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Zlin Z 43
Zlin Z 43
General information
Type	Light trainer/touring aircraft
National origin	Czechoslovakia
Manufacturer	Moravan Otrokovice
Status	In production (Z143 LSi model, 2011)
Number built	80 (Z 43); 1 (Z 43M) 63+ (Z 143)
History
Manufactured	1972-1977
First flight	10 December 1968
Developed from	Zlín Z 42

The Zlín Z 43 is a Czech four-seat light aircraft. A development of the two-seat Zlín Z 42, it is a low-wing monoplane. A developed version, the Zlín Z 143 remains in production.

Design and development

After successful production of the Z-26 aircraft family, the Czechoslovak aircraft manufacturer Moravan, began design of a new series of training aircraft, known as the Z-40 family. Unlike the previous tandem-seat aircraft, the Z-40 family featured a side-by-side cockpit. It was available in two basic variants, a two-seat trainer, the Zlín Z-42, and a four-seat aircraft, the Zlin Z-43 capable of being used both as a trainer and a tourer.

The resulting design is a single-engined low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction and a fixed nosewheel undercarriage. The Z 43 shares 80% of its structure with the Z 42, but is fitted with a revised fuselage accommodating a four-seater cabin and a more powerful engine. The Z-43's wings are of greater span and do not have the slight forward sweep of the Z- 42.^[4]

The Z-43 first flew on 10 December 1968,^[4] with production starting in 1972. It proved less popular than its two-seat contemporary, and production ended in 1977 after 80 aircraft were built.^[5]

The Z-143 is a version introduced in 1992, powered by a six-cylinder Lycoming O-540 engine,^[6] in parallel to the Z-42 being re-engined with a Lycoming to become the Z-242.

Variants

Zlín Z-43: Base model
Zlín Z-43L: Experimental model with Lycoming AE10540 D4B5 engine. Has noticeable short engine cowling. Only one was built (C/N: 0084, reg: OK-LOW, later OM-LOW) in 1990. It was converted back to stock Z 43 after 307 flight hours in 1998.^[7]
Zlín Z-43M: Experimental model. Only one was built
Zlín Z-143: Improved model
Aeronautical Manufacturing Enterprise Safir-43: An Algerian licence-built copy of the Zlín Z-43

Operational history

Use by Tamil Tigers

Pictures released by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka indicate that they operated Czech-built Zlin Z-143 single-engine, four-seater light aircraft modified to carry four bombs mounted on the undercarriage.

The Air Tigers carried out a suicide air raid on Colombo on 20 February 2009 using two of these aircraft. Under heavy anti-aircraft fire, one of these aircraft crashed into the Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department building in Colombo. The other craft was shot down near Sri Lanka Air Force Base at Katunayake.^[8]

Operators

Civil operators

Hungary

Hungarian Police - 1 was in service in 1976, but a few weeks after the introduction of the model it crashed into Lake Balaton.^[9]

Military operators

Algeria

Algerian Air Force (produced locally under Safir-43 name)

Cuba

Cuban Air Force

East Germany

East German Air Force

Hungary

Hungarian Air Force

North Macedonia

North Macedonia Air Brigade

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

Air Tigers

Specifications (Z 43)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1976-77 ^[10]

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Capacity: 3 passengers
Length: 7.75 m (25 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 9.76 m (32 ft 0 in)
Height: 2.91 m (9 ft 7 in)
Wing area: 14.50 m² (156.1 sq ft)
Empty weight: 730 kg (1,609 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 1,350 kg (2,976 lb)
Fuel capacity: 130 L (34 US gal; 29 imp gal) normal, provision for additional 110 L (29 US gal; 24 imp gal) tanks in wingtips
Powerplant: 1 × Avia M 337 A inverted six-cylinder air-cooled inline engine, 160 kW (210 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 235 km/h (146 mph, 127 kn) at sea level
Cruise speed: 210 km/h (130 mph, 110 kn)
Stall speed: 103 km/h (64 mph, 56 kn) (flaps down)
Never exceed speed: 273 km/h (170 mph, 147 kn)
Range: 610 km (380 mi, 330 nmi) (standard fuel), 1,150 km (710 mi; 620 nmi) (with wingtip tanks)
Service ceiling: 3,800 m (12,500 ft)
Rate of climb: 3.5 m/s (690 ft/min)
Takeoff distance to 15 m (50 ft): 700 m (2,300 ft)
Landing distance to 15 m (50 ft): 590 m (1,940 ft)

References

^ Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 171. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
^ "Aircraft of the Aeroklub". Retrieved 2021-02-01.
^ "History of production of ZLIN aircraft". Zlin Aircraft. Archived from the original on October 24, 2007. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
^ ^a ^b Taylor 1976, p. 32
^ Donald 1997, p. 925
^ Wood, Derek (1989). Jane's World Aircraft Recognition Handbook. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-0587-0.
^ Michal, Orlita. "Málo známé modifikace a prototypy". Letadla, létání (in Czech).
^ "Tamil Tiger planes raid Colombo". BBC, 21 February 2009. Retrieved 27 February 2009.
^ "Kiképző repülőgépek a Magyar Honvédségnél – a Jak– 52-estől a Zlin gépcsaládig, kitekintéssel a jövő lehetőségeire" (PDF) (in Hungarian). Hadtitechnika. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
^ Taylor 1976, pp. 32–33

Donald, David, ed. (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Leicester, UK: Blitz. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
Taylor, J.W.R, ed. (1976). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1976-77. London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-00538-3.