Iszada IA-101
| Iszada IA-101 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Role | Narrow-body jet airliner |
| National origin | Kathia |
| Manufacturer | Iszada Aircraft Corporation |
| First flight | December 20, 1957 |
| Introduction | October 26, 1958, with Air Kathia |
| Retired | 2004 (commercially) |
| Status | In limited military service |
| Primary users | Air Kathia (historical) Kathic Allonian Airlines (historical) |
| Produced | 1957–1979 |
| Number built | 632 |
| Unit cost |
US$4.7M (1959)
|
The Iszada IA-101 is a Kathic narrowbody, mid to long-range jet, four engined jet airliner built by the Iszada Aircraft Corporation and produced from 1958 to 1977 when it was superseded by new generation wide body airliners. The IA-101 carried between 152 179 passengers (-10/-20) and 194 and 220 passengers (-30). The IA-101 firmly cemented Kathia as a leader in aviation following the success of the IA-4300 and IA-4600.
A total of 632 IA-101s were built and delivered to a number of customers, with many being the passenger versions. However several were built for to carry freight, and many passenger versions were converted to freight in the 1980s and 1990s. The IA-101 also saw success as a military aircraft, with an aerial refueling variant developed in 1961 which is still in use by many Air Forces worldwide. The IA-101 also served as the primary transport aircraft for the Kathic Government from 1960 to 1991 as well as many other nations during that time.
Development
Background
The Kathic aviation industry was hit hard by World War Two, but had bounced back by 1951 and was going strong with the IA-4300 having entered services several years beforehand along with various military aircraft that had been developed. In 1952 Iszada began looking into developing a jet-powered airliner as opposed to going forward with further development on a turboprop version of the IA-4300, which had received lukewarm response from airlines.
In the end, Iszada would develop a turboprop, the IA-4600, but to serve as a domestic short range aircraft rather than international flights, and pushed forth with development of a long range jet airliner in 1952. In 1955, Air Kathia ordered 25 with options of 10 more, and became the launch customer of the IA-101. Several airlines subsequently placed orders for the aircraft.
Design Phase
Entry Into Service
Varients
-10
The IA-101-10 was the first variant of the IA-101, and entered service with Air Kathia in 1958. It was powered by four Vourdiszal VZ140s. The -10 was only produced from 1958-1963 when the -20 entered service with newer engines. Only 47 were produced.
-20
The -20 was the main production model from 1963-1977. It was mainly used on long range flights as well as medium distance flights. It could carry a maximum of 179 passengers in all-economy configuration across 9,100 km.
-30
The -30 was a stretched variant that was developed for high-density, short- to medium- range flights such as those in Aurora or Taizi. It had the same wing as as the -10 and -20, but had a stretched fuselage which allowed it to carry up to 220 passengers. As a result it had a range of just 5,900 km, but was very popular with Inter-Kathic and several airlines in Taizi.
-40/-50
In 1972, the -40 and -50 were announced as a re-engined variant of the original models. Equipmed with more fuel-efficient CFM56 engines, it was hoped that the life of the IA-101 would be extended by some years. But by the 1970s, a new generation of widebody airliners had entered service and only the stretched -50 found relative success in its original short- to medium-range high density routes until they were retired in the early 1990s. The re-engined variants found success with military variants, however, and many are still in service.