Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Two-seat amphibious cabin monoplane

Power Plant:

One 112 kw (150 hp) Lycoming O-320-A3B four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

The Teal amphibian was designed by David Thurston at Sandford in Maine, USA as a two-seat light amphibian for the sportsman pilot.  It was fitted with a 112 kw (150 hp) Lycoming engine and had a T-tail.  The fuselage was an all-metal semi-monocoque structure with fibreglass skin on the foredeck and cabin top.  The tail was cantilever all-metal, and the wing was of all-metal D-spar construction. Introduced to the market in 1968 it was quite popular, certification being obtained that year.  The main undercarriage had steel-spring struts, the tail-wheel being integral with the water rudder.  Provision was made for carrying 45 kg (100 lb) of baggage.

In 1972 the Schweizer Aircraft Corp acquired all rights to the Thurston Teal, commencing production at the company’s plant at Elmira in New York where the Schweizer all-metal sailplane was built.  In the mid-1990s International Aeromarine of Fort Erie, Ontario was rebuilding and marketing the type, having acquired the design rights, and introduced the Teal 3 with a tricycle undercarriage and other improvements. Later again, in 1982, David Thurston, the original designer, built a prototype of an aircraft known as the Thurston TA-16 Seafire amphibian, similar in configuration to the Teal.  This machine had a 186 kw (250 hp) Lycoming O-540-A4D5 engine and was sold in kit form in the United States as the TA-16 Trojan.

First model of the Teal was the TSC-1 followed by the TSC-1A, the prototype of which (N1968T – c/n 1) was first flown in June 1968, fifteen examples being constructed by Thurston.  The design was improved to the TSC-1A1 with two 87 litre (19 Imp gal) fuel tanks in the wing leading-edges in lieu of the previous single 93 litre (20 Imp gal) tank.  The prototype N1968T was upgraded to this configuration, weight being increased to 998 kg (2,200 lb) on land and 953 kg (2,100 lb) on water.  Three examples of this model were built by Thurston, three by Schweizer, and six TSC-1As were upgraded.

The next model was the TSC-1A1/EW which had an increase in wing span to 10.64 m (34 ft 11 in) which increased wing area to 16.4 m² (177 sq ft) and the horizontal tailplane was increased in length and area, take-off weight being 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) for both water and land.  Next models built were the TSC-1A2 Teal II and Marlin 150, incorporating slotted flaps and other changes, including the installation of a 110 kw (150 hp) Lycoming O-320-A3B engine.  Certification of the TSC-1A2 was received in June 1973. Nine examples were completed by Schweizer and seven by Teal Aircraft as the Marlin 150.  Further developments were planned and a new company known as Advanced Aircraft was to be formed but no aircraft were built.

One example of the series came to this region. This aircraft VH-AMU (c/n 28 – ex N2028T) was a TSC-1A2 and was assembled and test flown at Camden, NSW in 1974, being based at Bankstown, NSW for some time.  It was reported at the time the importer, Avion-Marine Pty Ltd, was proposing to import five examples but in the event only the one arrived, this being registered on 24 October 1974 to Keith Woodward Pty Ltd of Caringbah, NSW, later of Bathurst.

On 11 May 1978 ownership was transferred to John Bell of Little Gove, WA and the aircraft was based at Albany where he was involved in aerial fish spotting and was the instigator of a museum there, the latter at the time having a Sikorsky Kingfisher and Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina under restoration.  However, on 4 April 1978 cyclone Alby hit the area, Albany taking the worst of the cyclone, and the amphibian was destroyed.  Subsequently the owner Mr Bell, who was involved in setting up the aviation museum at Albany, was killed in an aircraft accident.  Parts of VH-AMU were later reported to have been exported to Norway.