Engineering:Dassault Communauté

MD.415 Communauté
Role	Light turboprop civil transport
Manufacturer	Dassault Aviation
First flight	1959
Number built	1

The Dassault MD.415 Communauté was a 1950s France twin-engined light turboprop transport monoplane built by Dassault Aviation. Only one prototype was built and flown.

Development

The Dassault company designed a light transport aircraft in the late 1950s, designated MD.415 and later named Communauté, as a potential replacement for the Dassault MD 315 Flamant in its trainer, command transport or ambulance aircraft roles. The Communauté was a cantilever low-wing monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear with room for two crew and up to ten passengers. Powered by two wing-mounted Turbomeca Bastan turboprops, the prototype (F-WJDN) first flew on 10 May 1959.

The company also developed a military version designated the MD.410 Spirale. Retaining 90% commonality with the Communauté, the Spirale had all the windows removed and transparent nose panels added. It also had provision for cannon or machine-gun armament and was fitted with under-wing hardpoints for weapons. It was intended that the Spirale could be used for close-support, reconnaissance or transport roles.

Neither the Communauté nor the Spirale received any production orders and a high-wing development designated Spirale III was also abandoned.

Variants

MD.410 Spirale

Prototype military version, one built, powered by two Turbomeca Astazou XIVD engines.

MD.415 Communauté

Prototype light transport, one built.

MD.415 Communauté A1

A proposed joint development from Dassault and Sud-Aviation for a new version of the MD 415, a liaison aircraft carrying eight passengers over 2,400 km (1,500 mi; 1,300 nmi) or a feeder-liner carrying 21 passengers over 500 km (310 mi; 270 nmi).

MD.415 Communauté A2

Proposed 14-seat variant.

MD.415M Diplomate

A proposed scaled-up executive transport variant.

MD.455 Spirale III

Proposed high-wing transport version, not built.

Specifications (MD-415 Communauté)

Data from

General characteristics

• Crew: two
• Capacity: six-ten passengers or 2,200 kg (4,900 lb) payload (14 pax in the proposed Communauté A2)
• Length: 13 m (42 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 16.43 m (53 ft 11 in)
• Wing area: 36 m² (390 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 3,610 kg (7,959 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 5,900 kg (13,007 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Turbomeca Bastan IV , 750 kW (1,000 hp) each + 0.647 kN (145 lbf) residual thrust

Performance

• Maximum speed: 500 km/h (310 mph, 270 kn) at 6,000 m (20,000 ft)
• Cruise speed: 450 km/h (280 mph, 240 kn) at 6,000 m (20,000 ft)
• Range: 2,500 km (1,600 mi, 1,300 nmi)
• Ferry range: 3,200 km (2,000 mi, 1,700 nmi) with external tanks
• Service ceiling: 11,000 m (36,000 ft)
• Takeoff run: 380 m (1,250 ft)

Bibliography

• Chillon, Jacques; Dubois, Jean-Pierre; Wegg, John (1980). French Post-War Transport Aircraft. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain. ISBN 0-85130-078-2. 
• Cuny, Jean (1989). Les avions de combat français, 2: Chasse lourde, bombardement, assaut, exploration. Docavia. 30. Ed. Larivière. OCLC 36836833. 
• "Flying Newsreel: Paris Air Show". Flying 69 (2): 48–50. August 1961. https://books.google.com/books?id=UVJTRxhEEo4C. 
• Lemaire, René (November 1986). "Les Dassault "Commmunauté" et "Spirale"" (in fr). Le Fana de l'Aviation (204): 20–23. 
• Lemaire, René (December 1986). "Les Dassault "Commmunauté" et "Spirale" (Seconde partie)" (in fr). Le Fana de l'Aviation (205): 13–17. 
• Lemaire, René (January 1987). "Les Dassault "Commmunauté" et "Spirale" (3^e partie)" (in fr). Le Fana de l'Aviation (206): 22–26. 
• Lemaire, René (February 1987). "Les Dassault "Commmunauté" et "Spirale" (Quatrième et derniè partie)" (in fr). Le Fana de l'Aviation (207): 22–17. 
• Taylor, John W.R. (1962). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1962-63. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. 
• The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Aircraft. London: Orbis Publications. 1982–1985. 
• "MD 415 Communauté". Dassault. http://www.dassault-aviation.com/en/passion/aircraft/military-dassault-aircraft/md-415-communaute/.