Atlas ACE
Atlas Aircraft Corporation · South Africa · first flew 1991 · light aircraft
The Atlas ACE is a South African turboprop trainer designed by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation as a contender to replace the North American Harvard in South African Air Force service.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboprop, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tandem two-seat low-wing cantilever monoplane
- Built from carbon-fibre composites
- Retractable nosewheel landing gear
A tandem-seat composite trainer powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A with a conventional tail unit.
Specifications
- The Atlas ACE has a length of 10.8 m (35 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.8 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 555 km/h (345 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It originated as the 1986 Project Ovid, a composites technology demonstrator by Aerotek. It was entered in 1991 as the ACE (All Composite Evaluator) and first flew on 29 April 1991.
Variants
Two examples were completed, the second being improved.
Where you'll see it
The Pilatus PC-7 won the competition. The prototype was lost in a wheels-up landing at Jan Smuts Airport on 14 January 1995 and the design was not developed.
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