Aero 3
Aero 3 - Letalski center Maribor
Role	Military trainer Type of aircraft
National origin	Yugoslavia
Manufacturer	UTVA
First flight	August 1956
Introduction	1958
Primary user	Yugoslavia
Number built	110

The UTVA Aero 3 was a piston-engined military trainer aircraft built in Yugoslavia to replace the Ikarus Aero 2 then in service. One hundred ten were built, in Yugoslav Air Force service from 1958 to mid-1970s.^[1] It was superseded by the UTVA 75.

Design and development

First flown in 1956,^[2] the Aero 3 was designed to meet a Yugoslav Air Force requirement for a primary trainer that could also be used in the army co-operation role.^[2]

The Aero 3 was a low-wing cantilever monoplane that seated the student and instructor in tandem under a bubble canopy.^[2] Of all wood construction, it had a fixed, tailwheel landing gear and was powered by a nose-mounted 190 hp (142 kW) Lycoming O-435-A piston engine.^[2]

Former military operators

•  Yugoslavia
  • Yugoslav Air Force
    • Aviation Technical Group of Aviation Training School (1958–1960)
    • Light Combat Aviation Squadron of 3rd Air Command (1959-1961)
    • Light Combat Aviation Squadron of 5th Air Command (1959-1961)
    • Light Combat Aviation Squadron of 7th Air Command (1959-1961)
    • 463rd Light Combat Aviation Squadron (1961-1965)
    • 464th Light Combat Aviation Squadron (1961-1965)
    • 465th Light Combat Aviation Squadron (1961-1965)
  • Letalski center Maribor (Civil operator 1961-2011)

Aircraft on display

Serbia

• Museum of Aviation (Belgrade) in Belgrade

A UTVA Aero 3 prototype and UTVa Aero 3 are on display [1]

Specifications

Data from ^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 a teacher and student
• Capacity: 2
• Length: 8.58 m (28 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in)
• Height: 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 18.9 m² (203 sq ft)
• Gross weight: 1,198 kg (2,646 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-435-A piston engine , 142 kW (190 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 230 km/h (143 mph, 124 kn)
• Cruise speed: 180 km/h (112 mph, 97 kn)
• Range: 680 km (422 mi, 367 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 4,300 m (14,100 ft)