Procaer F.15 Picchio
Procaer · Italy · first flew 1959 · light aircraft
The Procaer F.15 Picchio (Italian for 'woodpecker') is an Italian light utility aircraft designed by Stelio Frati and built by Procaer. It was a further development of Frati's Falco and Nibbio designs.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Conventional low-wing cantilever monoplane with exceptionally clean lines
- Retractable tricycle undercarriage
- Single horizontally opposed Lycoming engine in the nose
A low-wing cantilever monoplane with clean lines and a retractable tricycle undercarriage.
Specifications
- The Procaer F.15 Picchio has a length of 7.5 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.9 m (32 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 310 km/h (193 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Picchio was developed in the late 1950s and first flew on 7 May 1959. Early versions kept the wooden construction of earlier Frati designs with a thin aluminium skin over the plywood, while the F.15E and F.15F were all-metal.
Variants
The F.15 had a 160 hp Lycoming O-320 and three seats, and the F.15A a 180 hp O-360 and four seats. The F.15B had larger-span wings with the fuel moved into them, the F.15C a 260 hp Continental IO-470-E, and the all-metal F.15E a 300 hp Continental IO-520K, first flown on 21 December 1968.
Where you'll see it
It was intended for private pilot owners and was exported to several European countries; about 50 were built, and several were still airworthy in 2012. Frati founded General Avia in the mid 1960s to build his designs, starting with the F.15E.
Related aircraft
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