Short Skyvan

Military / Civilian Utility Transport Aircraft

United Kingdom | 1963

"Despite its modest production numbers, the Short Skyvan has been a well-liked fixed wing platform for many users worldwide."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/04/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Logistics has always been the standing challenge for wartime and peacetime economies alike. The former was proven time-and again throughout the many campaigns of World War 2 (1939-1945) and this continued to be the case heading into the Cold War years (1947-1991). Short Brothers of Northern Ireland, having made a name for itself in the Second World War as a fine producer of oversized flying boats for the British military, was invited by F.G. Miles Limited to partner on a new utility-minded transport venture to potentially serve both military and civilian market circles. The result of this work became the Short SC.7 "Skyvan".

The design took on a very distinct appearance: a boxy fuselage was used which incorporated the cockpit overlooking a short nose section at the front and a raised empennage at the rear. Under the tail was a cargo loading/unloading ramp. The wing mainplanes were fitted high atop the fuselage and braced by thick struts, their placement allowing for excellent drag-and-lift properties particularly for short-field operations. The tail unit incorporated a twin-plane arrangement reminiscent of the old British World War 2 bombers. For ground-running, the aircraft used a conventional wheeled tricycle undercarriage that was fixed in flight - reducing complexity and lowering procurement costs. These non-retractable members were short in length so as to give the aircraft a shorter ground profile - facilitating loading / unloading cargo. Each wing mainplane was home to a single engine nacelle to be used to power the aircraft through the sky.

The initial prototype, "Skyvan 1", flew with 2 x Continental GTSIO-520 series engines for the first time on January 17th, 1963. The follow-up form, "Skyvan 1A", appeared with French-made 2 x Turbomeca "Astazou" engines of 520 horsepower each. This led to the production-quality "Skyvan 2" of which eight were built.

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The variant was then followed by the Garrett AiResearch TPE331-powered "Skyvan 3" which saw production reach 145 units. The model was crewed by two and could carry up to nineteen passengers. Dimensions included a length of 40 feet with a wingspan of 64.10 feet and a height of 15 feet. Empty weight was 7,345lb against an MTOW of 12.500lb. The Garrett engines outputted 715 horsepower each, propelling the aircraft to speeds of 250 miles per hour up to altitudes of 22,500 feet and out to a range of nearly 700 miles.

Increased hauling capabilities greeted the improved "Skyvan 3A" and the "Skyvan 3M" was developed to satisfy the military market. "Skyvan 3M-200" became another military-minded offshoot featuring a higher gross weight of 15,000lb. Two more notable forms were the luxury "Skyliner" passenger hauler and the "Seavan", an overwater performer operated by Oman.

The versatile Skyvan went on to be used by a plethora of powers seeking a budget-conscious multirole product. These ranged from Argentina and Austria to the UAE and Yemen. Total production was 153 units before the end and manufacture ran from 1963 until 1986. While largely retired from most nations, the Skyvan still serves actively (2018) with Guyana and Oman (in a military role).

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Short SC.7 Skyvan Military / Civilian Utility Transport Aircraft.

2 x Garrett AiResearch TPE-331-201 turboprop engines developing 715 horsepower each.
Propulsion

249 mph
400 kph | 216 kts
Max Speed

22,507 ft
6,860 m | 4 miles
Service Ceiling

696 miles
1,120 km | 605 nm
Operational Range

1,640 ft/min
500 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Short SC.7 Skyvan Military / Civilian Utility Transport Aircraft.

2
(MANNED)
Crew

40.1 ft
12.21 m
O/A Length

64.9 ft
(19.78 m)
O/A Width

14.8 ft
(4.50 m)
O/A Height

7,341 lb
(3,330 kg)
Empty Weight

12,500 lb
(5,670 kg)
MTOW

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Short Skyvan family line.

Skyvan - Base Series Name

Skyvan Mk.1 - Prototype designation covering single example; fitted with 2 x Continental GTSIO-520 engines.

Skyvan Mk.1A - Fitted with 2 x Turbomeca Astazou engines of 520 horsepower each.

Skyvan Mk.2 - Turbomeca Astazou engines; eight examples.

Skyvan Mk.3 - Fitted with 2 x Garrett TPE331 engines; 145 examples.

Skyvan Mk.3M - Military transport variant

Skyvan Mk.3M-200 - Increased gross weight

Skyliner - Passenger transport variant.

Seavan - Maritime patrol platform for Oman Air Force.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Short Skyvan. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 153 Units
Contractor(s): Short Brothers - UK

National flag of the United Arab Emirates

[ Argentina; Austria; Botswana; Ciskei; Ecuador; Gambia; Ghana; Guyana; Indonesia; Japan; Lesotho; Malawi; North Yemen; Mauritania; Mexico; Nepal; Oman; Panama; Singapore; Thailand; United Arab Emirates; Yemen ]

Going Further...
The Short Skyvan Military / Civilian Utility Transport Aircraft appears in the following collections:

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