Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Business and executive aircraft

Power Plant:

(Merlin III)

Two 627 kw (840 shp) Garrett AiResearch TPE-331-3U-303G turboprops

Specifications:

History:

The Merlin III was an eight / eleven-seat executive transport designed by Ed Swearingen to offer an aircraft which could travel almost at jet speeds whilst consuming less than half the fuel that a business jet aircraft would require for the same distance.  The first aircraft he designed, the Merlin I, a piston-engine, pressurised version of the Queen Air, did not proceed to production.  The first turbine-powered model was the Merlin II but only a few were built and the model did not sell well until the power was increased to 410 kw (550 shp) for each engine by the installation of the Pratt & Whitney PT6.  This became the Merlin IIA.  In 1968 the Merlin IIB was introduced with the Garrett AiResearch TPE-331 turboprop.  Eighty-three Merlin IIBs were built, with a number being registered to the Australian Department of Transport.

For a period Fairchild Industries was contracted to build wings for the Merlin and other aircraft in the series, including the Merlin IV and Metro.  In November 1971 Swearingen became a subsidiary of Fairchild Industries.  Production continued and a new model, the Merlin III, appeared, using the wing of the Metro with a new fuselage.  Forty-six examples of this new model were built.  This was followed by the Merlin IIIA with only minor modifications.  In 1978 the Merlin IIIB was released.  The most significant changes to this model were the broad-chord four-blade Hartzell propellers and the new Garrett AiResearch TPE-331-10 engine, which provided 671 kw (900 shp) at sea level up to 1,220 m (4,000 ft).  This model had a 2,860 km (1,777 miles) range, a service ceiling of 9,906 m (32,500 ft), and a cruising speed of 555 km/h (345 mph).

Eventually Fairchild Aircraft Corp of San Antonio, Texas dropped the name Merlin for the series and announced new and improved variants of what had previously been the Merlin IIIC and Merlin IVC.  Production of the Merlin IIIC stopped in 1982 but later it was re-launched as an eight/ten-seat business aircraft and became the Fairchild 300 with two 671 kw (900 shp) Garrett TPE331-10U-503G turboprops.  The Fairchild 300 was first flown in May 1983 and differed from the previous models in having winglets, re-designed ailerons, better performance characteristics, new power brakes and anti-skid systems, environmental control and more effective propeller de-icing.  At the same time the Company launched the Fairchild 400, a 14/16-seat business variant of what had been the Fairchild IVC Merlin.

Six were operated by the Australian Department of Transport between 1969 and 1985. These consisted of SA-26AT Merlin IIBs VH-CAH (c/n T26-111); VH-CAI (c/n T26-103); VH-CAJ (c/n T26-119) and VH-CAK (c/n T26-172E); and SA-226T Merlin IIIs VH-CAL (c/n T213) and VH-CAM (c/n T210).  VH-CAI for a period was operated in New Guinea as P2-CAI.  VH-KRG (c/n T27-143) was also a Merlin IIB.  These were all later sold, most being exported to the USA, and were replaced by Gulfstream Commander 1000s.

A number of Merlin IIIBs have operated in this region, and these include: VH-EMO (c/n T208), VH-BCM (c/n T226), VH-SWK (c/n T296), VH-AWU (c/n T298) and VH-UBB (c/n T331).  Subsequently the Model IIIC appeared with 671 kw (900 shp) Garrett TPE-331-IOU-5036 turboprops, strengthened engine nacelles, and undercarriage doors that retracted when the wheels were down or up.  The first Merlin IIIC in Australia was VH-UCR (c/n T426A).  A number of other Merlin IIICs have operated in this region, including: VH-UZA (c/n TT444), VH-IHJ (c/n TT459A), and VH-JCB (c/n TT468).

A number of SA-226Ts appeared on the Australian register and operators have included Macair, Alturas, King Ranch, Rain City Industries, Opal Air, etc.  One Merlin III ZK-YCL operated in New Zealand with Yates Seed Company for a period but was exported in 1986.