Military Aviation

SAAB Safari, MFI / T-17

Saab Safari is a light single-engine propeller aircraft that is used for training with the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF). In addition to operating as a trainee aircraft it can also be used for liaison flying and reconnaissance flights. The first prototype got in the air in 1969 and the RNoAF started buying them in 1981. Today the Air Force Academy operates a total of 16 aircraft, and 7 of these have full instrumentation. The aircraft can have a 88 kg cargo load in the backseat and with three brackets under each wing it can carry an additional load of 300 kg. The Air Force does not have any weapons for this airplane, but it can be retrofitted with machine guns and rockets.

The aircraft has a piston engine with 200 hp and carries enough fuel to stay in the air for about 4 hours. Saab Safari is a so called shoulderwinged aircraft, making it stable and relatively easy to fly. The construction can handle a 'beating' and the aircraft can perform acrobatics within 6 positive Gs and 3 negative Gs. The plane also have a rigid landing gear so it can be used on both gravel and grass airstrips, and it can also be fitted with skiis for landing on snow.

Specifications

Engine: Lycoming, 200 horsepower
Length: 7,00 m
Height: 2,60 m
Wingspan: 8,85 m
Weight: 860 kg (empty)
Weight: 1200 kg (maximum take-off)
Max Speed: 196 knots / 363 km/h / 225 mph
Min Speed: 48 knots / 89 km/h / 55 mph (with full flaps)
Gs: +6/-3
Crew: Two (in addition it can be fitted with a third seat in the back)

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