NERC leased Dornier 228 twin prop converted airliner

Dornier 228 D-CALM is a medium tropospheric research aircraft operated by NERC, UK. It has a twin turbo-prop powered non-pressurised shoulder-wing monoplane with rectangular-section fuselage and a double passenger/cargo door. The aircraft is used in the fields of optical remote sensing, oceanography, atmospheric and earth science research. A range of sensors may be installed.

Dimensions:

Length: 15.04 m; Height: 4.86 m; Wingspan: 16.87 m;

Flying performances:

Speed:
Min speed: 62 m/s
Max speed: 83 m/s
Usual speed during measurements: 65 m/s
Usual speed during transit flights: 98 m/s
Ascent rate: 1000 m/s

Altitude:
(1 ft = 0.31 m)
Min altitude:
Above sea: 200 ft
Above ground: 500 ft
Max ceiling: 22000 ft
Usual ceiling during measurements: 15000 ft
Ceiling limitations:
The service ceiling for our normal operational science is 15 000ft. However, our maximum service ceiling is 22 000ft, dependent on crew oxygen and specific instrument hard-drive specifications.

Payload:
Empty weight: 3596 kg
Max take-off weight: 5980 kg
Max payload: 1595 kg
Usual scientific payload during measurements: 500 kg
Endurance:
Max endurance: 7 h (at min scientific payload and max fuel) (Y-coordinate of 1st point)
Endurance at max scientific payload: 5 h ... (Y-coordinate of 2nd point)

Range:
Max range: 2600 km (at min scientific payload and max fuel)
Conditions for max range:
FL150 at max fuel, speed = 180 KTAS
Range at max scientific payload: 1800 km
Usual range during measurement flight: 1500 km

Other:
Weather conditions limitations:
VFR/IFR Approved Certified to fly in known icing conditions
Take-off runway length: 625 m
Engines:
twin turbo-prop: Garrett TPE 331-5A-252 D with 533 kW (715 SHP) take-off power.;
Avionics:
INS, GPS, Transponder, DME, Weather radar, radio-altimeter

Crew and scientists on board:

Crew (pilots + operators): VFR: 1 pilotIFR: 2 pilots;
Seats available for scientists: 1 operator seat, 3 potentially

Cabin:

Apertures:
Cargo door:
Width : 1.28 m
Height : 1.34 m;
Cabin pressurized:
none
More information:
Flexible accommodation for standard 19-inch racking, secured via the seat-rails.

See below for additional information;

Aircraft modifications:

Nose boom:
none
Windows:
2 Bubble-window with operator position and floor-opening for navigation-sight at the right forward side of the cabin
Openings:
Cabin floor, Back. One 2060 mm x 515 mm (frame 20 to 25) and one approx. 425mm diam (frame 25 to 27).
Covered openings in the cabin roof - 400 mm diam back (between frame 23 and 24) - 150 mm diam fromt (frame 12/13) - 150 mm diam back(frame 22/23)
Hard points:
Six hardpoints below the cockpit-area for external loads up to 200 Kg- Each fuselage side (cockpit area) has three hardpoint
-pairs to carry a load of 50 Kg (e.g. SLAR-antennae).
-On both wings (outside of propwash) two wing-stations for external loads up to 100kg
Inlets:
One, installed on cabin roof aperture (frame 12/13), to accommodate Aerosol and/or whole-air inlets
Additional systems:
From the wing-stations to the cabin there are tubes for cables (power and data lines) pylons/pods to carry four Particle Measurement Systems (PMS) type probes.

Acquisition systems:

Leica ALS 50-II Lidar
Leica RCD-105 39 Mega Pixel Digital Camera
Specim Eagle & Hawk Hyperspectral Scanner
Applanix POS and IPAS - Attitude and position

Electrical power:

Aircraft total electrical power (kW):
28V DC, 8.4 kW , 220 V AC, 2kW, 50 Hz
Electrical power (kW) and voltages (V) available for scientists:
DC 28 V – 6.3 kW of 28 volt DC total power, including a permanently installed 1.6kW / 220 V / 50 Hz inverter