Country of origin:

India

Description:

Five-seat multi-role single-engine low-wing monoplane

Power Plant:

One 224 kw (300 hp) Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

The Mahindra NM5-100 was designed as a joint development by CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories [NAL] and Mahindra Aerospace Pty Ltd in India as a multi-mission general aviation aircraft to meet the requirements of air-taxi, training, tourism, cargo and executive aircraft operators. It was designed to meet FAR Part 23 normal category for day, night VFR and IFR operations. The aircraft was a low-wing monoplane with a fixed tricycle undercarriage, a single-engine and a five seat cabin designed primarily for passenger and utility operations.

It was of all-metal construction, the prototype being completed in early 2011. Proposals, after certification, were to produce the aircraft at its facility on the outskirts of Bengaluru, formerly Bangalore. Engineers from CSIR-NAL and Mahindra Aerospace spent almost three years designing the all-new aircraft, the Company stating the prototype was built over a 10-month period by the “rapid prototyping team at Gipps Aero in their facilities near Melbourne”. Information about the development of the aircraft has been hard to obtain as one publication states the prototype was built at Bengaluru in India whereas the manufacturer states it was built at Morwell in Victoria.

The Company stated it felt the type would be in demand in Australia and commenced to seek Australian certification. In this regard the prototype aircraft in broken down form was shipped to Australia where it became VH-XNM (c/n NSM-001), being assembled as noted at Morwell by GippsAero, with which Mahindra was initially involved, being registered to Mahindra Aerospace Pty Ltd of Bangalore, Karntaka on 8 August 2011. This prototype made its first flight from the GippsAero base in the LaTrobe Valley, VIC on 1 September 2011. Subsequently Mahindra took a controlling interest in the GippsAero Company and it became part of Mahindra Aerospace. It was announced by Dr AR Upadhya, director of NAL, the second prototype would begin testing in mid-2012 but it would appear no second aircraft was ever completed.

Power was provided by a Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 series engine producing 224 kw (300 hp) at 2,700 rpm driving a three-blade constant speed propeller. Avionics system fitted as standard included AMS, NAV/COM, GPS, CDI, transponder and ELT, and it was fitted with a glass cockpit with an electronic flight instrument system.

Development of the type was slow. It was initially known as the NM5-100. A mockup of the fuselage was built and shown to the public and the press in 2011. The prototype was flown at Morwell, VIC and development of the design continued. At one stage it became known as the NMB-5 and later as the C-NBM-5.

The fuselage was all-metal monocoque structure comprising frames, bulkheads, stringers, longerons and skin of aluminium alloy. The Company stated the fuselage provided adequate space for occupants and payload, housed the engine and its accessories, and provided adequate moment arms for the tail surfaces. The fuselage cross-section was generally rectangular with rounded corners.

It had monoplane cantilever type tapered two-piece wings attached to the fuselage. The wings had a washout of three-degrees and were set at five-degrees dihedral. The wings were all-metal semi-monocoque structure having two spars, ribs and stringers along the span and covered with alloy sheeting. Each wing had an integral fuel tank. It was fitted with a manually operated flight control system to actuate the elevator, rudder and ailerons, consisting of push – pull rods with brakes and bell crank levers. The pilot had a control column with rudder pedals for actuation of the elevator, aileron and rudder surfaces.

The aircraft was to be certified for day and night operations under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), as well as Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). It had analog flight, navigation and engine instruments with modern avionics, including a moving map, but was expected eventually it will be available with a glass cockpit.

The wings had modified Frise-type ailerons with differential deflections. Each aileron had a single alloy spar and several ribs, and was covered with alloy sheeting. Single slotted flaps with slight Fowler action were provided; and each flap had an alloy spar, ribs and skin. A conventional all-metal stabiliser and elevator comprising alloy spars, stringers and skin were installed. The tailplane was attached to the rear fuselage through three attachment points. A conventional all-metal fin and rudder comprising of alloy spars, ribs, stringers and skin were used. The fin spars were integrated into the rear fuselage structure.

At the Indian Civil Aviation Airshow held in 2008 at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad in October 2008 the NM5 mockup was shown to the public and it was said it attracted a lot of interest in business visitors and the general public. It was also exhibited during Aero India at the Company’s stall in February 2009.

Mahindra released details of the program, announcing in 2011 its ambition was to become globally recognised as a manufacturer of cost-effective, efficient and robust utility aircraft, with a portfolio of four to six competitive models. In conjunction with NAL it had plans to launch the NM5-100, which was aimed at the market for an air taxi, as well as for training, tourism and medevac. Capable of taking off and landing on unpaved runways, it was expected its price would have a 20 percent advantage over similar western-built aircraft like entry-level Cessna models.

The Company stated Mahindra had supported NAL in designing the prototype, fabricating components and assembly, but flight testing was NAL’s responsibility. Once the aircraft was certified Mahindra was to deal with production and marketing. However, no further examples are known to have been completed and it is not known if the development of the aircraft has continued in India.  The prototype was noted stored at the Company’s facility at Morwell in 2018.