The Aero L-60 Brigadier


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The Aero L-60  Brigadier (Czech: "Brigadýr") was a small, propeller-driven Czechoslovakian STOL utility aircraft developed for both civil and military use. First flying in 1955 the aircraft's configuration bears a strong resemblance to the Fieseler Fi 156 "Storch" licence-produced in Czechoslovakia during and after World War II, and which this aircraft was intended to replace.

Later Brigadier aircraft have been retrofitted with a PZL-built Ivchenko AI-14R radial engine are known as the L-60S (you see on that picture).

Four hundred Brigadyrs were built and delivered by the Czechoslovak State Aircraft Factory between 1955 and 1960. This STOL aircraft was used extensively for agricultural work. Underwing spray bars and/or liquid nozzles at the wingtips and tail were used to dispense the fertilisers or pestcides. A substantial part of the Brigadyrs built went for export.

OK-MJO LET L-60 SF Brigadyr c/n 150822

The largest Brigadyr fleet in Czechoslovakia with more than 60 of these aircraft was owned by Agrolet. The 1958 built OK-MJO was photographed on June 14, 1997 at Liberec, Czech republic in the faded colours of Air Special, one of the successors of Agrolet. The OK-MJO was sold in 2002 in the USA and registered as N91GC.

These examples and more can be found at Airliners.net
and at Lotnictwo.net

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General characteristics

  • Crew: one pilot
  • Capacity: three passengers
  • Length: 8.54 m (28 ft 0 in)
  • Wingspan: 13.96 m (45 ft 9 in)
  • Height: 2.70 m (8 ft 10 in)
  • Wing area: 24.3 m² (261 ft²)
  • Empty: 995 kg (2,189 lb)
  • Loaded: kg ( lb)
  • Maximum takeoff: 1,415 kg (3,113 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1x Praga Doris M 208 B, 119 kW (160 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 193 km/h (120 mph)
  • Range: 900 km (563 miles)
  • Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,760 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 230 m/min (757 ft/min)