iscover
With the demise of the majority of the US GA industry, Aerospatiale's Socata light aircraft division has been able to not only fill a marketing void but to also make considerable inroads into established ex-US sales territory. Shown left is the high performance retractable Trinidad while both Socata singles display panels that look more at home in a high performance European sports car rather than a typical light aircraft.
From The Cockpit
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Trinidad and Tobago
The modern light aircraft for the most part has been a success story of the United States aviation industry, more than that of any other country. In this issue however we’ll look at a product range of the revitalised European light aircraft industry.
The Socata TB10 Tobago and TB20 Trinidad are relative newcomers to the GA scene; designed for personal/business transportation they have nevertheless also found their way quite well into the training industry. Both four seaters, their genial line comes from the TB9 Tampico, which was powered by a Lye 0-320 driving a fixed pitch prop. The Tobago has a 0-360 with a constant speed unit, the Trinidad an 10-540 derated to 250 brake horsepower and retractable landing gear. Present top of the line is the TB21, a turbocharged version of the Trinidad and one which is yet to be seen in Australia.
The TB10 design work was commenced in 1975; first flown in 1977, the type was subsequently certificated by the DGAC (France’s aviation authority) in 1979. FAA certification was obtained in 1985. On the other hand, the Trinidad flew in 1980, was certificated by the DGAC in March 1982 and by the FAA in early ’82 also. The American certification dates may reflect upon Socata’s sales philosophy, of a possible belief in the greater appeal of the retractable in the US market.
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