AEA Explorer

Explorer

General information
Type| Light Multirole
National origin| Australia
Manufacturer| Aero Engineers Australia (AEA)
History
First flight| 23 January 1998

The AEA Explorer (sometimes called the Explorer Explorer) is a large single-engine utility aircraft.

## Design and development

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The explorer is a single-engined strut-braced high-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear that retracts into under-fuselage sponsons. The prototype, designated Explorer 350R first flew in 1998 and was soon exhibited on promotional tours of Australia and the United States.

The Explorer is currently[update] being offered in two versions – the turboprop-powered version, the 500T (which first flew in 2000), and a stretched version of the 500T, designated 750T.

Explorer Aircraft was established in Jasper, Texas to market the aircraft for the US market.

## Specifications AEA 500T

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Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004[1]

General characteristics

* Crew: 1
* Capacity: 9 passengers
* Length: 9.68 m (31 ft 9 in)
* Wingspan: 14.43 m (47 ft 4 in)
* Height: 4.72 m (15 ft 6 in)
* Wing area: 18.36 m2 (197.6 sq ft)
* Aspect ratio: 11.3:1
* Empty weight: 1,724 kg (3,800 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 2,812 kg (6,200 lb)
* Fuel capacity: 277 US Gallons (1,049 L)
* Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-135B turboprop, 450 kW (600 shp)
* Propellers: 4-bladed Hartzell D9511FK-2

Performance

* Maximum speed: 380 km/h (236 mph, 205 kn)
* Cruise speed: 333 km/h (207 mph, 180 kn)
* Stall speed: 114 km/h (71 mph, 62 kn)
* Range: 1,759 km (1,093 mi, 950 nmi)
* Service ceiling: 7,620 m (25,000 ft)
* Rate of climb: 5.1 m/s (1,000 ft/min)

## See also

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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

* Cessna Caravan
* Gippsland GA8
* Pacific Aerospace 750XL

## References

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1. ^ Jackson 2003, pp. 611–612.

* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to AEA Explorer.

* Explorer Aircraft website (actual)
* The Explorer on AEA's website (the archived old web site)

This article on an aircraft of the 1990s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

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