100/A1 inflight near Shepparton Airport | |
| Role | Light utility aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Victa Ltd |
| Designer | Henry Millicer |
| First flight |
31 March 1959 (100) 17 September 1962 (115) September 1968 (150) November 1968 (Super 150) |
| Introduction | 1962 (100) 1963 (115) |
| Produced | 1962-1966 (100 and 115, Victa) 1967-1973 (115 and 150, AESL) |
| Number built | 168 (Aust); 80 (NZ) |
| Variants | Victa Aircruiser |
The Victa Airtourer is an all-metal light low-wing monoplane touring aircraft that was developed in Australia, and was manufactured in both Australia and New Zealand.
The Airtourer was the winning design, submitted by Henry Millicer, the chief aerodynamicist of Australia's Government Aircraft Factories, in a competition organised by Britain's Royal Aero Club in 1953. A wooden prototype was constructed by a small group of enthusiasts (the Air Tourer Group of the Australian Ultra Light Aircraft Association) in the Melbourne suburb of Williamstown during the late 1950s. This prototype, registered VH-FMM (nicknamed Foxtrot Mickey Mouse) was first flown on 31 March 1959 by Flt. Lt.Randell Brown at Moorabbin airport.
The Airtourer design is of cantilever low-wing monoplane configuration, with a fixed tricycle landing gear. It has interconnected ailerons and flaps, with both systems functioning as both ailerons and as flaps when operated. The nosewheel was steerable. Space was available for luggage (45 kg weight limit).
The prototype was demonstrated to aero clubs and flying schools as a possible replacement for existing training aircraft, mostly Tiger Moths and Chipmunks. After trial flights over Melbourne and then to the Latrobe Valley Airport development continued to the all-metal version. The all-metal prototype to production standard (VH-MVA) followed on 12 December 1961.
Interest was shown in the design by Mervyn Richardson, Chairman of Victa Ltd, which at that time was best known for making lawn mowers and light two-stroke engines. Richardson was interested in entering an aviation-related industry. During the period 1961 to 1966, Victa Ltd. undertook production of the all-metal Airtourer, building both 100 hp and 115 hp models. Victa production continued until 1966.
As the Australian Government had rejected Victa’s appeals for tariff protection assistance, and for funding assistance to keep the production lines open, the company had no choice other than to close down its Aviation Division in February 1966, by which time it had built 168 aircraft.
The manufacturing rights to the Airtourer were purchased the following year by the maintenance firm Aero Engine Services Ltd (AESL) in New Zealand where further production of 115 hp and 150 hp models took place until 1973.
...
Wikipedia