T-27 Tucano

Embraer · Brazil · first flew 1980 · light aircraft

The T-27 Tucano is the Brazilian Air Force designation for the Embraer EMB 312 Tucano, a tandem two-seat turboprop trainer that became one of the most successful aircraft of its class worldwide.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × turboprop, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	9.86 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Brazilian Air Force designation for the Embraer EMB 312 Tucano turboprop trainer
Tandem two-seat cockpit under a long one-piece canopy
Single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop with four-blade propeller

Clean low-wing monoplane with turboprop nose. Long tandem canopy flush with the fuselage. Straight tapered wing with slight dihedral. Large three- or four-blade propeller.

Specifications

The T-27 Tucano has a length of 9.86 m (32 ft).
It has a wingspan of 11.14 m (37 ft).
Its maximum speed is 448 km/h (278 mph).
Typical crew: 2 (tandem).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Embraer designed the EMB 312 in response to a Brazilian Air Force requirement for a modern turboprop to replace piston trainers. The prototype flew in 1980 and the type entered FAB service as the T-27 in 1983. It was subsequently ordered by numerous air forces including the UK, Egypt, Iraq, and Honduras. The UK's Shorts Tucano was a modified version built under licence.

Variants

T-27 (FAB EMB 312), Shorts Tucano (UK, uprated engine), EMB 312H Super Tucano (stretched armed variant); export designations vary by operator.

Where you'll see it

Brazilian Air Force from 1983, replacing the T-37; operated by over 15 nations. Still active in several air forces as a lead-in fighter trainer.

Related aircraft

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