Photograph:
General Avia F-22R Pinquino VH-PIQ (c/n 021) at Mareeba, QLD in 2013 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Italy
Description:
Two-seat primary trainer/touring aircraft
Power Plant:
One 119 kw (160 hp) Textron Lycoming O-320-D1A four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.5 m (27 ft 10¼ in)
- Length: 7.4 m (24 ft 3¼ in)
- Height: 2.84 m (9 ft 3¼ in)
- Wing area: 10.82 m² (116.3 sq ft)
- Max speed: 305 km/h (189 mph)
- Cruising speed at 75% power: 293 km/h (182 mph)
- Stalling speed flaps down: 98 km/h (61 mph)
- Max rate of climb at sea level: 420 m/min (1,378 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 5,650 m (18,535 ft)
- Max range (with long range tank): 1,300 km (805 miles)
- Empty weight: 600 kg (1,323 lb)
- Loaded weight: 850 kg (1,874 lb)
History:
One of a series of high-performance light aircraft marketed by General Avia Co Struzioni Aeronautiche SRL in Italy, the F-22 was designed by Stelio Frati, a freelance aircraft designer who designed many well known aircraft including the Aviamilano F-8 Falco, Siai Marchetti SF-260, etc.
The prototype of the series, the F-22A Pinguino (I-GEAD) first flew on 13 June 1989, certification being obtained in May 1993. Other variants have included the F-22B with a Lycoming O-320 119 kw (160 hp) engine, the prototype of this model (I-GEAG) flying for the first time in mid 1993; F-22C (I-GEAH) with a Lycoming 134 kw (180 hp) O-360-A1A engine; and the F-22R Sprint (I-GEAE), the first of which flew on 16 November 1990, similar to the F-22C but with a Lycoming O-320 119 kw (160 hp) engine.
Structure was all-metal with a single-spar wing and an all-metal fuselage, the F-22A and F-22B having a fixed tricycle undercarriage, whereas the F-22C and F-22R had a retractable undercarriage.
First of the type seen in this region was flown to Wellington, New Zealand from Italy in 1998, leaving Rome on 27 February 1998 and covering the 22,000 km (13,670 miles) in 90 flying hours. Subsequently, the aircraft became ZK-JJJ (c/n 021), registered to General Avia South Ltd of Wellington on 11 February 1998.
ZK-JJJ operated for a period with the Wellington Aero Club [Inc] from 1 September 1998 but returned to General Avia South Ltd on 3 February 1999. It was thought at this time it would become ZK-MDF but the registration was not taken up. On 14 May 1999 it was struck off the New Zealand register and was flown to Australia, where it was displayed at the Australian International Air Show at Avalon, VIC.
The aircraft became VH-PIQ on 21 June 1999 with Arena Aviation Pty Ltd of Archerfield, QLD. Subsequent owners have been Felice Di Napoli on 20 February 2000, the address being given as Kelburne, Wellington, NZ but this changed to Paddington, QLD. On 13 September 2004 ownership was transferred to Hew Mills of Smithfield, QLD, and on 5 December 2014 ownership was transferred to Wings Airborne Pty Ltd of Bondi, NSW.