Smith XP-99 Prop-Jet
Mike Smith Aero Inc · United States · first flew 1982 · light aircraft
The Smith XP-99 Prop-Jet was a six-seat turboprop business aircraft designed in the United States in the 1980s. Only one was built.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboprop, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.32 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Long nose housing a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop with a four-blade propeller
- Unswept wing from a Beechcraft Baron 58P, mounted between mid and low positions
- Swept fin with the tailplane mounted, with anhedral, almost at the top
A single-engine pressurised business aircraft with a long turboprop nose, a Baron-type wing and a high-set tailplane on a swept fin.
Specifications
- The Smith XP-99 Prop-Jet has a length of 9.32 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.53 m (38 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was an attempt to produce a small propeller-driven business aircraft able to cruise above 350 mph. It first flew on 29 July 1982, using the wing and undercarriage of a Beechcraft Baron 58P to speed completion.
Variants
Only the one prototype was built. A composite wing was envisaged for production aircraft.
Where you'll see it
On 30 September 1984 it set a speed record for a single-engine turboprop, flying 1,002 miles from Johnson City, Kansas, via Memphis to Atlanta at an average of 382 mph. By 1985 Mike Smith was seeking financial backers.
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