Avro Club Cadet

Club Cadet

Avro 638 Club Cadet (G-ACNY), at Heston 1934
Role	Trainer
Manufacturer	Avro
First flight	1933
Introduction	1933
Produced	1933-1935
Number built	27 (17 · 638 + 1 · 639 + 9 · 640)
Developed from	Avro Cadet

The Avro Club Cadet was a 1930s single-engined British biplane trainer aircraft, designed and built by Avro as a development of the earlier Cadet. It was planned for private and club use and, unlike the Cadet, was fitted with folding wings.

Design and development

The Avro 638 Club Cadet was a modified version of the Avro Cadet, similarly intended for both private and club use. The Club Cadet was fitted with unstaggered wings, that could be folded to help save hangar space; the staggered biplane wings of the earlier Cadet were unsuitable to be adapted for folding. The prototype flew in May 1933, powered by an Armstrong Siddeley Genet Major radial piston engine, another 16 were built, and production finished in 1935.^[1]

A single prototype of an enclosed three-seat cabin version, the Avro 639 Cabin Cadet was built, and first flew in 1933,^[2] but did not enter production. A second three-seat version, the Avro 640 Cadet, was produced for joy-riding work, with a widened fuselage accommodating an open cockpit for two passengers side by side in front of the pilot. Nine of these were built, the first four powered by 140 hp (104 kW) Cirrus Hermes IV engines, and the remaining five powered by Genet Major engines.^[1]

Operational history

Most Club Cadets were used by flying schools, although intended for private as well as club use, the largest user being Airwork, that operated five Club Cadets. These were later re-engined with 130 hp (100 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major engines; the air-cooled in-line inverted engines reduced drag, and gave improved fuel consumption.^[1]

Variants

Avro 638 Club Cadet: Two-seat trainer aircraft, powered by 135 hp (101 kW) Genet Major (radial) or 130 hp (100 kW) Gipsy Major I (inverted in-line) engine, 17 built.
Avro 638 Club Cadet Special: One aircraft, fitted with a 140 hp (104 kW) Cirrus Hermes IVA inverted in-line engine.
Avro 639 Cabin Cadet: Enclosed cockpit, one built.
Avro 640 Cadet: Three seat joyriding aircraft, powered by 140 hp (104 kW) Cirrus Hermes IV inverted in-line (first four aircraft) or 135 hp (101 kW) Genet Major engine, nine built.

Operators

United Kingdom

Airwork

Specifications (Avro 638)

Data from Avro Aircraft since 1908 ^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: Two
Length: 24 ft 9 in (7.55 m)
Wingspan: 30 ft 2 in (9.20 m)
Height: 8 ft 9 in (2.67 m)
Wing area: 262 ft² (24.3 m²)
Empty weight: 1,244lb (565 kg)
Loaded weight: 2,000 lb (909 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Armstrong Siddeley Genet Major 1 seven cylinder radial, 135 hp (101 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 100 kn (115 mph, 185 km/h)
Cruise speed: 87 kn (100 mph, 161 km/h)
Range: 283 nmi (325 mi, 523 km)
Service ceiling: ft (m)
Rate of climb: ft/min (m/s)
Wing loading: 7.63 lb/ft² (37.4 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.075 hp/lb (0.12 kW/kg)

References

1 2 3 4 Jackson, A J (1990). Avro Aircraft since 1908 (2nd ed.). London: Putnam Aeronautical Books. ISBN 0-85177-834-8.
↑ Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10006-9.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Avro Club Cadet.

Canadian Aviation Museum

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Trainers	504 Athena Cadet Tutor Prefect

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Experimental	707 Ashton Burga Roe I Biplane Roe I Triplane Roe II Triplane Roe III Triplane Roe IV Triplane

Aero engines	A.V. Roe 20 hp 2-cyl.

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