100 years since the production of the Aero A-22 “spa” special
Vodochody, May 10, 2024 – During 1924, Aero started production of the A-22, which was used as a mail and transport aircraft. In 1925 and 1926 the “twenty-two” in Aero factory colours served as mail and transport aircraft on the regular Prague – Mariánské Lázně route. In total, three A-22s were produced.
Between 1925 and 1926, Aero was licensed and operated a mail and transport line between Prague and Mariánské Lázně. During the operation of the line, two A-22s flew twice a day. One flight lasted approximately 45 minutes. Over the course of the “spa” route, the A-22s flew 82,434 kilometres and managed to transport a total of 961 passengers and over 7,000 kilos of parcels and letters without an accident.
After the end of the service, the A-22s spent some time at the Aero factory before being sold to private owners in the early 1930s. The last example of the A-22 was deleted from the airline registry in 1937.
The Aero A-22 was a biplane three-seat transport aircraft of mixed design. The aircraft was designed to carry two passengers and mail. The fuselage of the A-22 was welded steel tubing and covered with canvas, while the wings and two-bladed propeller were wooden. The machine was equipped with a 245 horsepower water-cooled six-cylinder engine. The aircraft had a wingspan of 12.78 m and a length of 8.34 m. It had a range of 320 km and a maximum speed of 199 km/h.
The designer of the A-22 transport aircraft, which was based on the design of the A-12 reconnaissance machine, was chief designer Antonín Husník.
AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE a.s. focuses on the development, production, maintenance and modernisation of military and civil aircraft and is the largest aircraft manufacturer in the Czech Republic and one of the oldest aircraft manufacturers in the world. In the field of its own aircraft, Aero is a permanent partner of a number of military air forces and has a strong position in the market for military trainer and light combat aircraft. With 11,000 aircraft produced in its 100 years of existence, hundreds of L-39 Albatros aircraft still in service with dozens of military operators and a number of demo teams, and especially with its new L-39NG aircraft, Aero has established itself as a leader in the global jet trainer market. In the civil aviation sector, Aero works with major aircraft manufacturers on a wide range of projects and is a partner in several risk-sharing programs, where it is responsible not only for the manufacture and assembly of aircraft assemblies, but also for their development.
Contact:
Radka Černá, PR & Communications Manager
e-mail: radka.cerna@aero
mobile: +420 608 974 258
www.aero.cz
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