Engineering:Arctic Aircraft Arctic Tern

Arctic Tern
Arctic Tern with tundra tires on mainwheels
Role
Manufacturer	Arctic Aircraft
Designer	Bill Diehl
First flight	1975
Produced	1975-85
Number built	32

The Arctic Aircraft Arctic Tern (named after the bird) is a bush plane that was produced in small numbers in Alaska in the 1970s and 1980s. It is a strengthened and modernised version of the Interstate Cadet of the 1940s. It is a high-wing braced monoplane with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. It has two seats in tandem, with the rear seat removable for added cargo carriage. It is also provided with a cargo loading door in the fuselage side to facilitate loading bulky items. Optional fittings included floats or skis in place of the wheeled undercarriage, and a ventral pod to carry extra cargo or fuel.

In 2007, the Interstate Aircraft company was planning a revised and updated Arctic Tern, with United States FAA certification expected in the first half of the year.

Specifications (landplane)

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

General characteristics

• Crew: one pilot
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Length: 23 ft 0 in (7.01 m)
• Wingspan: 36 ft 8 in (11.18 m)
• Height: 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
• Wing area: 186 sq ft (17.3 m²)
• Empty weight: 1,073 lb (487 kg)
• Gross weight: 1,900 lb (862 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320 four-cylinder piston engine , 150 hp (112 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 117 mph (188 km/h, 102 kn)
• Range: 652 mi (1,049 km, 567 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 19,000 ft (5,790 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,275 ft/min (6.5 m/s)

See also

Related development

• Interstate Cadet

Further reading

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 73. 
• World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 889 Sheet 74. 
• Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. pp. 406.