Photograph:
Hughes 269 VH-CHO (c/n 123-0261)at Lake Munmorah, NSW in January 1976 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
General-purpose light helicopter
Power Plant:
(269A) One 134 kw (180 hp) Lycoming O-360-C2D four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
(300C) One 142 kw (190 hp) Lycoming HIO-360-D1A four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- (300C)
- Rotor diameter: 8.18 m (26 ft 10 in)
- Fuselage length: 7.03 m (23 ft 1 in)
- Height: 2.5 m (8 ft 2¾ in)
- Max speed: 169 km/h (105 mph)
- Max cruising speed at 1,525 m (5,000 ft): 161 km/h (100 mph)
- Max inclined rate of climb: 305 m/min (1,100 ft/min)
- Hovering ceiling in ground effect: 2,316 m (7,600 ft)
- Max range: 410 km (255 miles)
- Empty weight: 465 kg (1,025 lb)
- Loaded weight: 861 kg (1,900 lb)
History:
In 1955 the aircraft division of the Hughes Tool Company designed and developed a light helicopter known as the Model 269. The first of two prototypes was flown in October 1956, certification being received on 9 April 1959. In July 1960 it was decided to proceed with production, and the first production aircraft was delivered in October 1961. By this time the design had been developed into the Model 269A. Improvements included the use of a simpler tubular tail-boom, a wider cabin, and larger landing skids. Five examples were ordered by the United States Army as the YHO-2HU and, after a successful evaluation program to determine its suitability for the command and observation-post role, 792 were ordered as the TH-55A.
The series was initially marketed in the civil role as the Model 269A, which was the engineering designation, the machine becoming known as the Model 300. This was in fact the Model 269B which received its type approval on 30 December 1963. Later the type was developed to the Model 269C, or Model 300C, which differed from the basic Model 300 by having a more powerful engine, main and tail rotors of increased diameter, and structural changes, including a lengthened tail-boom and tail-rotor mast. Deliveries of the Model 300C commenced in 1970.
The Hughes 300 series of helicopters proved to be popular in a range of roles, including agricultural use, cattle mustering, and, in later years, helicopter training at pilot training schools. Over 2,800 examples of the series were built before production was transferred to Schweizer, this company having initially built the type under licence for Hughes but on 13 July 1983 obtaining production rights. All told more than 3,400 have been built.
Schweizer developed the aircraft, making a number of improvements, and released a model known as the Sky Knight which had a searchlight and infra-red sensors. From 1995 the production model was the 300CB fitted with a Lycoming HO-360-C1A engine.
The Hughes 269/300 series had a fully articulated three-blade main rotor and a two-blade tail rotor. Rotor drive was via a Vee-belt drive system eliminating the need for a conventional clutch. The fuselage was a welded steel tube structure with aluminium and plexiglass cabin and a one-piece tail-boom. A door was provided on each side of the cabin, and baggage capacity was 45 kg (100 lb). An external load could be slung weighing up to 272 kg (600 lb).
The type was also built under licence in Italy by Breda Nardi.