Varga 2150 Kachina

2150 Kachina
Varga 2150A Kachina at McClellan-Palomar Airport California in January 2008
Role personal, primary trainer
National origin United States
Manufacturer Morrisey, Shinn, Varga
Designer William J. Morrisey
First flight 1958
Unit cost
$8245 (1960)[1]
Developed from Morrisey Nifty

The Varga 2150 Kachina is an American all-metal low fixed-wing two-seat light aircraft fitted with a tricycle undercarriage.

Design

In 1948, US aircraft test pilot/aircraft designer W.J. Morrisey produced a wood-and-fabric light aircraft, the 1000C (Nifty). In 1958 he reworked that basic design, giving it an all-metal structure and increased power. The aircraft is a cantilever low-wing monoplane with plain ailerons and two-position trailing-edge flaps, conventional empennage, fixed nosewheel landing gear, and tandem seating. Dual controls are provided as standard equipment.

Development

In 1958 The Morrisey Aviation Inc. company began building the re-designed aircraft. Two units were completed as the Morrisey 2000.[2] A further improvement came with the Morrisey 2150, incorporating a 108 hp Lycoming O-235 engine. The company built nine aircraft by the end of 1959.[3]

Morrisey 2150A built in 1962.

The construction and design rights were then sold to Shinn Engineering Inc. which built 35 improved Shinn 2150A aircraft with a 150 hp (110 kW) Lycoming O-320-A2C engine, before ceasing production in 1962.[4]

The 2150A design rights were sold in 1967 to used aircraft parts supplier George Varga who formed the Varga Aircraft Corporation. The Varga 2150A Kachina was built at Chandler, Arizona between 1975 and 1982. 121 2150A Kachinas were completed together with 18 examples of the Varga 2180 with a 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A2D engine. A tailwheel option was available as the Varga 2150TG.[4][5]

Bill Morrisey later re-acquired the design rights and then launched a kit version of the original Morrisey 2000C.

The Morrisey/Shinn/Varga 2150 remains in widespread use in the USA and several aircraft are flown in Europe and South America.[6]

Variants

Morrisey 2000C
Variant with Lycoming O-235 engine[3]
Morrisey 2150
Variant with Lycoming O-320-A2C engine.[7]
Shinn 2150
Morrisey 2150 built by Shinn Engineering.[7]
Varga 2150A Kachina
Morrisey 2150 built by Varga Aircraft.[7]
Varga 2150TG
Tailwheel version of the 2150A[4]
Varga 2180 Kachina
Variant with Lycoming O-360-A2D engine.[7]

Specifications (2150A)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1982-83[8] Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78[9]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Notes

  1. ↑ Flying Magazine: 10. March 1960. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ↑ Green 1965, p. 295
  3. 1 2 Simpson 2001 p. 565
  4. 1 2 3 Simpson 2005, p. 201
  5. ↑ Kieth Connes (October 1977). "Varga Kachina". Air Progress.
  6. ↑ Simpson 2001, p. 565
  7. 1 2 3 4 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft, p. 2560
  8. ↑ Taylor, John W. R. (1983). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1982-83. London: Jane's Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7106-0748-2.
  9. ↑ Taylor, John W. R. (1978). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977-78. London: Jane's Publishing Company. pp. 417–418. ISBN 0531032787.

References

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