Photograph:
Ayres S-2R-H80-510G agricultural aircraft N3854D and N3051R in the United States during company testing (Thrush Aircraft)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat agricultural monoplane
Power Plant:
One 597 kw (800 shp) General Electric H80 turboprop
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 14.47 m (47 ft 6 in)
- Length: 10.35 m (33 ft 11 in)
- Height: 2.92 m (9 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 33.9 m² (365 sq ft)
- Never exceed speed: 303 km/h (188 mph)
- Working speed: 145 to 241 km/h (90 to 150 mph)
- Cruising speed at 55% power: 256 km/h (159 mph)
- Stalling speed: 89 km/h (55 mph)
- Rate of climb at sea level at 2,722 kg (6,000 lb): 427 m/min (1,400 ft/min)
- Take-off distance at 4,763 kg (10,500 lb): 457 m (1,500 ft)
- Landing distance with reverse thrust: 107 m (350 ft)
- Landing distance without reverse thrust: 168 m (550 ft)
- Ferry range at 45% power at 2,286 m (7,500 ft) at 217 km/h (135 mph): 1,287 km (800 miles)
- Fuel capacity: 863 litres (190 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 2,177 kg (4,800 b)
- Hopper capacity: 1,930 litres (426 Imp gals)
- Typical operating weight: 4,763 kg (10,500 lb)
History:
This series of agricultural aircraft has been developed from the first S-2 series designed and developed by Leland Snow in 1956 and initially built by Snow Aeronautical. Continued development led to Rockwell purchasing the company and the Thrush Commander was produced. In 1977 production rights were sold to the Ayres Corporation which commenced installing turboprop engines at its facility. In 2003 the assets of Ayres were obtained by Thrush Aircraft.
Production of the series has continued and examples have been operated in large numbers in the United States and Australia. They have also been supplied to a number of other countries with a range of engines of various powers to meet operator requirements.
Special variants have been developed for anti-narcotics work for the United States Department of State, these being fitted with what is known as a Narcotics Eradication Delivery System and having an armoured cockpit and engine for protection. A variant was militarised as the Ayres Vigilante for close air support work but did not attract any orders. A company in North Carolina developed a model known as the Archangel, an attack aircraft based on the S-2R-660 and this has been supplied to the United Arab Emirates.
A new variant was developed in later years as the S-2R-H80 series and this has been fitted with the General Electric H80 turboprop. This is a modernised version of the Czech-built Walter M-601 turboprop produced in the 1960s in the Czech Republic and has been certified on the Thrush 510G and the L-410 twin-engine transport. The engine provided increased temperature margins to enhance hot-day take-off performance and high-altitude cruising speeds, providing 597 kw (800 shp) and driving a Hartzell HC-B4TW-3 propeller.
An example of the S-2R-H80 was imported to Australia in late 2016, became VH-NTV (c/n H80-189DC – ex N5530P), was registered to Statewide Aviation Pty Ltd, and commenced operations in the Moree, NSW area. It later was operated by Complete Aerosolutions Pty Ltd of Atherton, QLD from March 2017. A further S-2R-H80 was registered to the same company on 3 January 2018, becoming VH-NLI (c/n H80-202DC – ex N5536V).