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38-770: MU2 may refer to: Mitsubishi MU-2 , a Japanese airplane Akaflieg München Mü2 Münchner Kindl , a German glider Škoda MU-2, a tank, the predecessor to the Škoda MU-4 MU2, a building at the Ashmole Academy , Barnet, London, England, UK MU2 (video game) , a 2011 videogame See also [ edit ] [REDACTED] Search for "mu2" , "mu-2" , "m-u2" , or "m-u-2" on Misplaced Pages. All pages with titles beginning with MU2 All pages with titles containing MU2 Mumu (disambiguation) MUU (disambiguation) MU (disambiguation) MV2 (disambiguation) Topics referred to by

76-573: A Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) under Air 1st of Aiken , South Carolina ), along with AOPA Pilot technical editor Mike Collins, embarked on an around-the-world journey in the MU-2B-25. The voyage commenced at Aiken Municipal Airport (now Aiken Regional Airport ) and visited Nagoya , Japan , on 14 September 2013, the 50th anniversary of the MU-2. In the United States, the MU-2 had

114-404: A spotty safety record during its early decades, as its high performance coupled with a relatively low purchase price appealed to amateur pilots who did not appreciate how demanding it is to fly compared to slower piston engined aircraft. The MU-2 has performance similar to a small jet; however, as it weighs less than 12,500 pounds (5,700 kg), under U.S. pilot certification rules in force at

152-433: A system called Direct Lift Control that used the spoilers on landing approach to control descent. Airbus aircraft with fly-by-wire control utilise wide-span spoilers for descent control, spoilerons, gust alleviation, and lift dumpers. Especially on landing approach, the full width of spoilers can be seen controlling the aircraft's descent rate and bank. Lift dumpers are a special type of spoiler extending along much of

190-447: A type rating in some aspects. The training curriculum was standardized and pilots required to receive type-specific initial and recurrent training. A fully functional autopilot became a requirement for single-pilot operations, and FAA-approved checklists and operating manuals must be on board at all times. Unusual for this SFAR, pilot experience in other aircraft types cannot be used to comply with MU-2 operational requirements. By 2011,

228-576: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Mitsubishi MU-2 The Mitsubishi MU-2 is a Japanese high-wing, twin-engine turboprop aircraft with a pressurized cabin manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries . It made its maiden flight in September 1963 and was produced until 1986. It is one of postwar Japan's most successful aircraft, with 704 manufactured in Japan and San Angelo, Texas , in

266-530: Is limited by higher speeds. For such spoilers the term spoileron has been coined. In the case of a spoileron, in order for it to be used as a control surface, it is raised on one wing only, thus decreasing lift and increasing drag, causing roll and yaw. Eliminating dedicated ailerons also avoids the problem of control reversal and allows flaps to occupy a greater portion of the wing trailing edge. Almost all modern jet airliners are fitted with inboard lift spoilers which are used together during descent to increase

304-483: Is not required for attendance. The aircraft had several airworthiness issues early in its service history. Airworthiness directives (ADs) were issued for nose gear cracks and various problems with the TPE331 engine. In April 1993, an emergency AD was issued after four serious accidents, two of them fatal, caused by propeller blade separations in aircraft equipped with similar three and four-blade Hartzell propellers;

342-800: The Argentine Air Force during the Falkland War . These Mitsubishi were unarmed, but used during combat operations by the Escuadrón Fénix as pathfinders, reconnaissance and comm-relay planes. Among their missions were flying as guiding planes to the IA-58 Pucará replacements required after losses on the raid on Pebble Island . In late 2009 the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) took delivery of four Mitsubishi MU-2F fixed-wing training aircraft from

380-562: The Japan Air Self-Defense Force as search-and-rescue aircraft and designated MU-2S. Additional equipment consisted of a "thimble" nose radome , increased fuel capacity, bulged observation windows, and a sliding door for dropping rafts. They were replaced in 2008 by the British Aerospace U-125A . Some have been preserved. Four civilian MU-2 (LV-MCV, LV-MOP, LV-OAN and LV-ODZ) were acquired by

418-508: The Pilot's Review of Proficiency (PROP) seminar program to better educate MU-2 pilots about the aircraft's characteristics. The PROP seminars were suspended following the end of MU-2 production in 1986 but were reinstated in 1994 due to continuing accidents. The aircraft's accident rate caused resale values to fall and prompted Mitsubishi to campaign the FAA to require an MU-2 type rating. In 2005,

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456-500: The trailing edge of the wing; the very large flaps give the MU-2 wing loading comparable to a Beechcraft King Air in landing configuration, while having wing loading comparable to a light jet in cruise. The spoilers are highly effective, even when the MU-2 wing is stalled , and the lack of ailerons eliminates adverse yaw . In 1963, Mitsubishi granted Mooney Aircraft rights in North America to assemble, sell, and support

494-644: The AD required immediate inspections of the propeller assemblies having more than 3,000 flight hours, and also covered various other aircraft types, but focused on the MU-2B-60 since it was the heaviest aircraft using these propellers. Despite these early problems, aviation experts have characterized the MU-2 as being robustly designed and constructed, and relatively few MU-2 crashes have been directly attributed to mechanical or structural failures. As of May 2024, there have been 170 documented crashes and 394 deaths involving

532-402: The FAA undertook another safety evaluation of the MU-2 and concluded that a properly maintained MU-2 was safe when operated by well-trained pilot; however, the study also found that training standards were inconsistent, and sometimes recommended unusual or unauthorized procedures. In 2006, the FAA issued a Special Federal Air Regulation (SFAR) directed at MU-2 operations, with standards exceeding

570-418: The MU-2 is sensitive to trim settings, and it is critical to promptly trim the aircraft properly in all phases of flight. The absence of adverse yaw eliminates the need to use rudder for coordinated flight , but proper and prompt use of rudder is vital to counter the aircraft's tendency to roll in reaction to engine torque ; at low airspeed , the aircraft will rapidly roll and enter an accelerated stall if

608-492: The MU-2. Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77 General characteristics Performance Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Spoiler (aeronautics) Spoilers fall into two categories: those that are deployed at controlled angles during flight to increase descent rate or control roll, and those that are fully deployed immediately on landing to greatly reduce lift ("lift dumpers") and increase drag. In modern fly-by-wire aircraft,

646-536: The MU-2. In 1965, Mooney established a facility to assemble MU-2s at its new factory in San Angelo, Texas . Major components were shipped from Japan, and the San Angelo factory installed engines, avionics, and interiors, then painted, flight tested, and delivered the completed aircraft to customers. By 1969, Mooney was in financial difficulty, and the San Angelo facility was taken over by Mitsubishi. Production in

684-713: The MU-2B, using the MU-2B type followed by a number. For marketing purposes, each variant was given a suffix letter; the MU-2B-10, for example, was sold as the MU-2D, while the MU-2B-36A was marketed as the MU-2N. The MU-2 has a high cruise speed coupled with a low landing speed. This is accomplished by using over-wing spoilers instead of conventional ailerons for roll control, allowing the use of full-span double-slotted flaps on

722-825: The MU-2F were sold. Beginning with the MU-2G, the fuselage was stretched. The MU-2M, of which only 28 were built, is regarded as the toughest and most desired of all short-bodied MU-2s, especially with a −10 engine conversion. It had a short fuselage and the same engines as the MU-2K and stretched MU-2J, and had an increase in cabin pressurization to 6.0 psi; it was followed by the MU-2P, which had newer, four-blade propellers. The final short-fuselage MU-2s produced were known as Solitaires and were fitted with 496 kW (665 shp) Garrett TPE331-10-501M engines. The first significant change to

760-566: The SFAR was credited with lowering MU-2 accident rates below those for similar turboprop aircraft. Additionally, although some owners had worried that the SFAR would depress aircraft prices even further, resale values rebounded as potential owners recognized that the aircraft is very safe with a properly trained pilot. PROP seminars continue to be held biennially and count towards MU-2 training requirements, and have become popular social events for MU-2 operators and even potential buyers, as MU-2 ownership

798-584: The U.S. Some of the aircraft's flight characteristics may be unfamiliar to pilots accustomed to slower light piston twins. Standard engine-out procedures are counterproductive when flying the MU-2: the commonly taught procedure of reducing flap following an engine failure on takeoff leads to a critical reduction in lift in the MU-2 with its unusually large and effective flaps. When pilots were taught to retain takeoff flap and reduce climb rate after an engine failure, MU-2 takeoff accident rates were reduced. Additionally,

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836-493: The U.S. Air Force Weapons Controller School with their initial experience controlling live aircraft. In the tactical simulations, the aircraft usually represent F-15s and Mikoyan MiG-29s . Students must control eight MU-2 missions before they can progress to controlling high-performance aircraft such as F-15s or F-22s . On 25 August 2013, Mike Laver, owner and pilot of N50ET (a −10 engine converted 1974 K-model equipped with 5-blade MT-composite propellers, which had just received

874-632: The United States ended in 1986. The last Japanese-built aircraft was completed in January 1987. The subsequent production aircraft, designated MU-2B, were delivered with the Garrett TPE331 engines that remained standard on all later models. Thirty-four MU-2Bs were built, followed by 18 examples of the similar MU-2D. The Japanese armed forces purchased four unpressurized MU-2Cs and 16 search and rescue variants designated MU-2E. Featuring slightly more powerful upgraded TPE331 engines, 95 examples of

912-704: The United States for use as training aids. In New Zealand service they are known as the Mitsubishi MU-2 Sumo . The aircraft were ferried to New Zealand and are located at the RNZAF's Ground Training Wing (GTW) at RNZAF Base Woodbourne near Blenheim in New Zealand's South Island. Since 1987 MU-2s have been flown by retired United States Air Force pilots working under government contract at Tyndall Air Force Base , Florida, where they provide U.S. Air Force undergraduate Air Battle Manager students of

950-479: The United States. Work on the MU-2, Mitsubishi 's first postwar aircraft design, began in 1956 . Designed as a light twin turboprop transport suitable for a variety of civil and military roles, the MU-2 first flew on 14 September 1963. This first MU-2, and the three MU-2As built, were powered by the Turbomeca Astazou turboprop. Civil MU-2s powered by Garrett engines were certified as variants of

988-415: The airframe came with the stretched MU-2G, first flying 10 January 1969, which featured a 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) longer fuselage than earlier models; 46 were built before being succeeded by the more powerful MU-2J (108 constructed). The MU-2L (29 built) was a higher-gross-weight variant, followed by the MU-2N (39 built) with uprated engines and four-blade propellers. The final stretched-fuselage MU-2

1026-551: The outcome was inconclusive. In 1983, after more crashes, the NTSB convinced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to perform a more comprehensive study of various aircraft systems; the study ultimately did not fault the MU-2's design, but the repeated investigations had damaged the aircraft's reputation by this time. This prompted Mitsubishi, in cooperation with FlightSafety International , to initiate

1064-556: The pilot applies full power without adequate preparation, and safe recovery from this condition is very difficult at low altitude. Most crashes early in the type's service life were attributable to pilot error ; however, in 1981, four uncontrolled descents from altitude prompted the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to initiate separate investigations into the cabin pressurization system and autopilot , but

1102-463: The rate of descent and control speed. Some aircraft use lift spoilers on landing approach to control descent without changing the aircraft's attitude. One jet airliner not fitted with lift spoilers was the Douglas DC-8 which used reverse thrust in flight on the two inboard engines to control descent speed (however the aircraft was fitted with lift dumpers). The Lockheed Tristar was fitted with

1140-469: The same set of control surfaces serve both functions. Spoilers were used by most gliders (sailplanes) until the 1960s to control their rate of descent and thus achieve a controlled landing. Since then, spoilers on gliders have almost entirely been replaced by airbrakes, usually of the Schempp-Hirth type. Spoilers and airbrakes enable the glide angle to be altered during the approach while leaving

1178-403: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title MU2 . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MU2&oldid=1158642861 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

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1216-540: The situation by allowing the aircraft to descend at a desired rate while letting the engine run at a power setting that keeps it from cooling too quickly (especially true for turbocharged piston engines, which generate higher temperatures than normally aspirated engines). Spoiler controls can be used for roll control (outboard or mid-span spoilers) or descent control (inboard spoilers). Some aircraft use spoilers in combination with or in lieu of ailerons for roll control, primarily to reduce adverse yaw when rudder input

1254-458: The speed unchanged. Airliners are almost always fitted with spoilers. Spoilers are used to increase descent rate without increasing speed. Their use is often limited, however, as the turbulent airflow that develops behind them causes noise and vibration, which may cause discomfort to passengers. Spoilers may also be differentially operated for roll control instead of ailerons ; Martin Aircraft

1292-437: The time, a pilot holding a multi-engine rating for much slower light twin piston-engine aircraft was allowed to fly the MU-2 with only a simple flight instructor endorsement. Inexperience with the MU-2's higher speeds, altitudes, and climb and descent rates resulted in many crashes. In Europe, pilots were required to obtain a specific type rating to fly the MU-2, resulting in roughly half the accident rate of early operations in

1330-407: The wheels to be mechanically braked with less tendency to skid. In air-cooled piston engine aircraft, spoilers may be needed to avoid shock cooling the engines. In a descent without spoilers, air speed is increased and the engine will be at low power, producing less heat than normal. The engine may cool too rapidly, resulting in stuck valves, cracked cylinders or other problems. Spoilers alleviate

1368-531: The wing's length and designed to dump as much lift as possible on landing. Lift dumpers have only two positions, deployed and retracted. Lift dumpers have three main functions: putting most of the weight of the aircraft on the wheels for maximum braking effect, increasing form drag , and preventing aircraft "bounce" on landing. Lift dumpers are almost always deployed automatically on touch down. The flight deck control has three positions: off, automatic ("armed"), and manual (rarely used). On landing approach "automatic"

1406-756: Was named the Marquise, and like the Solitaire, used 533 kW (715 shp) TPE331 engines. The Japan Self-Defense Forces are the only military operators to have flown the MU-2 in front-line service. The four C-model aircraft built, in addition to 16 MU-2Ks, entered service with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) with the designation LR-1; they were used as liaison and photo reconnaissance aircraft . They were retired in 2016. A number of them have been placed as gate guardians at JGSDF bases. 29 MU-2Es were purchased by

1444-414: Was the first company to develop such spoilers in 1948. On landing , however, the spoilers are nearly always fully deployed to help slow the aircraft. The increase in form drag created by the spoilers directly assists the braking effect. However, the most gain comes as the spoilers cause a dramatic loss of lift and hence the weight of the aircraft is transferred from the wings to the undercarriage, allowing

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