Dornier Do 228

The Dornier Do 228 is a small German twin turboprop STOL-utility aircraft, manufactured by Dornier GmbH (later DASA Dornier, Fairchild-Dornier) from 1981 until 1998. In 1983 Hindustan Aeronautics bought a production licence and manufactures the 228 till this day. Approximately 270 Do 228 were built at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany and Kanpur, India. In August 2006 a total of 127 Dornier Do 228 aircraft (all variants) remain in airline service.

LGW (Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter mbH) Do 228-200

Flight deck

Cabin view

History

In the late 1970s Dornier GmbH developed a new kind of wing, the TNT ("Tragflügel neuer Technologie"), subsidized by the German Government. Dornier tested it on a modified Do 28D-2Skyservant and with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-110 Turboprop engines. Finally Dornier changed the engine and tested the new aircraft, which was named Do 128 with two Garrett AiResearch TPE-331-5 engines. The company developed a new fuselage for the TNT and TPE 331-5 in two variants (15 and 19 Passenger) and named the both project-aircraft E-1 (later Do 228-100) and E-2 (later Do 228-200). At ILA '80 Dornier presented the new aircraft in public. The both prototypes was flown on March 21, 1981 and May 9, 1981 first time. After the certification the first Do 228 entered service in the fleet of Norving Flyservice in February 1982. Over the years Dornier offered the 228 in upgraded variants and with special equipment for special missions. In 1998 the production line was stopped for better development of the successor Fairchild-Dornier 328.

Accident Summary

• Hull-loss Accidents: 22 with a total of 109 fatalities
• Other occurrences: 1 with a total of 3 fatalities
• Unfiled occurrences: 1 with a total of 0 fatalities
• Hijackings: 1 with a total of 0 fatalities
• Selection of incidents: 3 with a total of 0 fatalities
• On 18 September 2006 ten of Nigeria's most senior army commanders died when their military Dornier 228 crashed near the south-eastern town of Obudu. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo called the crash a "monumental tragedy". Those killed included eight major generals and two brigadier generals.

Civilian Operators

The major operators of the 127 Do 228 aircraft remaining in service in August 2006 include: Dornier Aviation Nigeria (15), Daily Air (5), Dolphin Air (6), Indian Airlines (6), Iran Aseman Airlines (5), Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter (6), Air Caraïbes (7), Summit Air (7) and Vision Airlines (8). Some 35 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the aircraft. Cosmic Air, a Nepali airline, for example, operates 3 Do 228's.

Specifications (Do 228-212)

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• 'Number of Aircraft :178
• Capacity: 19 passengers
• Length: 16.56 m (54 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 16.97 m (55 ft 7 in)
• Height: 4.86 m (15 ft 9 in)
• Wing area: 32.00 m² (345 ft²)
• Empty: 3,258 kg (7,183 lb)
• Loaded: kg ( lb)
• Maximum takeoff: 6,400 kg (14,110 lb)
• Powerplant: 2x Garrett AiResearch TPE-331-5, 560 kW (776 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 434 km/h (271 mph)
• Range: 1,037 km (560 miles)
• Service ceiling: 8,534 m (28,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 570 m/min (1,870 ft/min)
• Wing loading: kg/m² ( lb/ft²)
• Power/Mass:

Military Operators

• Finland, Germany, India, Italy, Malawi, Netherlands, The, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Thailand, Bhutan.

External links

• dornier228.de Dornier 228
• Manufacturer RUAG Aerospace Deutschland
• Indian licence manufacturer HAL India
• Aircraft Data & History by airliners.net
• Dornier 228 full-flight-simulator Simtec GmbH

Related content

Related development: 328 - 328JET

Comparable aircraft: Antonov An-28 - BAe Jetstream - Harbin Y-12 - IAI Arava - GAF Nomad - LET 410 Turbolet - Shorts SC.7 Skyvan - Raytheon Beechcraft 1900

Designation sequence: Do27 - Do28 - Do128 - Do228 - 328/328JET - 428/428JET - 728

See also:

• List of airliners
• List of civil aircraft