Utva Lasta

Utva Lasta

Picture - Lasta 95

Role: Military Training Aircraft/General Aviation Aircraft
Manufacturer: UTVA
First flight: September 2, 1985
Status: Operational
Primary users: Serbian Air Force Iraqi Air Force

The Utva Lasta is a tandem-seat low-wing trainer, manufactured by UTVA. The aircraft is capable of basic training functions including aerobatics, instrument, tactical and night flying.

Lasta in Serbo-Croatian is the Hirundinidae "swallow".

Development

In view of a domestic requirement and the potential for a strong export market, the Yugoslav government issued a directive to industry for the development of a new and highly maneuverable tandem-seat prop trainer. This was seen as a preferable option for the replacement of Utva 75, in use by the Yugoslav Air Force in the basic training role.

The design phase was undertaken at the Aviation Technical Institute. UTVA was selected as the manufacturer, and SOKO as the main partner and supplier.

The first prototype (serial #54001) was completed by the spring of 1985. And, following completion of the initial testing phase, the first flight was achieved on September 2, 1985. Even at this stage the Lasta prototype has seen substantial changes; in the choice for a new propeller, changes in the weight and balance and an improved fuel and hydraulic system. In January 1989, was issued a modified version - Lasta 2, a lighter, with shorter fuselage and a new electronics system including fire control Ferranti ISIS D-282.

By early 1990s Utva, and her partner, have produced enough parts for the completion of 10 pre-production airframes. At the same time the Yugoslav Air Force has decided to cut the requirement to only 6 examples, and the remaining four were left unassembled and crated. The initial batch airframes received serials in the 54151 - 54156 range.

Due to space and time constraints the Aviation Test Center, in Batajnica, could only accept 2 airframes for testing. These tests have established aircraft suitability and a recommendation for initial production was issued.

With the early break-up of Yugoslavia, and the ensuing civil war, testing and production were abandoned and the airframes preserved at Utva factory in Pančevo.

There were numerous attempts at reviving the ailing project during the late 1990s by the Milosevic government, however, other priorities and unavailability of funds meant that the new and updated Lasta 3 (aka Lasta 95) did not reach the prototype construction and testing phase.

During the 1999 NATO attacks on FR Yugoslavia, all 5 aircraft in construction (No.54151, 54152, 54154, 54155, 54156) of were destroyed during the bombing of the factory. The damaged aircraft (serial #54153) was given to Yugoslav Aeronautical Museum. As recently as 2006, a fresh effort was taking place at re-starting the project, but beset by financial difficulties and changing requirements, as well as a highly competitive marketplace, did not reach a notable phase.

In late 2009, it was announced that Iraq would purchase 20 Lasta 95 aircraft. The Serbian Air Force is also interested in purchasing 16 Lasta 95's.

The first three Lasta 95s were transferred to Iraq on August 5, 2010.

Operators

Iraq - 20 ordered.
Serbia - 15 ordered.

Specifications (Utva Lasta prototype)

Picture - Three view of Utva Lasta.

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89

General characteristics

Crew: Two, student and instructor
Length: 8.04 m (26 ft 4� in)
Wingspan: 8.34 m (27 ft 4�)
Height: 4.45 m (14 ft 7� in)
Wing area: 11.0 m� (118.4 ft�)
Empty weight: 1,060 kg (2,337 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 1,630 kg (3,593 lb)
Powerplant: 1x� Lycoming AEIO-540-Z1B5D six-cylinder horizontally opposed air cooled, 224 kW (300 hp)
Propellers: 3-bladed Hofman HO-V-123-K-V propeller

Performance

Never exceed speed: 560 km/h (302 knots, 348 mph)
Maximum speed: 345 km/h (186 knots, 214 mph)
Rate of climb: 9 m/s (1,770 ft/min)

Related development

Utva Aero-3

Comparable aircraft

Socata TB 30 Epsilon
Fuji T-3
Fuji T-7
T-34 Mentor
T-35 Pillx�n

Taylor, John W R. (ed.). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group, 1988. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.
http://www.janes.com/extracts/extract/jawa/jawaa664.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Glasnik_86-3Lasta.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Glasnik_86-3Lasta1.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Glasnik_86-3Lasta2.jpg
http://www.airwar.ru/enc/attack/lasta.html
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/01/07/220624/serbias-utva-to-supply-lasta-3-trainers-to-iraq.html
http://www.naslovi.net/2008-01-13/politika/lasta-leti-za-bagdad/543255
http://www.avioni.net/showphotos.php?d=8&e=Lasta%20S1

Utva Lasta Pictures

More aircraft.

Source: WikiPedia